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Pitch Competition

Pitch Competition

OPEN

OPEN

GRANT · HOW TO WIN THIS

WBENCPitch Regional Competition

WBENCPitch Regional Competition

$20,000 per division (Products and Services); awarded once per annual cycle at the national level.

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Runs annually; regional deadlines vary by RPO through fall 2026—several are still open as of late July 2026.

AMOUNT

$20,000 per division (Products and Services); awarded once per annual cycle at the national level.

AMOUNT

$20,000 per division (Products and Services); awarded once per annual cycle at the national level.

DEADLINE

Runs annually; regional deadlines vary by RPO through fall 2026—several are still open as of late July 2026.

DEADLINE

Runs annually; regional deadlines vary by RPO through fall 2026—several are still open as of late July 2026.

FUNDING TYPE

Pitch Competition

CAN YOU GET THIS?

You must hold active WBENC certification and own the business you're pitching.

You must hold active WBENC certification and own the business you're pitching.

Your business solution must already be market-ready or in market—not a concept seeking investment. The owner delivering the pitch in every round must be a primary owner of the company.

Your business solution must already be market-ready or in market—not a concept seeking investment. The owner delivering the pitch in every round must be a primary owner of the company.

YOUR REAL ODDS

Two $20,000 grants are awarded nationally each cycle—one for Products, one for Services.

Competition runs in rounds starting at the regional level with 14 Regional Partner Organizations, so you first have to win or advance locally before reaching the national stage. The pool narrows significantly at each round.

WHAT IT TAKES

  1. Find your Regional Partner Organization and confirm its open application window — 30 minutes

  2. Submit your regional application before your RPO's specific deadline — 1–3 hours

  3. Compete in the regional pitch round — 1 day

  4. Advance to national competition if selected — 1–2 days

WORTH KNOWING

Each RPO runs its own timeline and application—some 2026 regional deadlines are still open (e.g., WBCS closes August 23, WBEC Pacific closes August 10), while others have already passed, so check your specific region's site immediately.

Apply on the funder’s site →

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Athene Black & Brown Pitch Competition

Up to $12,000 for the top winner (varies by year); finalists receive $1,000. Awarded annually.

Black and Brown founders of any stage or industry can compete for up to $12,000 at this annual Iowa-based pitch competition.

Enthuse Foundation’s 8th Annual Pitch...

$15,000 cash grand prize (plus $120,000+ in-kind package); awarded once per year.

Women-founded food, beverage, or CPG startups based in the US with under $750K revenue can apply.

This is 1 of 1,600+ open opportunities.

This is 1 of 1,600+ open opportunities.

$50B+ in available capital across grants, VC funds, CDFIs, and accelerators. Filter by your industry, stage, and region, and see everything you qualify for.

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