Rules & Prizes

Process

The Hood Pitch Competition is open to current students, alumni, faculty and staff, and members of boards and committees. Participants must complete the online submission form by Friday, Feb. 22, 2019. 

On or before March 8, 2019, the HPC Committee will evaluate submissions and pitch decks to determine eight applicants that advance to the semifinals. 

Semifinalists will be contacted to schedule a pre-screening pitch (mock pitch) over the phone.

HPC and Chair to will select four finalists to compete (and present) in front of expert judges during The Hood Pitch Contest on April 18, 2019.

Pitch Format

Finalist will be given eight (8) minutes with expert judges to pitch their idea or concept and five (5) minutes for Q&A with the judges in front of a live audience. 

Teams will be able to use PowerPoint, visual aids, props or other items during their pitch; while visual material may be used, the presentation must stand on its own without a written business plan.

Prizes

Winning individuals and teams will receive guidance, financial support and in-kind contributions in order to move their venture forward.

There will be $9,500 in cash prizes distributed to the top four teams. The cash prizes listed below are for the entire team, not for individual team members. Prizes will be allocated as follows:

• First Place: $5,000
• Second Place: $2,500
• Third and Fourth Place: $1,000 each

Confidentiality and Intellectual Property

Confidentiality is not guaranteed in any way. If a team wishes to keep elements of their concept or idea confidential, the team should not include that information in their pitch. There is no way for Hood College, its affiliates, event sponsors or organizers to enforce a prohibition of other competitors, audience members or judges who see or hear a pitch from sharing the concept, idea, and/or materials with others. 

By participating in the Hood Pitch Competition competitors agree that Hood College Business School and all related parties assume no liability and shall have no liability or obligation whatsoever for disclosures of information provided by a competitor as part of a submission or otherwise during the course of the competition.

Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) between a competitor and the judges and/or audience members will not be required or allowed.