The YWCA has announced that all participants in the Entrepreneurial Cohort training are eligible to be considered for a Spring 2025 Pitch Event. 

5 entrepreneurs will be selected from our Cohorts to participate in this event which will be announced in 2025.

To Qualify:

• You must have a completed business plan and a marketing plan or pitch deck

• You ust have either already started or ready to start your business by August 2025

• You must have a live website and/or marketing plan to generate customers

The online application will appear here in 2025

The application will ask you to upload your business plan, marketing plan/pitch deck, and revenue/revenue projections

The PRIZES last year were are as follows:

• First Prize, $7,500

• Second Prize, $6,000

• Third Prize, $5,000

These were cash awards that did not need to be paid back. Winners have to commit to a 3 month, 6 month and 1 year follow up with YWCA for updates on business progress.

BREAKDOWN OF THE APPLICATION FORM WITH NOTES

• Applications submitted after deadline will not be considered.

• Please provide a short description of your Company

  1. It introduces your brand, offering prospective investors and other interested parties an overview of the company's objectives and scope. Depending on the scale of your business, your description might be just a few paragraphs or it might stretch to more than a page, but it should always be as succinct as possible.

• Your Unique Value Proposition? 

  1. Helps communicate your message effectively to your target customer, ensuring that they understand exactly what you offer and why it's valuable. A value proposition should be concise, ideally expressed in two to three sentences. Think of it as a tweet that encapsulates the essence of your business.

• Describe the product or service in one sentence.

  1. Your one-sentence business, product or service statement is a clear and concise description of what your business does, who you do it for, why you do it, and what sets you apart from your competition.

• What do YOU hope to achieve in the competition

  1. Think about what you are going to say and how you are going to say it. What will your statement say about you as the entrepreneur as well as your business idea. How would winning that prize money change everything for you? What opportunities might become available to you because you decided to compete in the competition?

• What additional SUPPORT is needed to help your business grow and scale?

  1. What do you need to successfully launch and scale your business idea. Money, people, strategic partnerships, grants, technology, training and education, marketing etc.

• Applications will be graded  on a 12 point scale based on a rubric that will focus on:

  1. The business offering a defined competitive advantage (1-3 points). Anything that gives you an edge over your competition.

     • WHY Choose You? (Your Value Proposition)

     • Best Reputation, Best Information, Best Data, Best Technology, Best Relationships, Best Pricing, Best in Class or Niche. Study the example of Starbucks.

     • Be Likable, Great Customer Service and Relations

     • Target your Ideal Client, analyze the market, emerging trends, new features

  2. The business goals being attainable and clearly defined (1-3 points)

     • From your Mission Statement develop your Strategy

     • From your strategy, develop your short, medium and long term measurable goals

       • Short Term - 6 months

       • Mid Term - 12 months

       • Long Term - 3+ years (Should include Sustainability, Scalability and Impact)

       • The goals should be SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time Bound)

  3. The business owner/team having a proven track record or relevant sector experience (1-3 points)

     • Prior experience, product knowledge and industry skills often predict the success of a new venture and also help to identify new opportunities. Can you demonstrate that?

     • Modern business thinking says that is not enough. You also need Passion and Vision  and other soft skills to make your business succeed.  You need to bring yours out in this section.

  4. The business model is scalable (1-3 points).  The path to sustainability.

     • Build foundational systems, Solid CRM, automate.

     • Strategic Planning, next year, five, ten, twenty years, Is it in your Business Plan?

     • Keep your costs low as you increase revenue, automate and innovate.

     • A strong core team that is, empowered, trained and consistent with access to documented processes.

     • Cash Flow, be Frugal, Manage the Risks, Outsource to save Time & Money.

     • A Strong Marketing Strategy.

THE PITCH DECK in relation to the YWCA PITCH TIPS

Slide 1: Pitch Deck Sample, Master Plan 2024

Slide 2: This is your Story Box, This is how you will navigate setting up your product. It can start off with: Met Gail who was… Have you ever… What do you do…

On the right side a graphic picture/picture box. It is a visual that supports your story. So it could be a picture of Gail or the something that has happened or etc. etc.

Notes from the Video: Hooking the Audience's Attention

• Start with a compelling story, visual, quote or statistic to grab interest

• Use a hook that intrigues them about the problem you solve

• Don't just state your name and company, find an engaging way to pique their curiosity

Slide 3: This is your introduction of Product box. What is it? How it is the solution to the dilemma you created in the second slide.

On the right side, This is a visual box for the product in action or service. Or you can use this side to share top line description of product and or service.

Notes from the Video: Explaining the Problem and Customer

• Clearly define the problem you are solving and why it's important

• Provide context so they understand the customer pain point you address

• Create a persona describing your target customer to make it tangible

• Quantify the potential market size and opportunity

Slide 4: This slide will show how you compare to others. This can be a combination of graphic or text. Make sure it is not too busy. Easy on the eyes.

Notes from the Video: Competitive Advantage and Team

• Differentiate your unique advantages over current solutions

• Don't just check all the boxes, focus on your key unique strengths

• Introduce key team members, advisors, highlighting relevant experience

• Emphasize why you are the right team to execute this vision

Slide 5: This slide is devoted to how your goods and services work at a high level. Remember to keep the messaging high but clear. This is a support slide. Your oral presentation will round out the nuances.

Notes from the Video: Use of Funds and Milestones

• Avoid high-level buckets like "60% operations"

• Detail tangible milestones the funds will enable (e.g. hires, product goals)

• Connect how these milestones map to growth, revenue, valuation increases

• Quantify the expected ROI and what success looks like

Slide 6: Usually this would be your cost/analysis slide. This is where you show how much the product cost, as well as show your revenue structure to make a profit.

Notes from the Video: Demonstrating Traction and Validation

• Share any early metrics like sales, customers, pre-orders as proof of demand

• Highlight positive feedback from focus groups, surveys, letters of intent

• Third-party data points, research or experts that validate the market need

Slide 7: This is your ask slide. The value proposition of this business and why those listening should invest. This could also include your subject matter experts that make up your business. Headshot and very brief bios are also provided.

Notes from the Video: Pitch Preparation

• Practice repeatedly with diverse audiences to identify gaps

• Get feedback to avoid jargon and make it easily understandable

• Research the specific judges/investors to tailor messaging

• Limit slides to only what supports and amplifies your narrative

Slide 8: Conclusion slide is where you wrap up the dilemma you created in the second slide. You end this with the name of product and tag line.

Notes From the Video: Conclusions

The overall focus is on crafting a clear, compelling narrative that sells your vision while backing it up with proof points that de-risk the opportunity in the judges/investors' minds.

Slide 9: This slide includes contact information as well as a Thank You

Notes from the Video: Delivery Tips

• Be authentic, passionate and convey this matters deeply to you

• Maintain eye contact and connect with the audience

• Be coachable - admit if you don't know something instead of guessing

• Don't get defensive if questions suggest a misunderstanding

THE SCORING RUBRIC

1.The business offers a defined competitive advantage.(Score 1-3)

• Product/Service:

What Must Be True: The product or service has a clear value proposition and a competitive advantage.

• Description: Is the product or service differentiated in its offering? Does it perform better than the competition and breach a material competitive barrier?

2.The business goals are attainable and clearly defined. (Score 1-3)

• Planning /Feasibility

• What Must Be True: The venture can be successfully implemented, and the project has a clear and well-defined strategy to achieve objectives and goals.

• Description: Does the initiative aspire towards clear, realistic, and achievable goals, while thinking big? Can it be implemented effectively? Are there clear and coherent schedules, milestone, objectives, and financial plans?

3.The team has a proven track record or relevant sector expertise. (Score 1-3)

• Founder/Team

• What Must Be True: Capable founding team with experience and credentials to lead

• Description: Does the managing team have direct experience and/or credentials in the space that give a competitive edge or clarity on how to navigate the market? Does the founder give you confidence they are the right individual to lead this business offering?

4.The business model is scalable. (Score 1-3))

• Business Model

• What Must Be True: Repeatable method to acquire customers at scale with ability to achieve a pathway to profit.

• Description: Is the method by which the product or services are delivered such that the business is scalable with positive unit economics?