Is your business ready to soar? Are you the entrepreneur who will rise to the top? You have 3 minutes to convince us…ready, set, go!

IT’S A START is an exciting and interactive pitch competition taking place at Digifest 2015. Pitch your business, convince the judges of its value, and wow the crowd in under 3 minutes, and you will have the chance to win thousands in cash, incubation space, and mentorship. We are looking for the most innovative ideas from creative professionals, budding entrepreneurs, new startups, students or recent graduates. There is no fee to apply for this competition.

For complete details on how to enter please read the following and fill out the application form.

How does the Pitch Competition work?

Applications will be accepted until Friday, January 30, 2015 at 5 p.m. All entries will be reviewed by the IT’S A START Committee and the finalists will be notified in March 2015.

The Pitch Competition Finale will take place on Thursday May 7, 2015 during Digifest at the Corus Quay building. The finalists will present on stage before a live audience to convince the jury why their project deserves to win.

Final Presentation Pitch Competition Rules

Only one individual from the team can deliver the pitch at Digifest on Thursday May 7, 2015. They will have three minutes to present their business proposal.
Each contestant will have two minutes to respond to judges’ Q & A, directly following their pitch.
PowerPoint/PDF presentations are recommended for this presentation
What are the prizes?

Prizes include cash, working space and mentorship. More details coming soon!

Project Criteria

For the IT’S A START competition, we are looking for creative, cutting-edge projects driven by conscientious and dedicated individuals. Do you have an original idea that can improve the way we live, work and play? Have you developed an application or technology that will address everyday problems or social needs? Does your project connect people and networks, ultimately enabling us to live better lives? If so, please keep reading!

Project Eligibility

Project entries or ideas must be the original work of the applicant(s).
Applicant(s) who have submitted to IT’S A START competition in the past and have not qualified as a finalist can re-submit a proposal, however, you must be able to demonstrate how the project or idea has changed.
What projects are NOT eligible?

Submissions that have won in previous IT’S A START Pitch Competitions.

Who can enter?

• Start-up companies
• Entrepreneurs
• Students or recent graduates

NB: George Brown College students/graduates/faculty are eligible to participate in the competition, however, you must disclose this information in your application.
How do I enter?

There is no fee to apply for this competition. Download the application form here and email it to incubator@georgebrown.ca. You will be contacted within a week upon receipt of your application. If you do not receive this email then we have not received your application. If you have been selected as a finalist you will be contacted with additional details regarding the event.

Who is on the IT’S A START committee?

The committee is made up of experts from industry, academia and finance.

What are the selection criteria?

The committee will use the following criteria to determine the finalists for the competition:

Originality (Has this idea been presented this way before? How does your idea compare to existing projects/ideas that address similar issues)
Marketability (Is there a demand for your idea? Why would someone buy it?)
Market Readiness (How much more development is needed?)
User friendly (How easy is it to use?)
Creativity & Design (How is the project executed? Is the overall design clear and effective?)
Feasibility (How realistic is your plan to execute this project? Does your budget take into consideration the logistics, production, technical requirements and other expenditures?)
Probability of Success (With the right investment and support, could this idea become a successful business?)
History

The first IT’S A START Pitch Competition was held in Monza, Italy organized by Regione Lombardia, Provincia Monza Brianza and Camera di Commercio di Monza in June 2012. The first “IT’S A START Canada” Pitch Competition premiered at Digifest 2012 on October 20 and the most recent competition took place at Digifest 2014 on May 10.

Apply Now!

To apply for this competition, please download the application form by clicking here. Please submit your application by email to incubator@georgebrown.ca.

For more information about IT’S A START please contact incubator@georgebrown.ca