INNOVATE: Pitches for a Purpose

Two girls pitching in the pitch competion

male student pitching during pitch competition

OVERVIEW

Student Pitch Competition

Established in 2019, the Augusta University pitch competition was formed around finding solutions for the inspiring story of a 15 year old girl with a colostomy bag named Emma. This annual pitch competition is a 5 minute platform for teams to pitch their ideas to address challenges and improve our community. This challenge includes any problem in our community.

2026 Competition Dates:

December 1, 2025: Registration is Open!
January-February 2026: Virtual information sessions on Microsoft Teams.
February 6, 2026: Qualifying round – ideas submitted, 5 slides.
February-March 2026: Mentorship and guidance sessions.
March 25, 2026: Pitch Competition at the Georgia Cyber Center, 5-minute pitches for top selected teams.

Undergraduate and Graduate Level Prizes:

First Place: $5,000 + Pabst Patent Office provisional patent for free if applicable
Second Place: $3,500
Third Place: $2,500
Audience Choice Award: $500

Sponsored Community Entrepreneur Award: $5,000

DISCOVER

Pitch, Prototype, Innovate

At the heart of our mission is a commitment to collaborate and innovate. We believe that by coming together and thinking creatively, we can solve problems and find new and better ways to serve our community while creating positive change. Ideas can include a product, service, or plan.

Leading to Innovate

Participants level up through dynamic events like design thinking workshops, business model labs, and guest speaker sessions. Each experience builds momentum toward launching something truly original.

Prototype and Design

Ideas meet reality in the makerspace, where the Prototype phase transforms inspiration into something tangible through rapid testing and hands-on creation with tools like 3D printers.

Pitch Competition

Pitch is a process where bold ideas are shared and refined through feedback from mentors and peers. A great pitch makes people believe in what comes next, not just tell a story.

Entrepreneur Mentor Network

Mentors, prototypes, and real-world testing help teams refine their business models and market strategies. The final showcase celebrates the people who were brave enough to build their products, not just the products themselves.

Rules and Eligibility

Open to all currently enrolled Augusta University students (i.e. undergraduate, graduate students). Any student who violates the Augusta University Code of Conduct during the competition will be provided due processes and result in team elimination from the competition. Residents (medical or dental) and postdocs, by virtue of their employee status, are not eligible to participate. AU employees who are also students are not eligible to participate.

Rules and Eligibility