THE BIG PITCH FINDS & FEEDS BIRMINGHAM’S NEXT BIG THINGS.
It’s so much more than an event. It’s a community of yaysayers who contribute knowledge, resources and horsepower to push great business concepts up a steep hill — faster.
2018 marked FIVE years of this exciting competition! Hear what the experience is like from competitors, sponsors and service providers from over the years:
Organized annually by REV Birmingham, The Big Pitch presented by PNC is a business pitch competition designed to provide technical assistance, mentoring, exposure and capital to Birmingham’s up-and-coming entrepreneurs. While many pitch competitions award tech and other high-growth industries, The Big Pitch breaks from tradition by intentionally focusing on helping lifestyle and creative businesses that make Birmingham a vibrant place where tech and high-growth talent want to live, work and play.
The 2019 live pitch competition is Saturday, November 23 from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Upswing lot, 1900 2nd Avenue North. Buy your competition tickets now to learn all about Birmingham’s next big things!
Big Pitch finalists must demonstrate…
THE BIG PITCH JOURNEY BEGINS NOW.
The Big Pitch finalists spend nearly two months preparing for pitch day. During that time, volunteer mentors and a cadre of service providers will coach finalists not just for the competition, but in growing their business.
Competition prep includes a full day of workshops designed to help finalists polish their pitches and strengthen their businesses.
Registration for these workshops, hosted at SocialVenture, is also open to the public. See details and sign up below!
BIZ WORKSHOP SERIES
REGISTER FOR THE FULL SERIES
Friday, Oct. 11 | 10 AM – 4 PM | $50 series ticket
We’re departing from lecture-style business seminars with this workshop series. In three introspective work sessions, deepen your perspective of your brand story, clarify your brick and mortar search and chart a course towards the capital you’ll need to bridge the gap. Each session builds off the one before it—integrating good branding, physical design and funding your dream. You can register for individual workshops, but we encourage you to dive deep and emerge with foundational knowledge and clear next steps in reaching your small business goals.
TELLING YOUR BRAND STORY
Friday, Oct. 11 | 10 AM – 12 PM | $20
A brand worth broadcasting is more than simply a logo. The best brands are founded in core values and communicate depth. In this session, we’ll take you from your soapbox to your brand story. Together through group-work and feedback, we’ll craft a narrative that connects with your customers like never before.
START-UP TO STOREFRONT
Friday, Oct. 11 | 12:30 PM – 2 PM | $20
What do your core values and an intensive understanding of your customer have to do with opening your brick-and-mortar location? Everything. In this session, we’ll connect the dots between your brand story and your brick-and-mortar search while demystifying the terms and processes associated with obtaining the space your business will ultimately call home.
FINDING FUNDING
Friday, Oct. 11 | 2:30 PM – 4 PM | $20
Your business is growing, and brick and mortar is the next logical step. You’ve got your eye on the perfect location. Now, how are you going to pay for it? Tap into your 401k? Hit up family and friends? How about bank loans or investors? We’ll begin by envisioning short-term and long-term growth then guide you through your options for funding your dream. Through a self-evaluation, you’ll clearly identify your opportunities and challenges in finding the resources you’ll need to take your dream to the next level.
APPLY EARLY FOR 2020!
Your Big Pitch application is an introduction to the REV Biz Growth team. Early applications give our team the opportunity to schedule a discovery meeting with you to learn more about your business goals and determine how we might help you achieve them. If you’d like to take advantage of REV’s workshops and one-on-one coaching prior to the deadline, we require you submit your application at least 30 days prior to the deadline.
While meeting with our team won’t guarantee that you’ll be a Big Pitch finalist, our free one-on-one coaching will help you strengthen your business and your pitch application. The earlier you submit your application, the more capacity we will have to schedule coaching with you before finalist selection. Early applicants will have the opportunity to supplement their application if their business has grown or changed significantly since submission.
Big Pitch applications are rolling. Applications submitted after August 20, 2019, will be considered for 2020.
Pro tip: Compose your answers in a Word document first, then copy and paste them into the online application. Download this Big Pitch application worksheet and start drafting!
News
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2019 Big Pitch finalists: Meet 5 businesses poised to be Birmingham's next big things
Filed Under: Big Pitch, Business-Proving, Downtown Birmingham, Events, Front Page, Small Business
On Saturday, November 23, five Big Pitch finalists will vie for a share of $50,000 in cash and professional services prize packages, as they pitch their business models to a panel of judges, potential investors, and a live audience.
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What’s up with Upswing? What to expect from REV’s 3-month pop-up project
Filed Under: Business-Proving, Downtown Birmingham, Events, Filling Vacant Spaces, Front Page, Potential-Proving, Small Business, Yaysayers
This fall, the REV team is doing some new REV things, with a demonstration project designed to prove and improve downtown Birmingham’s market for more retail.
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Big Pitch finalist Ignite Cycle continues to blaze a trail in Birmingham's wellness community
Filed Under: Big Pitch, Business-Proving, Front Page, Small Business, Yaysayers
Martin opened Birmingham’s first and only boutique cycle studio after moving to the city in 2017 and trying to find a place to teach cycling.
THANK YOU, SPONSORS & PARTNERS!
A BIG THANKS to our sponsors, service providers, mentors and judges who make up this community supporting Birmingham’s next big things! Special gratitude goes to our presenting sponsor, PNC, for their commitment to Birmingham’s local small businesses.