With $40,000 in seed funding up for grabs, George Mason 麻豆国产 undergraduate students and recent alumni are preparing to pitch their business ideas to a panel of local business professionals and Mason alumni on Thursday, April 13 at the .
Similar to the show 鈥淪hark Tank鈥 on ABC, entrepreneurs must sell their idea to the judges, proving their business plan and concept has the potential to be a successful venture.
鈥淧atriot Pitch Competition is more than just an event that provides Mason entrepreneurs with seed money,鈥 says Rebecca Howick, director of operations for the . 鈥淚t鈥檚 an opportunity for emerging innovators to build their confidence and network, it brings together the Mason entrepreneurial ecosystem, and it鈥檚 a fun way for the School of Business and CIE to celebrate Mason鈥檚 passion for innovation and entrepreneurship.鈥
Sixteen finalists, reviewed and selected by School of Business faculty members and regional entrepreneurs, will compete.
鈥淭his year we鈥檙e excited to have student and alumni teams from academic units across campus,鈥 said Howick. 鈥淚 appreciate our mentors, judges, faculty, Mason鈥檚 leadership teams, and community stakeholders that support this vital experiential learning opportunity.鈥
Pitch Competition Mentors include representatives from the Mason Enterprise Center, the Small Business Development Center, several entrepreneurship faculty members, previous Patriot Pitch Competition alumni, Mason alumni, and local entrepreneurs.
The Leading Innovation Sponsor for the event is , one of the fastest--growing IT service integrator and workforce solution companies in the United States.
The keynote speaker for the day will be , founder and CEO of Boralogix, Inc., a technology consulting firm. Washington is a senior executive with 20 years of experience in policy development and strategic planning, systems design and implementation, and programming for government and other industries. Washington is also a member of one of the largest Angel Investing Funds in the country where she has been an avid and effective due diligence team member.
Additional sponsors for the event include the , and the as Co-STEM Track Sponsors, the 聽as the Public Engagement Track Sponsor, and the 聽and the as Co-General Entrepreneurship Track Sponsors.
Students and local community members are invited to attend the competition and learn more about these Mason entrepreneurs. For those interested in attending as a spectator, there is also an opportunity to be part of the action by voting for the Audience Choice Award.
The event will take place in Dewberry Hall on the Fairfax Campus from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Don鈥檛 miss this chance to connect with local entrepreneurs and your fellow innovators on campus!
You must register for a ticket to attend as an audience member. .