2024 Tucson Eligibility Rules - Rural AZ Pitch Competition
PLEASE READ BELOW BEFORE APPLYING. THANKS! Link to apply is below.
5th Annual AZ Pioneer Pitch Competition 2024
Eligibility and Rules
The Annual AZ Pioneer Pitch does not constitute “general advertising and general solicitation.” This event is not for offering and selling company securities to qualified investors. No mention or solicitation of investment funds or equity can be discussed at any time, in compliance with the Securities Act of 1933 and the updated policies of SEC Rule 148. AZ Pioneer Pitch event organizers reserve the right to remove any team from the AZ Pioneer Pitch Competition at any time.
Eligibility Requirements:
● The applicant must be the owner, principal, or general manager or member of the leadership team of the applying business.
● Your company/team must be primarily Arizona-based to participate. If your company is registered outside of Arizona, at least > 51% of your founding team must be physically based >51% of the year in Arizona.
● Your company must be an “early stage” company to participate. For the purposes of this competition, an “early stage” company is defined as having raised less than $250,000 total in investor funds, grant funds, and loans (combining all types of funding) and 2) less than 5 full-time employees.
● At least one member of your company must be over the age of 18. At least one member of your company's team must be over the age of 18 on the date of the pitch competition.
● Prior AZ Pioneer Pitch participants are eligible to compete again, except for any AZ Pioneer Pitch State prize winners, which are not eligible to apply.
Application Requirements:
● Entries that do not comply with instructions fully will not be accepted.
● All questions must be answered in their entirety.
● Applicants must meet all eligibility requirements.
● You will be required to describe non-sensitive information about your business plan. This information will be shared with the AZ Pioneer Pitch event teams, in addition to our volunteer mentors and judges.
● Due to physical space constraints, up to 60 applicant team members may be admitted to the competition, on a first-submitted/first-accepted basis.
● Applications are due by April 15, 2024, midnight AZ time/MT.
Event Expectations:
● Applicants will be notified by April 19, if they have been accepted into the AZ Pioneer Pitch competition.
● Participants are expected to attend the in-person practice sessions on Friday, May 10, from 9:30am – 2pm, AZ time/MT at Pima Community College, Downtown campus (timing subject to change, depending upon the number of pitches). Mentors and advisors will be available during these practice sessions.
● The final AZ Pioneer Pitch Competition will occur in person at Pima Community College’s Downtown campus, on Friday, May 10, from 3pm to 5pm, AZ time/MT (timing subject to change, depending upon number of pitches). A member of your company’s leadership team must be the individual who presents.
● The same member of your team who presents during the Friday, May 10th morning practice sessions must be the same individual who presents during the Final Pitch Event in the late afternoon.
● All pitches throughout the training and Final Pitch will be 3-5 minutes. Pitches on the final day of AZ Pioneer Pitch may be up to 5 minutes.
● Not all participants will move forward to the Final Pitch Event in the afternoon. External judges will select teams for the afternoon’s Final Pitch and for the prize awards. The AZ Pioneer Pitch Competition includes various prizes, both cash and in-kind offerings. Not all finalists will be eligible for all prizes.
AZ Pioneer Pitch Competition & Training Schedule (Please Review Carefully)
February 1
Applications Open
March TBD
Online Orientation/Prep Session (Optional), 12-1pm
March TBD
In Person Orientation/Prep Session (Optional), 4 - 5:30pm, TBD Tucson location
April 15
Applications Close, midnight, AZ time/MST
April 19
Applicants notified of participation
Thursday, May 9
Happy Hour – Meet/Greet (Optional)
Location: TBD
Refreshments provided.
Time: 5-7pm AZ time/MT
Friday, May 10
Pitch Training & Prep (Required)
Location: Pima Community College Downtown Campus, Rms TBD
Time: 9:30am-2pm AZ time/MT (Lunch provided Noon – 1:00pm)
Friday, May 10
Finalists advance to afternoon Finals, 2:30pm AZ time/MT
Friday, May 10
AZ Pioneer Pitch Final Competition (Required)
Location: Pima Community College Downtown Campus
Time: 3-5pm AZ time/MT
August 2
AZ Pioneer Pitch Competition State Finals, Cottonwood, AZ
Other Requirements:
● The winning team will attend the August 2, 2024 State Pioneer Pitch Finals in Cottonwood, AZ. Limited travel and hotel expenses will be paid for by the AZ Pioneer Pitch organization.
● Participate in Promotion. We need everyone’s support to spread the word and get as many eyes on all of the wonderful companies in Arizona. As a participant in the pitch competition, you’ll be relied upon to share the event with your friends and networks and encourage them to participate in the AZ Pioneer Pitch. Winners will be asked to participate in interviews, press, and other follow-up stories.
Entry Period begins 2/1/24 at 9:00 AM MST. BY ENTERING THE CONTEST, YOU ACKNOWLEDGE
AND AGREE THAT (1) YOUR MATERIALS ARE NOT CONFIDENTIAL AND NO CONFIDENTIAL OR
FIDUCIARY RELATIONSHIP IS INTENDED OR CREATED BY ENTERING THE CONTEST; AND (2) THE
CONTEST ENTITIES MAY POSSESS OR COME TO POSSESS INFORMATION THAT IS SIMILAR OR
IDENTICAL TO YOUR MATERIALS, AND YOU HEREBY AGREE THAT THE CONTEST ENTITIES MAY USE
SUCH SIMILAR OR IDENTICAL INFORMATION WITHOUT LIMITATION, COMPENSATION, OR CREDIT TO
YOU. Winners commit to participating in PR, interviews, and other storytelling activities as part of their
participation in the competition. Void where prohibited.