Startup Junkie IdeaFame and Junior Achievement of Arkansas Host Virtual Pitch Competition

Updated July 13, 2020

Junior Achievement of Arkansas is teaming up with Startup Junkie to offer a virtual IdeaFame pitch competition for all Arkansas middle and high school students on August 7th. 

Contestants have the chance to win cash prizes and should submit a video 90 seconds or less by July 31 to lpatton@jaark.org. This free competition will take place in the comfort of your own home by using Zoom starting at 5:30 p.m. Log on and invite your friends and family to join in for an hour of entertainment watching the submissions. Afterwards a panel of judges will award one contestant with $500, and then it’s up to the viewers to vote for the people’s choice award who will also be rewarded $500.

“Students can use this pitch competition as real-world experience by putting their ideas together and pitching it for a tangible prize,” Junior Achievement of Arkansas Program Manager Lucie Patton said. “We hope that providing programs like this further inspire kids to chase after their dreams.” 

By offering this event virtually, it allows students from all over the state to go head to head rather than being confined to the NWA region. This format allows contestants to refine their original business or technology solution by pre-recording and then editing their videos instead of pitching them live. They should be created with regards to practicality and feasibility in order to appeal to expert entrepreneurs and fellow teens alike. 

“Get creative! We encourage students to use social media tools like TikTok and Instagram to make their video stand out,” Patton said. 

Junior Achievement of Arkansas works directly with students K-12 with programs that prepare them to succeed in a global economy. These state-wide programs reach over 14,000 students each year. 

“Startup Junkie and IdeaFame align a lot with our core values,” Patton said. “Through JA research we’ve found that 91 percent of millennials wish they had greater access to entrepreneurial education programs. We want to fill that gap for the next generation and know that partnering with organizations that focus on similar programming is a great way to do that!”

For more information and to register visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ideafame-virtual-pitch-competition-tickets-108025320642. 

Tips to Turn Your Idea Into a Pitch

1. Establish the need. Help the audience understand the problem that your idea is going to address. 

2. Find a solution. In order to satisfy the need you have set up, this is where you include the details of your idea. 

3. Create a visualization. Conclude your time by giving the audience a mental picture of what it would be like if your idea became a reality

4. Have your own voice. After all, this is your idea and you want to convey that in the originality of your pitch. Don’t compromise your creativity for a professional tone so the audience understands who you are.