Fill out the application form and submit it by the deadline of 6:00 pm PST on March 30, 2023. As part of the application process, you’ll need to include a one-page executive summary of your business idea or existing business, including a brief description of the company, market opportunity, business model, and financial plan.

The Entrepreneur & Business Development Committee will review all applications and select up to 15 participants to participate in the preliminary round of the pitch challenge. Selected participants will be notified via email and given further instructions on the next steps.

Attend the pitch workshop: All participants must attend a mandatory pitch workshop to prepare for the preliminary round of the pitch challenge, which will take place between April and June 2023.

At the preliminary round, you’ll have the opportunity to pitch your business idea to a panel of successful business leaders and investors. If you’re selected, you’ll move on to the final round, where you’ll have the chance to compete for cash prizes and access to capital to help grow your business.

The SF Black MBA Regional Pitch Challenge offers cash prizes and access to capital for the finalists to help grow their businesses.

Throughout the competition, you’ll have the opportunity to network with other black entrepreneurs and professionals, gain valuable feedback, and access resources to help you succeed

To be considered for participation, applicants must meet the following requirements:

• Must be a black entrepreneur residing in Northern California.
• Must be a member of the San Francisco Bay Area Chapter of the National Black MBA Association.
• Must have a business idea or an existing business that is less than three years old.
• The business must be at least 51% black-owned.
• Must have financial growth projection of $1M

By applying for the SF Black MBA Regional Pitch Challenge, applicants acknowledge and agree to meet these eligibility criteria. The organizers reserve the right to verify the eligibility of any applicant and disqualify any applicant who does not meet these criteria.

The competition is open to anyone with an entrepreneurial idea for a startup company who would like to pitch to a panel of judges to receive feedback, prizes, and the opportunity to share their startup concept. All individuals must be a member of NBMBAA® to participate in the competition. If registering as a team, one team member must be a member of the NBMBAA® for the team to participate.

Sign up as a new member of the SF Bay Area Chapter

• Visit https://nbmbaa.org/joinnbmbaa
• Select your current career level
• Select the “San Francisco Chapter”

Entry and Registration
The application submission deadline is 6:00 PM PST on Thursday, March 30th, and the application period will begin on Wednesday, March 15th. All interested parties must submit their applications via our online application form.

The San Francisco Chapter NBMBAA judging panel will select three finalists from the pool of registrants. Winners will be announced at the end of the event. The top three teams selected by the judges will be awarded cash prizes. Attendees will vote for the most innovative company to receive the SF Black MBA People’s Choice Award.

The prize distribution is as follows:

• First prize winner will receive a $5,000 grand prize.
• Second prize winner will receive $1,500.
• Third prize winner will receive $500.
• People’s Choice Award winner will receive a pass to attend the NBMBAA 45th Annual Conference & Career Expo to be held in Philadelphia, PA, September 12-16, 2023.

In addition to the prizes, the top 10 applicants will receive mentoring and coaching opportunities from Bee Partners, our valued partners.

*Note that transportation and travel expenses are not included.

Terms and Conditions for SF Black MBA Regional Pitch Challenge

By applying for the SF Black MBA Regional Pitch Challenge, applicants acknowledge and agree to meet the following eligibility criteria:

1. Eligibility: The SF Black MBA Regional Pitch Challenge is open to all black entrepreneurs who are 18 years of age or older and reside in the San Francisco Bay Area. Applicants must be legal residents of the United States.
2. Application Requirements: Applicants must submit a completed application form and pitch deck that describes their business idea, including the problem they are solving, their target market, their business model, and their competitive advantage. The application must be submitted by the application deadline and in the format specified by the organizers.
3. Selection Process: Applicants will be evaluated based on the criteria specified by the organizers, including the innovativeness of their business idea, the potential impact of their idea, their ability to execute their idea, and the quality of their pitch. The organizers reserve the right to select the finalists and disqualify any applicant who does not meet the eligibility criteria or fails to comply with the rules and regulations of the competition.
4. Participation: Finalists must be available to participate in the SF Black MBA Regional Pitch Challenge on the date and time specified by the organizers. Finalists must also agree to participate in any promotional activities related to the competition, including media interviews and social media promotion.
5. Intellectual Property: Applicants retain ownership of their business idea and intellectual property. By applying for the SF Black MBA Regional Pitch Challenge, applicants grant the organizers a non-exclusive, royalty-free, and irrevocable license to use their pitch deck and other materials for promotional purposes.
6. Confidentiality: The organizers will take reasonable measures to protect the confidentiality of applicants’ business ideas and intellectual property. However, the organizers are not responsible for any unauthorized use or disclosure of this information.
7. Liability: The organizers are not responsible for any loss, damage, or injury arising from participation in the SF Black MBA Regional Pitch Challenge. Participants are responsible for obtaining any necessary licenses or permissions for their business idea and complying with all applicable laws and regulations.

Changes to the Terms and Conditions: The organizers reserve the right to modify or amend these terms and conditions at any time. Any changes will be communicated to the applicants in a timely manner.

By applying for the SF Black MBA Regional Pitch Challenge, applicants acknowledge and agree to meet these eligibility criteria. The organizers reserve the right to verify the eligibility of any applicant and disqualify any applicant who does not meet these criteria.