Virginia Tech Center for Economic Education
May 22, 2025
7:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Grade Level: High School
Join us for this relatively easy yet highly engaging year-end activity with cash prizes!
DESCRIPTION
High school teachers are invited to nominate a student or team of students to participate in Virginia’s first virtual Entrepreneurship Lean Pitch Challenge. This statewide competition awards real seed money to assist student-entrepreneurs in starting a business. Students are also welcome to pitch business-centered solutions they are not planning to actually implement and spend the cash prizes however they please. The goal is to practice the entrepreneurial mindset and innovative problem-solving skills required by employers and self-employment opportunities in Virginia’s Innovation & Gig Economy.
❖ Expert panel offers glows, grows, and questions
❖ Zoom participants vote online to crowdsource winners
❖ Teachers may use the Lean Pitch Challenge recording for instructional and inspirational objectives next year
STUDENT NOMINEE SHOULD….
❖ Be a Virginia high school student in Grades 9-12 (teams also welcome)
❖ Earn a passing score on the Virginia Board-approved U.S. Entrepreneurship Certification Examination (preferred not required). Exam Resources Package includes self-study materials (optional).
❖ Use the 3-Minute Lean Pitch PowerPoint template (preferred not required)
**Exam Info, Exam Resources Package and Lean Pitch Template linked HERE on Pitch Challenge Flyer.
CASH PRIZES
1st Place – $150
2nd Place – $100
3rd Place – $50
❖ Winners gain access to real-world entrepreneurs for mentorship and regular check-ins (optional)
❖ Teachers of winning entrepreneurs receive The Entrepreneur Game® boardgame
TIMELINE
By MAY 9
❖ Teachers register (here) to receive Zoom link to share with students. Zoom link will be emailed shortly before May 22.
❖ Teachers email their best 3-minute Lean Pitch video to Dr. Cheryl Ayers at cheryl42@vt.edu (one video/teacher)
By MAY 16
❖ Panel selects top 5 Lean Pitches
❖ Panel notifies teachers of students who will participate in the statewide virtual Lean Pitch Challenge
Fee: NO CHARGE
Instructor: Dr. Cheryl Ayers
Contact Person:
Dr. Cheryl Ayers
Center for Economic Education
Virginia Tech
cheryl42@vt.edu
OFFERED BY:
Register for Virginia Entrepreneurship Lean Pitch Challenge
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