Young Entrepreneur Pitch Challenge

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YEI's Ohio Pitch Challenge is an exciting pitch contest for Ohio students in grades K-12.

It offers a hands-on experience where students can develop key skills like creativity, problem-solving, critical thinking, and presentation abilities. Through this challenge, students gain essential workforce readiness skills and build a mindset for future careers—whether or not they pursue entrepreneurship.

Students compete in one of three groups by grade level: K-4, 5-8, or 9-12.

 

It's as easy as 1-2-3:

  • Students, individually or in a team, come up with a business idea.
  • Students create a video (30-90 seconds) presenting their idea.
  • Students should keep the camera on themselves for most of the video—judges need to see and hear them pitch their idea. It should not be slideshow or visuals with a voiceover.
 

Helpful Hints:

  • Practice is key. We do not want to see students reading from a script.
  • Be enthusiastic! Viewers will be more interested if students are passionate about their idea.
  • If filming on a cell phone, hold the phone horizontally – vertical videos do not work well for this contest.

Click here for the Official Rules

Click here to see the Judging Rubric

 

Timeline

Registration Opens: September 15, 2025

Pitch Submission Deadline: February 28, 2026

Grand Prize Winners Announced: May 1, 2026

 

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