Launch Your New Business
Patriot Pitch Competition 2023
The Patriot Pitch Competition supports idea and early-stage business ventures and is open to current Mason students and recent alumni from all majors/fields of study.
Students and recent alumni: If you have an idea and a desire to launch a new business and want to be eligible for $40,000 in total prizes, the Patriot Pitch Competition may be for you. See the competition eligibility guidelines to learn more.
This year’s competition is being led by the School of Business, and includes interdisciplinary collaboration from the College of Engineering and Computing and the College of Science. Finalist teams will participate in mentoring sessions this March and make their pitches in front of a live audience on Thursday, April 13 in Dewberry Hall.
Faculty, staff, and members of the business community: If you want to mentor a team, coach a practice pitch, or judge pitches during the competition, we would love your support. Learn more about competition volunteer opportunities, or encourage students to participate with these promotional materials.
$40K
in total prizes, with awards in each track:
- $6,000 for first
- $3,000 for second
- $1,000 for Mason's choice
Dates and Deadlines
- Application deadline is March 1
- Finalists will be notified by March 13
- Finalists participate in up to four 45-minute mentoring/feedback sessions between March 13 and April 12
- Finalists will present pitches on April 13
Assemble your team and create your pitch.
With keynote speaker Mrs. Nicole Washington, Founder & CEO of Boralogix.
Competition Tracks
Applications will be reviewed by a panel of entrepreneurship experts, who will select up to 5 finalist teams for each track.
The winning teams in each track will be invited to pitch at George Mason University’s 2023 Accelerate Investor Conference, an investor event and startup business competition that showcases the D.C., Maryland, and Virginia region as a powerhouse for innovation and business opportunity.
Volunteer Opportunities
Faculty, staff, and members of the business community: If you want to mentor a team, coach a team as they perfect their pitch leading up to the event, or judge pitches during the competition, we would love your support. To learn more about competition volunteer opportunities, email ciemason@gmu.edu. You can also encourage students to participate with the downloads below.
Download Resources
Spread the word about the Patriot Pitch competition to your students!