Scale-Up Pitch Challenge Rules & Eligibility
Submission Details
- The deadline for all submissions will be provided.
- The top 3 finalists will be invited to attend the NBMBAA® 2025 Conference & Career Fair
- At least one founder of each Scale-Up Pitch Challenge team must be an active member of the National Black MBA Association® in order to participate in the Scale-Up Pitch Challenge.
Eligibility
Ideas and concepts pitched must be in the initial or early stages of development. Individuals or teams must disclose any funding already received at the time of registration. There is an allowance for an idea or concept to be already funded before this Challenge by personal or family funds, small amounts of seed capital from outside investors, or modest amounts of funding stemming from institutional or research grants.
The pitched idea or concept must be the original work of the individual or team pitching it. The individual or team represents and warrants that (i) it or they are the author or owner of the idea they are pitching and the owner of any intellectual property right(s) upon which the idea is based and (ii) that the idea does not contain any libelous material, does not invade or violate any right of privacy, personally or proprietary right, or other common law or statutory right. Ideas and concepts deemed by the NBMBAA® Organizing Committee to be fake, insincere, offensive, immoral, libelous, or unethical or in violation of any right of privacy, personally or proprietary right, or other common law or statutory right may be screened and disqualified.
The NBMBAA Organizing Committee has the sole discretion to disqualify and/or remove any individual for any reason that it deems appropriate before and/or during the Challenge for violation of these rules. All decisions regarding an individual’s or team’s removal and/or disqualification from the Challenge are final. All entrants and winners must:
1. Be a U.S. resident, and over the age of 18.
2. Have a founder who is Black (of African descent), who maintains an ‘at least equal stake’ in the startup (if the startup has three owners, at least 33% of its ownership must be Black).
3. At least one member of each Scale-Up Pitch Challenge team must be an active member of the National Black MBA Association in order to participate in the Scale-Up Pitch Challenge semi-finals virtual event. Become a member here.
Judges
The Challenge judges are a panel made up of investors, business development and startup experts from local and surrounding areas of each round.
Entry & Registration
- The Committee’s decisions will be final. Applications must be received by the submission deadline.
- All semi-finalists must be a member of NBMBAA® in order advance to the finals and compete at the NBMBAA® 2023 Conference & Career Fair
- The maximum number of team members for a single pitch is limited to 1 person.
Ties
In the event of a tie, the cash awards will be split equally between the competitors. By participating in the challenge, participants agree to be bound by the decisions of the judges. All competitors will gain access to free business consulting, mentoring, and partnership development.
Confidentiality
Confidentiality is not guaranteed in any way. Do not include confidential material in your submissions. There is no way for NBMBAA® to enforce a prohibition of other competitors, audience members, or the Judges who see and hear a pitch competitor’s materials from sharing the idea and/or materials. Sharing your idea or concept may be deemed a public disclosure, so if you are interested in filing a patent, you may need to consult with a patent attorney before entering the Challenge. NBMBAA is not responsible for any confidentiality issues that may occur during the course of the Challenge and will not be involved in any way with disputes arising therefrom. Competitors may exclude any proprietary information or materials that the competitor feels are at risk of disclosure.
Miscellaneous
Release – By participating in the Challenge each participant and winner agrees to indemnify and defend NBMBAA®, its officers, directors, employees, agents, contractors, members, or event participants from any loss, liability, costs, or damages arising from actual or threatened claims or causes of action which may occur from the conduct of, or participation in, the Challenge, or from the use of any prize. In order to receive a prize, participants will be required to sign a separate waiver form provided by NBMBAA.
Publicity; Use of Personal Information – By participating, where allowed by law, all participants and winners grant NBMBAA the exclusive permission to use their names, characters, photographs, voices, videotape, and likeness in connection with the promotion of this and any future Challenge. By participating in the Challenge, where allowed by law, participants agree that NBMBAA may disclose personal information obtained from participants in the Challenge to third parties and use such information for marketing and other purposes.
Taxes
“Graduate students with mentors are also likely to be more satisfied with their programs, be more involved in professional organizations, and have a stronger sense of professional identity.” – W. Brad Johnson PhD in American Psychological Association.
[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row full_width=”stretch_row_content_no_spaces” css=”.vc_custom_1503100646642{padding-top: 25px !important;padding-bottom: 50px !important;background-color: #ffffff !important;}”][vc_column width=”1/4″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″ css=”.vc_custom_1503100608484{padding-right: 15px !important;padding-left: 15px !important;}”][vc_custom_heading text=”Submission Details” font_container=”tag:h2|font_size:35|text_align:left|color:%230c0c0c” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_column_text el_class=”liststyle”]- The deadline for all submissions will be provided.
- The top 3 finalists will be invited to attend the NBMBAA® 2023 Conference & Career Fair
- At least one founder of each Scale-Up Pitch Challenge team must be an active member of the National Black MBA Association® in order to participate in the Scale-Up Pitch Challenge.
Ideas and concepts pitched must be in the initial or early stages of development. Individuals or teams must disclose any funding already received at the time of registration. There is an allowance for an idea or concept to be already funded before this Challenge by personal or family funds, small amounts of seed capital from outside investors, or modest amounts of funding stemming from institutional or research grants.
The pitched idea or concept must be the original work of the individual or team pitching it. The individual or team represents and warrants that (i) it or they are the author or owner of the idea they are pitching and the owner of any intellectual property right(s) upon which the idea is based and (ii) that the idea does not contain any libelous material, does not invade or violate any right of privacy, personally or proprietary right, or other common law or statutory right. Ideas and concepts deemed by the NBMBAA® Organizing Committee to be fake, insincere, offensive, immoral, libelous, or unethical or in violation of any right of privacy, personally or proprietary right, or other common law or statutory right may be screened and disqualified.
The NBMBAA Organizing Committee has the sole discretion to disqualify and/or remove any individual for any reason that it deems appropriate before and/or during the Challenge for violation of these rules. All decisions regarding an individual’s or team’s removal and/or disqualification from the Challenge are final. All entrants and winners must:
1. Be a U.S. resident, and over the age of 18.
2. Have a founder who is Black (of African descent), who maintains an ‘at least equal stake’ in the startup (if the startup has three owners, at least 33% of its ownership must be Black).
3. At least one member of each Scale-Up Pitch Challenge team must be an active member of the National Black MBA Association in order to participate in the Scale-Up Pitch Challenge semi-finals virtual event. Become a member here. [/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”35px”][vc_custom_heading text=”Judges” font_container=”tag:h2|font_size:35|text_align:left|color:%230c0c0c” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_column_text]The Challenge judges are a panel made up of investors, business development and startup experts from local and surrounding areas of each round. [/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”35px”][vc_custom_heading text=”Entry & Registration” font_container=”tag:h2|font_size:35|text_align:left|color:%230c0c0c” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_column_text el_class=”liststyle”]- The Committee’s decisions will be final. Applications must be received by the submission deadline.
- All semi-finalists must be a member of NBMBAA® in order advance to the finals and compete at the NBMBAA® 2023 Conference & Career Fair
- The maximum number of team members for a single pitch is limited to 1 person.
Confidentiality is not guaranteed in any way. Do not include confidential material in your submissions. There is no way for NBMBAA® to enforce a prohibition of other competitors, audience members, or the Judges who see and hear a pitch competitor’s materials from sharing the idea and/or materials. Sharing your idea or concept may be deemed a public disclosure, so if you are interested in filing a patent, you may need to consult with a patent attorney before entering the Challenge. NBMBAA is not responsible for any confidentiality issues that may occur during the course of the Challenge and will not be involved in any way with disputes arising therefrom. Competitors may exclude any proprietary information or materials that the competitor feels are at risk of disclosure.
[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”35px”][vc_custom_heading text=”Miscellaneous” font_container=”tag:h2|font_size:35|text_align:left|color:%230c0c0c” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_column_text]Release – By participating in the Challenge each participant and winner agrees to indemnify and defend NBMBAA®, its officers, directors, employees, agents, contractors, members, or event participants from any loss, liability, costs, or damages arising from actual or threatened claims or causes of action which may occur from the conduct of, or participation in, the Challenge, or from the use of any prize. In order to receive a prize, participants will be required to sign a separate waiver form provided by NBMBAA.
Publicity; Use of Personal Information – By participating, where allowed by law, all participants and winners grant NBMBAA the exclusive permission to use their names, characters, photographs, voices, videotape, and likeness in connection with the promotion of this and any future Challenge. By participating in the Challenge, where allowed by law, participants agree that NBMBAA may disclose personal information obtained from participants in the Challenge to third parties and use such information for marketing and other purposes.
[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”35px”][vc_custom_heading text=”Taxes” font_container=”tag:h2|font_size:35|text_align:left|color:%230c0c0c” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_column_text]The value of any prize awarded to a winner may be reported for tax purposes as required by law. Each winner is solely responsible for reporting and paying any and all applicable taxes related to the prizes and paying any expenses associated with any prize which are not specifically provided for in these rules. Each winner must provide NBMBAA® with valid identification and a valid taxpayer identification number or social security number before any prize will be awarded. Any person winning over $600 in prizes from NBMBAA will receive an IRS Form 1099 at the end of the calendar year and a copy of such form will be filed with the IRS.
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