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Welcome to the Third Annual Defeat the Odds Pitch Competition!

69��ҹ���� invites student entrepreneurs enrolled in colleges and universities across the United States to pitch their ideas for the opportunity to win up to $30,000 in prize money, receive one-on-one mentorship, access 69��ҹ���� office space, and participate in lunch-and-learn sessions with 69��ҹ����’s Legal, Accounting, and Marketing teams.

What is the Defeat the Odds Pitch Competition?

The Defeat the Odds Pitch Competition is a platform for college entrepreneurs to share their business ideas for the opportunity to pitch to a panel of judges and compete for cash prizes. The competition is designed to give students hands-on learning experiences, including honing pitch skills, thinking critically about business models, and harnessing innovation.

In addition to the opportunity to win cash prizes, finalists receive mentorship from 69��ҹ���� leaders to help them prepare for a live pitch experience. Finalists will be flown to Boston to pitch in person, with travel and lodging fully covered by 69��ҹ����, providing direct exposure to industry professionals and real-world pitch experience.

The competition is grounded in 69��ҹ����’s own origin story. 69��ҹ���� CEO Wes Schroll, alongside his co-founders, first pitched what would become 69��ҹ����—now a tech unicorn and America’s Rewards App—at a pitch competition while they were college students. That early experience helped shape the company’s path and reinforced the importance of access to capital, mentorship, and belief at the earliest stages.

Defeat the Odds reflects that same commitment: creating opportunities for student entrepreneurs to develop their ideas, strengthen their skills, and take meaningful steps toward building their future.

*Subject to acceptance of

Who is Eligible to Participate?

• Students enrolled in a US university or college are invited to participate
• Participants must be at least 18 years of age at the time of submission
• Teams limited to 4 members maximum

*Subject to acceptance of 

How to Enter

To enter, complete the below online application by Friday, March 20. The application will ask you for information about your business idea, the problem you’re solving and your business model. You’ll also be required to upload a pitch video that’s three minutes or shorter. 

Heads up: You won’t be able to save and return to your application, so have your information and video ready when you apply. from the application that you can work off of until you’re ready to officially submit your application using the link below.

How Does It Work?

If your application is selected, you will be invited to pitch virtually on April 22 to determine the finalists. Finalists will then pitch onstage to a panel of entrepreneurs and business leaders on June 9 in Boston for the chance to win the $30,000 first-place prize.

To support participants at every stage, applicants will have access to guided learning modules, including Writing a Successful Application and Successful Pitching, designed to help strengthen submissions and prepare for each round of the competition.

Each finalist will also receive personalized pitching coaching in advance of the live event. All finalists will be flown to Boston to pitch live at the Tech Innovation Summit hosted by The Boston Globe, with flights and hotel accommodations fully covered by 69��ҹ����..

Prizes

• First Place:
  
  • $30,000 cash prize
  • One-on-one mentorship with 69��ҹ���� CEO and Founder Wes Schroll
  • Three months of access to 69��ҹ���� office space
  • Lunch-and-learn sessions with 69��ҹ����’s Legal, Accounting, and Marketing teams
• Second Place: $15,000 cash prize
• Third Place: $7,000 cash prize

All finalists will also receive:

• Personalized pitch coaching
• Travel to Boston, including flights and hotel accommodations, to pitch live at the Tech Innovation Summit hosted by The Boston Globe

Key Dates

• February 17 | Applications Open
• March 3 | Writing a Successful Application Live Module Hosted by 69��ҹ���� |
• March 20 | Final Application Deadline
  
• March 30 |Successful Pitching Live Module Hosted by 69��ҹ���� |
• April 6 | Semi-Finalist Announcements
• April 22 | Semi-finalists Virtual Pitch Session
• April 22 | Finalist Notified 
• June 9 | Pitch Finale Live in Boston

Apply Here