The Missouri AfterSchool Network (MASN) invites all Missouri out of school time youth serving organizations to encourage their youth to participate solo or as a team in the 2023 Missouri Youth Entrepreneurship Pitch Challenge by submitting videos pitching a business idea. The video pitch challenge is designed to support young people in K-12 afterschool programs to connect with peers and caring adults, practice thinking like an entrepreneur, and pitch an original idea for a business, product, technology, or social venture that would make their community and world better.

Ongoing support is provided by MASN and training and technical assistance partners, Young Entrepreneur Institute and Venture Lab. By participating in the Pitch Challenge, students and programs can also join in a broader effort coordinated by Missouri AfterSchool Network and statewide partners to help K-12 afterschool students with growing viable microenterprises and connecting students to support systems and opportunities for entrepreneurs in their communities.

To enter, individual students will create a video pitch of 2 minute or less in length, register for the pitch challenge and upload their video by grade level (K-5, 6-8, 9-12) by midnight, July 15, 2021. Student video entries will be judged for awards and prizes by a panel of Missouri educators, entrepreneurs, and business professionals. An online celebration and recognition program will be held for students, their families and afterschool supporters on Monday, August 1, 2022. The top 10 scores in grades 5-8 and 9-12 will be entered in the National Pitch Challenge event. Afterschool programs can conduct short educational programs and host a local pitch event, leading to student entries in the statewide contest. They can also support individual K-12 students in preparing video pitches and entering the contest.

The student’s proposed idea can be any type of business: a product business, a service business, a social enterprise that helps people or the environment, or a technology business. Student pitches will be judged on: 1. creativity of the idea 2. business name and presentation 3. persuasiveness of the pitch, and 4. overall quality of the idea, pitch, and presentation. Youth Winners and finalists will be determined by a panel of judges from the youth entrepreneurship education ecosystem in Missouri.

Website: https://moafterschool.org/2023-young-entrepreneur-pitch-challenge-now-open/4222/

Managing Organization: Missouri AfterSchool Network

Contact:

abanks@missouri.edu

Eligibility:
To enter, students must be enrolled in school (grades K-12) for the 2021-2022 academic year. This includes students home-schooled or enrolled in an online school. • Students enter the contest at the level that corresponds to their grade at the time of entering the contest. The three grade level groups are: K-5, 6-8, and 9-12. • Students must reside in Missouri. • Students enter the contest as an individual; contestants may not work in teams. Every young person is encouraged to experience entrepreneurship! • There is no limit on contestants per grade level group. • Student pitches must be no longer than 2 minutes. It is recommended that pitches not be less than 60 seconds.  File types accepted include mp4, mov, avi, mpg, and wmv.

Registration Opens: January 1, 2023

Registration Closes: July 16, 2023

The Missouri AfterSchool Network (MASN) invites all Missouri out of school time youth serving organizations to encourage their youth to participate solo or as a team in the 2023 Missouri Youth Entrepreneurship Pitch Challenge by submitting videos pitching a business idea. The video pitch challenge is designed to support young people in K-12 afterschool programs to connect with peers and caring adults, practice thinking like an entrepreneur, and pitch an original idea for a business, product, technology, or social venture that would make their community and world better.

Ongoing support is provided by MASN and training and technical assistance partners, Young Entrepreneur Institute and Venture Lab. By participating in the Pitch Challenge, students and programs can also join in a broader effort coordinated by Missouri AfterSchool Network and statewide partners to help K-12 afterschool students with growing viable microenterprises and connecting students to support systems and opportunities for entrepreneurs in their communities.

To enter, individual students will create a video pitch of 2 minute or less in length, register for the pitch challenge and upload their video by grade level (K-5, 6-8, 9-12) by midnight, July 15, 2021. Student video entries will be judged for awards and prizes by a panel of Missouri educators, entrepreneurs, and business professionals. An online celebration and recognition program will be held for students, their families and afterschool supporters on Monday, August 1, 2022. The top 10 scores in grades 5-8 and 9-12 will be entered in the National Pitch Challenge event. Afterschool programs can conduct short educational programs and host a local pitch event, leading to student entries in the statewide contest. They can also support individual K-12 students in preparing video pitches and entering the contest.

The student’s proposed idea can be any type of business: a product business, a service business, a social enterprise that helps people or the environment, or a technology business. Student pitches will be judged on: 1. creativity of the idea 2. business name and presentation 3. persuasiveness of the pitch, and 4. overall quality of the idea, pitch, and presentation. Youth Winners and finalists will be determined by a panel of judges from the youth entrepreneurship education ecosystem in Missouri.

Website: https://moafterschool.org/2023-young-entrepreneur-pitch-challenge-now-open/4222/

Managing Organization: Missouri AfterSchool Network

Contact:

abanks@missouri.edu

Eligibility:
To enter, students must be enrolled in school (grades K-12) for the 2021-2022 academic year. This includes students home-schooled or enrolled in an online school. • Students enter the contest at the level that corresponds to their grade at the time of entering the contest. The three grade level groups are: K-5, 6-8, and 9-12. • Students must reside in Missouri. • Students enter the contest as an individual; contestants may not work in teams. Every young person is encouraged to experience entrepreneurship! • There is no limit on contestants per grade level group. • Student pitches must be no longer than 2 minutes. It is recommended that pitches not be less than 60 seconds.  File types accepted include mp4, mov, avi, mpg, and wmv.

Registration Opens: January 1, 2023

Registration Closes: July 16, 2023