15 Pitch Competitions for High School Students in Massachusetts
If you are interested in business, technology, social impact, or product development, pitch competitions can give you a structured way to present ideas and receive feedback from experienced judges and mentors.
What do pitch competitions involve?
Most pitch competitions ask you to develop and present an idea that solves a specific problem. Depending on the program, this may involve creating a pitch deck, recording a presentation video, writing a business proposal, or participating in live judging rounds. Some competitions focus on startup ventures and revenue models, while others emphasize research, sustainability, community impact, or STEM innovation.
Why participate in pitch competitions as a high schooler?
Massachusetts offers access to both regional and international competitions through universities, nonprofits, and entrepreneurship organizations. You learn how to explain a problem clearly, structure a solution, answer questions under time limits, and improve your presentation based on feedback. Many competitions also connect participants with mentors, university programs, founders, or entrepreneurship-focused student communities.
If you are interested in testing an idea, exploring entrepreneurship, or gaining experience with startup-style presentations, here are 15 pitch competitions for high school students in Massachusetts.
For adjacent opportunities, consider online business competitions and business plan competitions.
15 Pitch Competitions for High School Students in Massachusetts
1. Blue Ocean High School Entrepreneurship Competition
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free
Dates: Annual competition cycle
Application Deadline: Varies each year
Eligibility: Open to high school students worldwide; you may apply individually or in teams of up to five members.
The Blue Ocean High School Entrepreneurship Competition is a virtual startup pitch competition focused on business ideas that create new market opportunities. You develop a venture concept, structure your idea using blue ocean strategy frameworks, and submit a recorded video pitch for evaluation. The competition accepts both early-stage concepts and more developed startup ideas, making it accessible even if you are still refining your project. You complete an online mini-course and use official pitch templates and scoring criteria while preparing your submission. Judges include entrepreneurs, executives, and business professionals who evaluate submissions based on innovation, differentiation, and clarity of presentation. Finalists and winners receive recognition, feedback, and exposure through an international competition environment.
2. Harvard Undergraduate Venture Capital Group High School Pitch Competition
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free
Dates: Finalist presentations typically take place during the last weekend of September
Application Deadline: Varies annually
Eligibility: Open to high school students and rising college freshmen worldwide; you may apply individually or in teams of up to two members.
The Harvard Undergraduate Venture Capital Group High School Pitch Competition is a virtual entrepreneurship competition where you present a startup or business idea to Harvard students and venture capital professionals. To apply, you submit a 3–5 page business plan along with a 2-minute video explaining your product concept, market opportunity, competitive positioning, and execution strategy.
The competition accepts ideas at different stages of development, including early concepts that are still being refined. Finalists are selected to deliver a live 10-minute presentation followed by a question-and-answer session conducted over Zoom. Finalists receive exposure to a university-affiliated entrepreneurship environment while presenting directly to individuals involved in venture capital and startup ecosystems. The competition also awards a cash prize to the top entry.
3. National Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge
Location: Various locations across the United States
Cost: Varies by competition level and host organization
Dates: Local, regional, and national rounds take place on separate schedules throughout the competition cycle
Application Deadline: Deadlines vary depending on local and regional qualifying rounds
Eligibility: Open to high school students
The National Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge is a multi-stage startup competition where you develop and present a business idea across local, regional, and national rounds. Over several months, you refine your concept through pitch preparation, business planning, and presentation rounds evaluated by entrepreneurship professionals and business leaders. Depending on the hosting organization, events may include live pitches, networking sessions, or mentorship opportunities connected to entrepreneurship communities. The challenge emphasizes iterative development, allowing you to revise and strengthen your idea throughout the competition cycle. Finalists gain exposure through national-level presentations and recognition within a broader youth entrepreneurship network.
4. enTEENpreneur Challenge – Junior Achievement Western Massachusetts
Location: UMass Amherst Henry M. Thomas III Center at Springfield, Massachusetts
Cost: Free
Dates: Annual event; dates vary each year
Application Deadline: Varies annually
Eligibility: Open to high school students participating in Junior Achievement entrepreneurship programming.
The enTEENpreneur Challenge is a live entrepreneurship pitch competition where you present a startup or business concept to a panel of entrepreneurs and community judges. Leading up to the event, you work through the JA Company Program and JA Be Entrepreneurial curriculum, which focuses on entrepreneurial thinking, business planning, and presentation structure. During the competition, you deliver a 90-second pitch explaining your company idea and why it deserves funding support. Judges evaluate submissions using a scoring rubric and select first-, second-, and third-place teams for cash awards. You are not required to have a finished or market-ready product to participate, making the competition accessible to early-stage ideas. If you create a physical product, you may also participate in an associated trade show where additional awards recognize innovation and booth presentation. Winning teams become eligible for submission to the national JA USA Future Bound competition, where selected teams receive additional preparation support.
5. Launchpad Challenge
Location: Virtual and school-affiliated chapters
Cost: Free to participate
Dates: Annual program cycle
Application Deadline: Varies by chapter and competition cycle
Eligibility: Open to high school students in grades 9–12; you may compete individually or in teams of up to five members.
The Launchpad Challenge is a startup-focused entrepreneurship competition in which you develop a business idea through multiple stages and ultimately pitch it in a competitive setting. You can participate through a school-affiliated Launchpad chapter or apply independently if your school does not currently host one. Throughout the program, you attend weekly lectures and workshops focused on entrepreneurship, business development, and startup planning. You research areas such as revenue models, marketing strategy, product feasibility, development costs, and financial projections as you build your concept. The competition includes a virtual pitch submission process, with selected teams advancing to Launchpad Pitch Day. Finalists present their startup ideas to judges, receive detailed feedback, and compete for cash prizes that can support educational expenses or further startup development.
6. Diamond Challenge
Location: Virtual finals and hybrid programming through the University of Delaware
Cost: Free
Dates: Annual competition cycle
Application Deadline: Typically held during the academic year; exact dates vary annually
Eligibility: Open to high school students worldwide, competing individually or in teams.
The Diamond Challenge is an international entrepreneurship competition in which you develop solutions focused on either business or social innovation. You identify a problem area, build a venture concept, and submit materials explaining your idea, impact, and implementation approach. The competition welcomes projects across technology, sustainability, education, healthcare, economic access, and community development. Throughout the process, you join a global network of high school innovators while receiving feedback and exposure to entrepreneurial thinking. Finalist teams compete for funding awards, including prizes for both business and social innovation tracks. Additional topical prizes recognize projects related to sustainability, recycling innovation, technological advancement, economic opportunity, and human well-being.
7. Conrad Challenge
Location: Virtual with an in-person Innovation Summit
Cost: Free for Activation and Lean Canvas stages; $499 per team for the Innovation Stage; additional summit registration fees apply for finalists. Financial aid is available for qualifying teams.
Dates: Annual competition cycle running from August through April
Application Deadline: Varies by competition phase each year
Eligibility: You must be between the ages of 13 and 18 and compete in a team of 2–5 students with one adult coach or supervisor.
The Conrad Challenge is a global STEM innovation and entrepreneurship competition where you work in teams to design solutions to problems across multiple industries. The competition takes place in three stages: the Activation Stage, Innovation Stage, and Innovation Summit for selected finalists. You develop an original innovation, refine it through entrepreneurial frameworks, and prepare submissions that explain both the technical and practical aspects of your idea.
Teams may include classmates, siblings, or students from different schools, and international participation is allowed. During the process, you work through innovation planning while developing leadership, collaboration, and presentation skills. Finalists advance to the Innovation Summit, where selected teams present their work in a larger competitive environment connected to Space Center Houston.
8. Global Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge
Location: Virtual
Cost: $70
Dates: Preliminary Round – May 16; Final Round – June 20
Application Deadline: April 20
Eligibility: Open to high school students worldwide aged 14–18; you must apply in a team of 3–8 students.
The Global Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge is an international online business competition in which you develop a science- or technology-based solution to a global issue within a 12-hour window. You work in teams to develop a business concept that addresses areas such as sustainability, education, environmental issues, or social welfare. At the start of the competition, you receive a challenge prompt and must develop your idea, business strategy, and presentation materials before the submission deadline. Your team submits a two-page proposal and a three-minute pitch video in English for evaluation. Judging focuses on creativity, innovation, financial planning, marketing strategy, and communication. Teams advancing from the preliminary round represent their countries in the global finals. Winners receive trophies and certificates, while all participating teams receive feedback sheets and recognition.
9. SAGE Global Entrepreneurship Competition
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free
Dates: August 1 – 15
Application Deadline: August
Eligibility: Open to students between the ages of 13 and 19
The Students for the Advancement of Global Entrepreneurship (SAGE) Competition is an international entrepreneurship program focused on ventures that address social and global challenges. You work in a team to identify an issue and develop a social enterprise or business-based solution around it. The competition includes regional, national, and international rounds, where you submit written reports and present your venture idea to judging panels. Your presentations are evaluated by professionals from business, entrepreneurship, and community leadership backgrounds. SAGE places a strong emphasis on social impact, scalability, and the effectiveness with which your idea addresses a defined problem. If your team advances through the competition, you may present at international events alongside teams from multiple countries.
10. DECA Entrepreneurship Events
Location: Conferences take place in different cities across the United States
Cost: Fees vary depending on the conference and chapter participation requirements
Dates: Most conferences take place in April
Application Deadline: November 15
Eligibility: You must participate through your high school’s DECA chapter; high schools worldwide may establish chapters.
DECA Entrepreneurship Events are competitive business events designed for high school students interested in entrepreneurship, management, finance, and marketing. You compete through written projects, presentations, role-play scenarios, and case-study-based events that simulate real business decision-making environments. The entrepreneurship-focused categories include startup planning, business operations, innovation, and project management challenges. In individual and team events, you analyze business problems, develop solutions, and present recommendations to judges within time limits. Certain categories also require long-term research projects and formal presentation rounds at regional, state, and international conferences. Throughout the competition, you engage with topics such as budgeting, operations, customer strategy, and business communication in a practical format. DECA conferences additionally provide networking sessions, leadership activities, and exposure to a large student entrepreneurship community.
11. Wharton Global High School Investment Competition
Location: Virtual, with Global Finale hosted at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Cost: Free
Dates: 10-week competition cycle; competition registration typically opens in August
Application Deadline: Announced annually during the registration cycle
Eligibility: Open to high school students in grades 9–12; you must compete in teams of four to six students with a teacher advisor.
The Wharton Global High School Investment Competition is an experiential finance and investment competition organized by the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. You work in a team to develop an investment strategy for a case-study client using the Wharton Investment Simulator, which provides $500,000 in virtual cash for stock and ETF trading. Over the course of 10 weeks, you analyze industries, evaluate companies, assess portfolio risk, and make investment decisions aligned with the client’s long-term goals. You submit written deliverables during the competition, and selected semifinalist teams present their strategies virtually to expert judges. The strongest teams advance to the Global Finale hosted at Wharton in Philadelphia. Through the competition, you engage with concepts such as diversification, market analysis, communication strategy, and collaborative decision-making within an investment framework.
12. Cooper Hewitt Design Competition
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free
Dates: April to June (tentative, based on previous years)
Application Deadline: February (tentative, based on previous years)
Eligibility: Open to students ages 13–19; you may apply individually or in teams of up to three members.
The Cooper Hewitt Design Competition is a virtual challenge focused on design thinking, research, and data-driven problem solving. You work to identify an issue and develop a solution supported by both primary and secondary research. Throughout the process, you learn to organize information visually and communicate findings through data visualization. Submissions are reviewed through multiple evaluation stages before selected finalists move forward to virtual judging rounds. If selected as a finalist, you receive mentorship from professionals working in data design and related creative fields. During the Virtual Judging Weekend, you present your work and explain the reasoning behind your design approach.
13. Verge Challenge
Location: Virtual
Cost: Application fee required per team
Dates: Annual competition cycle
Application Deadline: Varies each year
Eligibility: Open to high school students worldwide in grades 9–12; you may apply individually or in teams of up to three members.
Verge Challenge is a fully online pitch competition where you submit and present an original business idea through written and video-based rounds. The competition is designed for early-stage concepts, so you do not need a launched company, revenue, financial projections, or prior entrepreneurial experience to apply. In the first round, you submit a 400–800-word concept describing the problem, your proposed solution, target customer, and business model. Selected applicants advance to the second round, where you record and submit a video pitch of up to five minutes for evaluation by judges. Your submission is assessed on factors such as problem clarity, solution strength, communication, market understanding, and originality. Finalists compete for cash prizes, certificates, and recognition through an international judging process. The competition also provides a way to practice concise business communication and startup-oriented problem framing while presenting your idea to a professional review panel.
14. The BUILD Design Challenge
Location: Various locations through participating schools
Cost: Free
Dates: Varies based on school participation schedules
Application Deadline: Varies by school or program timeline
Eligibility: Open to current high school students
The BUILD Design Challenge is a problem-solving and entrepreneurship competition that introduces you to the Design Thinking process through project development. You work through stages such as identifying an issue, researching user needs, brainstorming solutions, developing prototypes, and testing ideas through feedback cycles. The challenge is designed to be flexible, allowing completion within a short-term workshop format or across a longer semester schedule. You get to use a digital platform and common collaboration tools to document research, organize ideas, and prepare presentations. The program concludes with a pitch presentation in which you present your proposed solution to the judges. Projects are evaluated on areas such as problem identification, creativity, and the practicality of the proposed solution. Winning teams may receive cash prizes along with recognition for their solutions and presentations.
15. First Wave Pitch Competition
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free
Dates: Pitch submission deadline – March 12
Application Deadline: March 12
Eligibility: Open to high school students in grades 9–12 from Wicomico and Somerset County Public Schools; individual or teams of up to 3
First Wave is a local pitch competition for high school students in Wicomico and Somerset counties in Maryland. You’ll submit a three-minute video elevator pitch explaining your business idea, the problem it solves, your target customers, and your basic revenue model. The contest is run by Salisbury University’s Rommel Center for Entrepreneurship with Junior Achievement. First place wins up to $3,000 in cash and a $1,000 scholarship to Salisbury University. There are also awards for teachers and schools.
If you’re looking for an incubator program that helps you build skills for pitch competitions, consider the Young Founders Lab!
If you want mentorship from successful entrepreneurs in building your business and learning pitching skills, the Young Founders Lab is one of the strongest programs you can join in high school. It’s a 100% virtual start-up boot camp run by Harvard entrepreneurs, designed specifically for students who want to launch a company or non-profit.
In this program, you’ll get hands-on mentorship from founders and professionals from Google, Microsoft, McKinsey, and YC-backed companies, while building a venture that solves a real-world problem. You will gain hands-on experience with concepts such as pricing, market research, unit economics, and financial decision-making, skills that directly connect economics to entrepreneurship.
Multiple cohorts run throughout the year, including summer, fall, winter, and spring, so you can join whenever it fits your schedule. Financial aid is available, and the program is open to all high school students, with no prior experience required.