The BIG IDEA Pitch Contest is co-produced by College of DuPage (COD) and Innovation DuPage (ID).
The BIG IDEA Pitch Contest gives you an opportunity to pitch your business idea to a panel of expert judges. It all starts with a BIG IDEA. We are looking for innovative products and services that solve real problems to satisfy the needs of growing markets. Successful applicants introduce scalable concepts that can be accelerated by connecting to key mentorship and business resources. Whether your idea is conceptual, in development or a launched startup, this competition is right for you. This year, the BIG IDEA Pitch Contest is a completely virtual event. Apply online with a written application and a short video submission. If chosen as a finalist, you will record your pitch in advance of the contest via Zoom with College of DuPage’s expert multimedia team. The contest on November 18th is open for general public viewing. Encourage your family, friends, teachers and colleagues to save the date!
1st Prize | $4,500
2nd Prize | $3,500
3rd Prize | $2,500
All winners will also receive a six-month membership to Innovation DuPage.
Apply on your own or with your business team! Participants must be:
Complete the online BIG IDEA application by Monday, October 12 at noon. The application includes a written portion where we ask you to tell us about yourself (and your business team, if applicable) and provide information on your business. You will also submit a Vimeo link to a 2-to-3 minute video where you briefly showcase your business idea. For help in completing the application, we are offering three information sessions with COD business faculty. Attend to the session of your choice:
All finalists will be judged and selected by Innovation DuPage and College of DuPage, at their sole discretion. They will be notified by Tuesday, October 13 if chosen to pitch in the final round.
The final round of the contest will be virtual, open to students, staff and the wider community, therefore confidentiality is not guaranteed. If you wish to keep elements of your business or idea confidential, you should not include this information in your pitch. A video version of the Pitch Contest will also be shared on the College of DuPage and Innovation DuPage websites and on a local cable channel. There is no way for College of DuPage and Innovation DuPage to prohibit the sharing of pitch contest content with others. Pitch applicants and all participating business team members under the age of 18 are required to have a parent/guardian sign a waiver for participation.
FOR MORE INFORMATION TO APPLY CLICK HERE