15 Pitch Competitions for High School Students in New York

If you have a business idea and want to find out how it holds up in the real world, a pitch competition is one of the best places to take it. 

What does a pitch competition look like?

You build a case for your concept, present it to experienced judges, and walk away with feedback, recognition, and sometimes prizes or connections that actually move your idea forward. New York makes that even more meaningful. The city's startup ecosystem is one of the most active in the world, which means the judges sitting across from you are often investors, founders, and business professionals who have built and funded real companies. That level of engagement is difficult to find anywhere else at the high school level.

Why enter a pitch competition as a high school student?

Pitch competitions teach you things that classroom business education rarely does. You learn how to structure an argument, defend your thinking under pressure, and communicate with clarity when it counts. Those skills carry directly into college interviews, applications, and every professional environment you will encounter afterward.

With that, here are 15 pitch competitions for high school students in New York!

For adjacent opportunities, you can consider business internships in New York and business competitions in New York.

Quick Look

• 5 competitions with cash prizes over $1,000: Diamond Challenge (up to $12,000 first place), Verge Challenge ($10,000 first place), INNOSpark ($1,500 first place), St. John's Tobin ($2,500 first place), and INCubatoredu (up to $20,000 in startup funding)

• 3 competitions free to enter with cash prizes: Diamond Challenge, FCCLA Virtual Business Challenge ($1,000 first place at nationals), and Citizen Entrepreneurship Competition

• 8 fully virtual competitions open to students worldwide: INCubatoredu, Stevens AI Video Pitch, GYEC, SAGE USA, Diamond Challenge, Blue Ocean, Verge Challenge, INNOSpark, and Citizen Entrepreneurship Competition

• 4 competitions that require an existing or developed venture: SAGE USA (must show real progress and results), INCubatoredu (requires prior participation in the program), CaseCatalyst (requires a team working through a case over several weeks), and GENIUS Olympiad (requires a project submission)

• 3 competitions open to idea-stage students with no prior experience: St. John's Tobin, Blue Ocean, and Verge Challenge — none require a launched product or prior entrepreneurial background

• Earliest deadlines: Stevens AI Video Pitch (January 7), St. John's Tobin (February 2), Blue Ocean (mid-February), Diamond Challenge (January 15)

15 Pitch Competitions for High School Students in New York

1. St. John’s Tobin College of Business High School Pitch Competition

Location: St. John's University, Queens, NY 

Prizes: 1st place: $2,500; 2nd place: $1,500; 3rd place: $1,000

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Top 5 teams advance to final round (overall acceptance rate not published)

Dates: March 16

Application Deadline: February 2

Eligibility: Open to currently enrolled high school students; you may apply individually or as a team of up to three students. No prior business experience is required.

The St. John’s Tobin College of Business High School Pitch Competition is a one-day entrepreneurship competition where you can present an original business idea in a two-round, Shark Tank-style format. The event starts with a three-minute elevator pitch where you'll introduce your business, explain the problem you're solving, and show why your idea matters. If you advance, you'll present again in front of judges and answer questions about customers, growth, and feasibility. Before competition day, you can also connect with St. John's business students who help teams sharpen their pitches. The atmosphere feels similar to a startup pitch event, with quick presentations and direct feedback. Whether yo

2. INCubatoredu National Student Pitch Event

Location: Virtual 

Prizes: Up to $20,000 in startup funding

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly reported

Dates: Varies annually

Application Deadline: Varies by program and nomination timeline

Eligibility: Recommended for high school students in grades 10–12 who have completed or are participating in the INCubatoredu program

INCubatoredu National Student Pitch Event is designed for students who have already spent time building and refining a venture. You'll submit a recorded pitch, create supporting materials, and, if selected, move on to a live virtual Q&A with entrepreneurs and investors. Judges want to understand not only the idea itself but also how you've developed it over time. You'll need to explain your product, your customers, and the decisions you've made along the way. The competition rewards clear thinking just as much as presentation skills. By the final round, you'll be defending your venture in front of people who spend their careers evaluating business ideas.

3. New York Tech High School Students' Business Competition

Location: New York Institute of Technology, New York, NY 

Prizes: Certificates for participants; some competitions may include cash prizes and/or internship opportunities (amount varies)

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly reported

Dates: Varies; competition runs over 4 weeks

Application Deadline: Varies by participating high school and competition cycle

Eligibility: Open to high school juniors and seniors participating through their high school, typically in teams

The New York Tech High School Students Business Competition is a case competition where you work in a team to analyze a real business challenge presented by a partner company over four weeks. You develop recommendations, prepare a case-based solution, and present your findings to faculty judges and company leaders. The program focuses on problem-solving, communication, teamwork, and exposure to business decision-making through applied case work. You engage directly with company representatives, ask questions about business operations, and receive feedback on their ideas. Top teams may be recognized with prizes or internship opportunities, depending on the sponsoring company.

4. GENIUS Olympiad Entrepreneurship

Location: St. John Fisher University, Rochester, NY

Prizes: Awards available; prize amounts not publicly specified

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Finalist selection is competitive; acceptance rate not publicly reported

Dates: June 8–12 (GENIUS Finals)

Application Deadline: April 16 (U.S./EU fairs)

Eligibility: Open to high school students; projects may be submitted individually or in teams of up to two students

GENIUS Olympiad Entrepreneurship is an environmental entrepreneurship competition where you develop and present a business idea aimed at reducing human impact on the environment. You submit a project video during the application stage, and finalists advance to present a formal business pitch and respond to questions from judges at the international finals. Projects can focus on sustainable products, green technologies, or social responsibility plans designed to improve environmental outcomes. Your proposal is evaluated on areas such as creativity, feasibility, marketability, environmental impact, and presentation quality.

5. Stevens High School Entrepreneurship and Artificial Intelligence (AI) Video Pitch Competition

Location: Online 

Prizes: 1st place: $500; 2nd place: $250; 3rd place: $100; $20 registration fee

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly reported

Dates: Video submissions due January 15; finalists announced February 15

Application Deadline: January 7

Eligibility: Open to current high school students in grades 9–11, including public, private, and homeschool students; individual submissions only

Stevens' Entrepreneurship and AI Video Pitch Competition challenges you to explain an idea in just two minutes. Your pitch needs to identify a problem, show how artificial intelligence fits into the solution, and explain why someone would actually use it. Because the format is entirely video-based, clarity becomes extremely important. You'll need to communicate the idea quickly without relying on long explanations or detailed slides. The competition also pushes you to think critically about where AI genuinely adds value and where it doesn't. By the time your submission is finished, you'll have practiced turning a complex idea into a concise and persuasive story.

6. Global Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge (GYEC)

Location: Online 

Prizes: Trophy and certificate for winners; certificates and feedback sheets for all teams

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Teams of 3–8 students; acceptance rate not publicly reported

Dates: Preliminary Round: May 16; Final Round: June 20

Application Deadline: April 20

Eligibility: Open to high school (secondary school) students ages 14–18 competing in teams of 3–8 students

Global Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge (GYEC) starts when organizers reveal a challenge, and the clock begins. From that moment, you and your team have just 12 hours to develop a science- or technology-based solution, turn it into a business concept, and submit both a written proposal and a video pitch. Teams have to divide responsibilities quickly, make decisions, and keep moving. You'll need to think about the problem itself, who the solution serves, how it might work financially, and how to explain it clearly. The pace is intense, but that's what makes the competition memorable. By the end of the day, you'll have gone from a blank page to a complete venture idea.

7. SAGE USA National Competition

Location: Online

Prizes: 1st and 2nd place teams earn an invitation to the SAGE World Cup; additional cash prizes not publicly specified

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly reported

Dates: Submissions open April 25 - May 2

Application Deadline: May 2

Eligibility: Open to U.S. teenage entrepreneurs competing in teams (team size not specified)

THE SAGE USA National Competition is meant for teams that already have something underway. Rather than presenting a business idea that exists only on paper, you'll spend time showing what your venture has actually accomplished. Teams submit a report, deliver a live presentation, and answer detailed questions from judges about decisions, challenges, results, and impact. Judges want evidence, not assumptions. You'll need to explain what worked, what didn't, and how the venture changed over time. Because of that, presentations often feel more like founder updates than startup pitches. The strongest teams arrive with stories, numbers, and lessons learned from running a real project.

8. Diamond Challenge

Location: Online 

Cost: Free to enter; prize funding up to $12,000 for first place, $8,000 for second place, and $4,500 for third place in both business and social innovation tracks; additional topical prizes available

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; advancing teams selected through submission and pitching rounds

Dates: Submission window opens September 17; submission deadline January 15; advancing teams notified February 10; finalists announced March 9; Limitless World Summit April 23–24

Application Deadline: January 15 

Eligibility: Teams of 2 - 4 high school students ages 14- 18

The Diamond Challenge is a global entrepreneurship competition for high school students interested in developing business or social innovation ideas. You compete in teams by submitting an original venture concept, with the option to participate through live pitch events or a virtual recorded pitch. The competition includes multiple rounds, mentorship opportunities, feedback from judges, and access to entrepreneurship resources. Teams can compete for significant prize funding while gaining experience in innovation, problem-solving, and pitching. Topical prizes also recognize work in areas such as sustainability, technology, and human well-being. 

9. Blue Ocean Student Entrepreneur Competition

Location: Virtual (global online competition)

Stipend: Cash prizes available for winners and prize opportunities for participating schools

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open-entry competition; 23,000+ participants from 173 countries

Dates: Annual competition cycle; registration typically opens in fall, with submissions and judging taking place over several months (check current cycle for exact dates)

Application Deadline: Typically mid-February

Eligibility: High school students worldwide; you may compete individually or in teams of up to five students

The Blue Ocean Student Entrepreneur Competition is a virtual pitch competition where high school students develop and present original business ideas based on the Blue Ocean Strategy framework. You can participate solo or with a team by creating a five-minute video pitch and submitting it online for judging. The competition provides templates, evaluation criteria, and learning resources to help you refine your idea before submission. You receive feedback from entrepreneurs and business professionals while building skills in innovation, communication, and venture development. Because the competition is fully virtual, it is accessible regardless of location and does not require you to have an existing startup to compete. 

10. Verge Challenge

Location: Virtual 

Prizes: $10,000 for first place, with a total prize pool of $17,500

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; top concepts advance from Round 1 to Round 2, with three final cash prize winners selected

Dates: Applications open April 1;  competition held in multiple rounds following submission and judging

Application Deadline: Not specified 

Eligibility: High school students worldwide; no prior business experience or launched product required

Verge Challenge is an online pitch competition for high school students interested in entrepreneurship and innovation. You begin by submitting a 400–800-word written concept describing a problem, your proposed solution, target customer, and business model. Selected participants advance to a second round, where they record a video pitch for judges. Finalists compete for cash prizes and receive recognition for their ideas. The competition is designed for students at the idea stage, so you do not need an existing startup or prior entrepreneurial background to participate. 

11. INNOSpark Competition

Location: Virtual 

Prizes: $11,600 in total prizes, including $1,500 for first place, $1,000 for second place, and $500 for third place

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; top 15 finalists selected from applicants; competition notes participation of 800 entrepreneurs and students

Dates: Applications open March 1; submission deadline April 4; finalists announced April 11; live pitch event April 18

Application Deadline: April 4

Eligibility: High school students worldwide; open to pitches for businesses, nonprofits, or passion projects

INNOSpark is a virtual pitch competition for high school students interested in entrepreneurship and innovation. You apply by developing and pitching a business, nonprofit, or impact-focused project, with selected applicants advancing to a live final pitch event. Finalists present to compete for cash prizes and additional company perks such as tool access or subscriptions. The competition provides an opportunity to practice pitching, refine an idea, and receive exposure in a global student entrepreneurship setting. It can help you build experience in communicating venture ideas and competing in a structured pitch competition.

12. Citizen Entrepreneurship Competition (CEC)

Location: Virtual (global online competition)

Prizes: Free to participate; prize amounts not specified

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; top 10 submissions by public vote advance to finals for jury evaluation

Dates: March 2 - June 5; submissions open March 2, submission deadline May 4, voting phase May 5–June 5, winners announced June 23

Application Deadline: May 4

Eligibility: Open to students and other participants worldwide, including high school students; submissions must be original idea-stage ventures aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals and not already established startups

The Citizen Entrepreneurship Competition is a global online idea competition where you submit an entrepreneurial concept focused on solving challenges connected to the Sustainable Development Goals. You complete the required entrepreneurship courses and an Entrepreneurial Design Canvas before entering the public voting stage. Submissions that meet the requirements move into a voting phase, and the top 10 ideas advance to final evaluation by an expert jury. Ideas are judged on factors such as innovation, feasibility, leadership, social impact, and sustainability. 

13. CaseCatalyst Case Competition

Location: Virtual (global online competition)

Cost: Registration fee ranges from $120–$200 per student, depending on the deadline

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; finalists selected to present on Pitch Day; 200+ schools and participants from 45+ countries represented

Dates: Competition launch July 19; team work and mentorship July 19–August 9; submission deadline August 10; finalists announced August 15; Pitch Day August 23

Application Deadline: Early Bird I: April 26; Early Bird II: May 31; Regular Registration: July 5

Eligibility: High school students worldwide; teams of 3–4 students, or you may apply individually and be matched with a team.

CaseCatalyst is a virtual case competition where high school students work in teams to solve real-world challenges faced by innovative startups. Over several weeks, you analyze a case, develop recommendations, and create a strategy presentation, report, or prototype before submitting your solution. You attend mentorship sessions and workshops, and then selected finalists pitch their solutions to judges connected to the featured startup. The competition focuses more on consulting-style problem-solving than traditional startup pitching, making it useful if you want exposure to business strategy and case analysis. 

14. FCCLA Virtual Business Challenge

Location: Virtual (online simulation competition)

Prizes: Free to participate; National Championship awards include $1,000 for first place, $500 for second place, and $250 for third place

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; qualifying teams advance to the National Championship Round

Dates: Registration begins September 30, Round One runs October 14 - November 7; Round Two runs February 2 - 27; National Championship Round runs March 30 - April 3

Application Deadline: Registration opens September 30; each competition round has separate submission deadlines

Eligibility: FCCLA members in high school; teams may participate in one or both rounds and compete in Personal Finance or Fashion simulations

The FCCLA Virtual Business Challenge is an online competition where you use business simulation software to make decisions and manage scenarios in areas such as personal finance or fashion management. Teams compete in timed rounds by optimizing their performance within the simulation, with top-performing teams eligible to advance to a National Championship Round. Because teams can submit multiple scores and improve based on their best results, the competition emphasizes strategy, iteration, and decision-making. You build experience with business concepts while practicing analytical thinking and problem-solving in a competitive format. 

15. Technovation Girls Competition

Location: Global online competition

Prizes: Awards and educational scholarships available (amounts vary)

Acceptance rate/cohort size: 15 Regional Honoree teams and 15 finalist teams selected in semifinals;

Dates: January 26 - March 18 (Registration deadline)

Application Deadline: March 18; April 20 (project submission)

Eligibility: Open to girls ages 8–18; high school students may compete in eligible age divisions as part of a team

The Technovation Girls Competition is a global technology and entrepreneurship competition where you work in a team to develop a project, often involving an app or AI-based solution, designed to address a real-world problem. Over the season, you build your project using the program curriculum and submit it for multiple rounds of judging, including quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals. Teams are evaluated competitively, and selected finalists advance to pitch at the Technovation World Summit. The program combines entrepreneurship, problem-solving, and technical skill development, while also providing mentorship and feedback through the competition process. Top teams may receive awards or educational scholarships, and all participants gain experience developing and presenting an innovation project.

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Which pitch competitions are open to high school students with no prior business experience? Several competitions on this list are designed for idea-stage students. St. John's Tobin explicitly states that no prior business experience is required. Verge Challenge does not require an existing startup or prior background. Blue Ocean accepts solo or team submissions and provides templates and learning resources to help you build your concept. INNOSpark is open to pitches for businesses, nonprofits, or passion projects at any stage. GYEC gives you just 12 hours to develop a concept from scratch, making prior experience less relevant than the ability to think quickly.

2. Which pitch competitions offer the largest cash prizes? INCubatoredu offers the largest potential award at up to $20,000 in startup funding for finalists, though it requires prior participation in the INCubatoredu program. Diamond Challenge offers up to $12,000 for first place in both its business and social innovation tracks, with additional topical prizes. Verge Challenge awards $10,000 for first place from a total prize pool of $17,500. St. John's Tobin awards $2,500 for first place, $1,500 for second, and $1,000 for third at its one-day event. INNOSpark offers $1,500 for first place in its virtual live pitch event.

3. Are there pitch competitions specifically for environmentally or socially focused business ideas? Yes. GENIUS Olympiad Entrepreneurship is specifically an environmental entrepreneurship competition requiring projects focused on reducing human impact on the environment. Citizen Entrepreneurship Competition requires submissions aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals. Diamond Challenge has a dedicated social innovation track alongside its business track and includes topical prizes recognizing sustainability and human well-being. Technovation Girls also emphasizes building app or AI-based solutions to address real-world problems, with a strong focus on social impact.