2024 Powers Pitch Competition

The Powers Pitch Competition, hosted by the Wilbur O. and Ann Powers College of Business, is an annual spring challenge to support students' entrepreneurial pursuits. The competition has two rounds:

Round 1: Initial pitches, judging, and feedback. All students chosen to compete will present to a panel of judges and get coaching on their pitches and proposed efforts. Judges in this round will decide on the teams that advance to the next round.

Round 2: Main competition day. Finalists will participate in an interactive trade show and pitch to a new set of judges for the chance to win cash prizes.

• Application Eligibility

  Any undergraduate student at Clemson is eligible to apply. No graduate students may participate. You can apply as an individual or as a team. Individuals entering must be either a pre-business or business major or pursuing an entrepreneurship minor. Teams entering must have at least one member majoring in an area of business or minoring in entrepreneurship. Any additional members can represent diverse majors from throughout the University.

  Are early-stage ideas allowed?
  Yes, we welcome and encourage early-stage ideas. The most competitive will be able to clearly address each of the questions in the application video.

  Are fully formed businesses allowed?
  Yes, competing teams will be evaluated on a holistic set of factors intended to put all entrants on an even playing field. In these ways, existing businesses should be neither advantaged nor disadvantaged in the judging. However, whereas early-stage ideas are likely to benefit from greater relative emphasis on making their ideas a "reality," existing businesses are likely to benefit from greater relative emphasis on their growth plans. Both, however, should be able to clearly address each of the questions in the application video.

• Application (Video) Requirements

  Please create a brief video describing key features of the business concept you would like to pitch for the competition. These do not need to be carefully polished or produced videos. Simple recordings of yourself responding to the questions are perfectly fine. The purpose is to help the organizing committee better understand what you are looking to pitch and the status of your efforts. Important questions to address include:

  • What problem are you trying to solve?
  • What is your proposed solution?
  • Who is the target customer for this solution? How big is this market?
  • What does the competitive landscape look like? How is what you are doing differently?
  • What are some of the major costs involved and sources of revenue?
  • What is your plan for introducing and growing this concept?

  Also, please include a status update explaining your efforts to date, providing some context around whether you are at an early idea stage, pitching a relatively well-developed concept that is not formally launched, or if you have an existing company that you are interested in growing. All types of entries are welcome! Videos should be no longer than 3 minutes.

• Pitch Judging Criteria

  Judging in the competition will be based on:

  1. The contents of the pitch, which involves being convincing and knowledgeable in communicating the problem and solution, market, target customer, competition and economics of the offering;
  2. The presentation quality, which involves providing an informative, persuasive and professionally delivered presentation—one conveyed with a sense of energy and enthusiasm, appropriate use of eye contact and voice inflections and dress that is professional or appropriate for the business concept;
  3. Q&A, which is an evaluation of how well this portion of the pitch is handled; and
  4. An intangible or 'wow' factor, which considers the extent to which participants leave a superior, lasting impression.
• Prizes
  Prize amounts will be finalized before the competition. In 2023, the prizes totaled $10k, with the first-place winner earning $5k, the second-place winner earning $2k, the third-place winner earning $1k and multiple winners earning $500. Though subject to change, we anticipate similar prize totals this year.
• Key Dates
  • Application Deadline: Feb.1, 2024 (Thursday)
  • Application Decisions: Feb. 5, 2024 (Monday): 16 entrants will be selected to compete.
  • Initial Round Pitches: Feb. 16, 2024 (Friday): Each of the 16 entrants will pitch and get feedback.
  • Finalist Decisions: Feb. 19, 2024 (Monday): 8 finalists will be announced.
  • Finalists Pitch Competition: March 8, 2024 (Friday): Each of the eight finalists will compete in a trade show and pitch to a panel of judges on the main competition day in Phyfer Auditorium.

**Protection of intellectual property generated by the student teams is the responsibility of the students. Competition organizers will work with the students on best practices of disclosure and confidentiality. Applications for the Wilbur O. and Ann Powers College of Business Clemson Powers Business Pitch Competition program will remain confidential and will not constitute a disclosure.

Meet our sponsors!