What difference can five minutes make? For budding entrepreneurs at Niagara College, it can help make their business dreams come true – if they make the perfect pitch.
On April 2, they will have an opportunity to do just that at Niagara College’s Pitch Perfect competition at Southbrook Vineyards. Presented by the College’s entrepreneurship hub ncTakeOff, five teams of students will have five minutes each to dazzle judges with their pitches, vying for $3,000 and a chance to move onto the Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce Ignite Competition to take place in May.
“This event is a great opportunity for students to take what they have been working on all year, either in class or outside of class, and take it to the next level,” said Madison Fuller, manager, ncTakeOff. “Pitch Perfect offers students an opportunity to pitch their businesses in a professional setting and also compete for a pretty amazing prize – $3,000 for their business and to move onto GNCC’s Ignite – to take their business into the community.”
Student teams were required to qualify for Pitch Perfect by submitting their business plan and a description of how they would use the grand prize. Those with the best plans and most viable ideas were selected to compete. Participating students come from a various program areas – from business to environment to exercise science.
“Niagara is a region of small- and medium-sized enterprises and we believe it is vital to support the development of our students as future entrepreneurs and business leaders,” said Vivian Kinnaird, dean of Business, Hospitality and Environment. “Competitions such as Pitch Perfect provide our students with an opportunity to challenge their skills and creativity, and help bring their ingenuity to life.”
At Pitch Perfect, students will be judged on the viability, creativity, and clarity of their pitches, as well as on their financial projections and overall business plans. Judges include GNCC president Mishka Balsom, Meridian senior cash management specialist Jim Davison, KPMG Enterprise senior manager Dawn Lagesten, and Welland city councillor Lucas Spinosa.
“Pitch Perfect encourages innovative students to create new products and services for new markets, and by doing so, they are driving our region forward. We are pleased to have partnered with Niagara College and to be able to support the hard work of these talented individuals,” said Balsom. “What we see at this competition, is the future of Niagara. And we are in good hands.”
Participants will also have a chance to hear a keynote presentation from local entrepreneur Crystal D’Cunha, founder of The Inside View, who will share her journey and expertise with the students.
This is the third annual Pitch Perfect event. Last year’s winner, Safiya Aboaen, won Pitch Perfect with a pitch for an artisanal, socially conscious clothing company. She is now a successful entrepreneur who owns a well-known business with more than 40,000 followers on Instagram.
ncTakeOff is Niagara College’s hub for entrepreneurship, and aims to create an innovative, enterprising and challenge-embracing culture in Niagara and beyond. The hub hosts entrepreneurial development programs and events such as Pitch Perfect and the Social Enterprise Start-up Weekend, held earlier this year, and connects students to subject experts, mentors, events and funding opportunities in the Niagara community.
