Missouri AfterSchool Network Pitch Challenge

Ages:Elementary, Middle School, High School

Type:Submission

Category:Entrepreneurship

Scope:State

Registration

Entry Fee: $

Contact


abanks@missouri.edu

The Missouri AfterSchool Network (MASN) invites all youth serving organizations and clubs to encourage students to participate in the 2022 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 pro-activethinking 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.
Awards

Individual Award.

One (1) GRAND-PRIZE WINNER overall will be selected (K-5, 6-8, and 9-12):

  • $500 Gift Card
  • Consultation with a successful entrepreneur
  • Scholarship to the VentureLab Spark program for mentoring, networking, and startup materials (valued at $2,000)
  Two (2) SCHOLARSHIPS to the VentureLab Spark program for four months of mentoring and startup materials (valued at $2,000). All youth contestants ages 8-18 are eligible and can apply for a Spark program scholarship. Recipients will be selected on the basis of their interest and readiness to take their pitch idea forward!   Three (3) WINNERS in each grade level group (K-5, 6-8, and 9-12) will be selected:
  • $100 Gift Card
  • Young Entrepreneur Pitch Challenge Winner Certificate
  • Resource Bundle for Young Entrepreneurs
  • Five (5) RUNNER-UPS in each grade level group (K-5, 6-8, and 9-12) will be selected:
  • $50 Gift Card
  • Young Entrepreneur Pitch Challenge Runner-Up Certificate
  • Resource Bundle for Young Entrepreneurs
  ALL YOUTH CONTESTANTS will receive a certificate and access to resources and opportunities for further coaching and guidance with their ideas.   Results announced during a Celebration Ceremony on Zoom, Monday, August 1, 2022, at 6:30 p.m. Winners and finalists will be announced and acknowledged after the event on our website. There is no cash value to “in-kind” prizes and no exchanges or refunds will be offered. Prizes are non-transferrable.

Website: https://moafterschool.org/2022-young-entrepreneur-pitch-challenge/3281/

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, 1970

Registration Closes: July 16, 2022

Overview

The Missouri AfterSchool Network (MASN) invites all youth serving organizations and clubs to encourage students to participate in the 2022 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 pro-activethinking 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.

Process

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.

Criteria

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.

Awards

Awards

Individual Award.

One (1) GRAND-PRIZE WINNER overall will be selected (K-5, 6-8, and 9-12):

  • $500 Gift Card
  • Consultation with a successful entrepreneur
  • Scholarship to the VentureLab Spark program for mentoring, networking, and startup materials (valued at $2,000)
  Two (2) SCHOLARSHIPS to the VentureLab Spark program for four months of mentoring and startup materials (valued at $2,000). All youth contestants ages 8-18 are eligible and can apply for a Spark program scholarship. Recipients will be selected on the basis of their interest and readiness to take their pitch idea forward!   Three (3) WINNERS in each grade level group (K-5, 6-8, and 9-12) will be selected:
  • $100 Gift Card
  • Young Entrepreneur Pitch Challenge Winner Certificate
  • Resource Bundle for Young Entrepreneurs
  • Five (5) RUNNER-UPS in each grade level group (K-5, 6-8, and 9-12) will be selected:
  • $50 Gift Card
  • Young Entrepreneur Pitch Challenge Runner-Up Certificate
  • Resource Bundle for Young Entrepreneurs
  ALL YOUTH CONTESTANTS will receive a certificate and access to resources and opportunities for further coaching and guidance with their ideas.   Results announced during a Celebration Ceremony on Zoom, Monday, August 1, 2022, at 6:30 p.m. Winners and finalists will be announced and acknowledged after the event on our website. There is no cash value to “in-kind” prizes and no exchanges or refunds will be offered. Prizes are non-transferrable.

Participate

Website: https://moafterschool.org/2022-young-entrepreneur-pitch-challenge/3281/

Managing Organization: Missouri AfterSchool Network

Contact:

abanks@missouri.edu

Entry Fee:

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.

Deadlines

Registration Opens: January 1, 1970

Registration Closes: July 16, 2022