Frost Pitch Challenge business plan competition returns for second year
SHREVEPORT, LA — Following a successful launch in 2021, Centenary’s Frost School of Business is once again partnering with Shreveport’s Entrepreneurial Accelerator Program (EAP) to sponsor the Frost Pitch Challenge, a business plan competition for Centenary students with prizes totaling nearly $5,000. Interested students will work through an application, workshop, and business pitch process that spans several months. The top teams will be invited to a final pitch competition event in November 2022, where a panel of judges from the local business and education community will determine a Top 3 for the cash prizes.
"Thanks to the partnership with EAP for the second consecutive year, Centenary students have a unique opportunity,” said Dr. Barbara Davis, dean of the Frost School of Business. “The competition is like the program ‘Shark Tank’ - pitch a great idea and possibly win a prize! I urge any interested student with an idea for a product or service to register and learn how to become an entrepreneur. The training provided through the Frost Pitch Challenge will help students feel confident and prepared when it's time to ‘pitch’ their idea and compete for prizes.”
The Frost Pitch Challenge is open to Centenary students studying in any discipline and participants can propose business ideas in any industry or area of interest. After completing an online application, students attend a series of workshops and receive professional coaching from EAP and local business professionals serving as competition mentors. After the final business plans have been submitted, five teams will be invited to participate in the final pitch challenge to present their idea to a panel of judges. The winning team will receive $3,000, second place will receive $1,000, and third place $500.
This year, teams participating in the Frost Pitch Challenge will also be eligible to participate in the University of Louisiana-Monroe’s business pitch competition, the Pelican Cup, in spring 2023. The Pelican Cup awards a top prize of $25,000.
EP Bourgoyne is EAP’s project coordinator for the Frost Pitch Challenge.
“As an individual who has participated in a business pitch competition, I have first-hand knowledge of what a great experience this can be for students,” said Bourgoyne. “Students who put in the work during the Frost Pitch Challenge will gain a set of skills that will help them stand out in a crowd, and a few of them will end up with a real investment in their business idea.”
Centenary students have until September 16 to sign up for the Frost Pitch Challenge. Applications and more details are available at centenary.edu/frostpitchchallenge.