Win $2,500 To Grow Your Business

Enter our spring 2021 Northwest Ohio Pitch Competition! We’ll be selecting 10 finalists who own a business in Northwest Ohio to pitch online for a chance to win up to $2,500. The best part? All participants will walk away with at least $500!

Whether you’re brand new to pitching or a seasoned veteran, we welcome you to participate! All finalists will have an opportunity to hone their skills and fine-tune their pitches by working closely with a JumpStart business advisor prior to the event.

To be eligible to pitch at the competition on Tuesday, March 30, you must first pitch your idea to our business advisors by Monday, March 15*.

Apply to Pitch Today ➜

What to Include In your pitch

Our advisors will assess your four-minute pitch based on how well you address the following topics:

The hook

An attention grabber for the audience (e.g. a joke, a statistic, a quick story, etc.) This should help the audience immediately focus on the problem you’re trying to solve for.

What your company does

Remember that your audience may not have knowledge of your particular industry or of the issue your product/service addresses. Avoid jargon, buzz words and hyperbole.

How your solution is unique

What makes your product/service different from current market offerings?

Your Target market

Who is your target customer? And why?

Reaching the market

How are you reaching your customer? (e.g. direct sales, e-commerce, web, distributors, etc.)

Revenue prospects

How are you making money? How do you charge? How much of a profit margin do you predict at scale?

The team

Who is involved? Skill sets are more helpful than just names and bios.

The use of funds

How would you use the investment dollars?

Impact of funds

How will the investment dollars impact your business?

Make an appointment to present your idea by completing the form below.

Competition Rules

All pitch participants must have their businesses located in Northwest Ohio and have never received $500 or more from JumpStart, Inc in the past. Each pitch participant grants JumpStart, Inc permission and authority to use, re-use and license the use of their voice, name, photograph or likeness in any promotional activity related to their being an applicant and that they are entitled to no compensation from JumpStart, Inc for said usage. By entering this pitch contest, pitch participants accept and agree to be bound by the rules and decisions of the judges awarding the prizes, which are final, binding and conclusive on all matters relative to this contest. JumpStart, Inc reserves the right to disqualify pitch participants who fail to follow these rules or who make any misrepresentations relative to their businesses. By voluntarily submitting to pitch, pitch participants agree to release and hold harmless JumpStart, Inc and their affiliates, subsidiaries, officers, directors, representatives, agents and employees, from any and all liability whatsoever for any injuries, losses or damages of any kind arising from or in connection with, either directly or indirectly, participating in this contest. Taxes on prizes are the sole responsibility of winners. Winners may not substitute or transfer prizes. Employees of JumpStart, Inc, their dependents and immediate families, are not eligible to participate or win. All federal, state and local laws and regulations apply.

*Any participants who have received at least $500 from JumpStart in the past are not eligible for the competition.