15 Pitch Competitions for High School Students in Pennsylvania
If you're exploring pitch competitions for high school students in Pennsylvania, you'll find that these opportunities go far beyond just presenting an idea.
What do pitch competitions involve?
Most competitions ask you to develop a business or social impact idea and present it through a written submission, a recorded video pitch, or a live presentation to a panel of judges. You typically work through stages like idea development, market research, and refining your pitch based on feedback, sometimes as part of a team and sometimes solo.
Why pursue a pitch competition in high school?
Even if you don't win, being shortlisted can significantly strengthen your college applications and help you stand out. You may also gain access to mentorship, funding opportunities, and valuable industry connections that support future ventures.
Here are 15 pitch competitions for high school students in Pennsylvania to consider.
For related opportunities, check out our guides onbusiness competitions for high school students andpitch competitions for high school students in New York.
Quick Look
6 free-to-enter competitions: World Series of Innovation Impact League, National Summer & Out-of-School Time Pitch Contest, Diamond Challenge, Blue Ocean Student Entrepreneur Competition, Citizen Entrepreneurship Competition, and FCCLA Virtual Business Challenge.
2 Pennsylvania-specific competitions: BUILDFest Southwestern PA and the Chamber High School Business Challenge, both tied to regional programs or geography.
8 globally open, fully online competitions: including Diamond Challenge, Blue Ocean, Verge Challenge, NNOSpark, and CaseCatalyst, all accepting students regardless of location.
Highest cash prizes: Diamond Challenge offers up to $12,000 for first place, while Verge Challenge offers $10,000 with a $17,500 total prize pool.
Most competitions accept both individual and team submissions, though a few, like the Global Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge, require teams of 3 to 8 students.
15 Pitch Competitions for High School Students in Pennsylvania
1. BUILDFest Southwestern PA – Student Entrepreneurship Showcase
Location: Roundhouse, 4165 Blair St, Pittsburgh, PA
Cost: Not specified; includes cash prizes for top student teams
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Top student teams from BUILD Pittsburgh programs selected to present
Dates: May 27
Application Deadline: Not separately listed; participation typically through BUILD programs and competitions
Eligibility: High school students participating in BUILD Pittsburgh entrepreneurship programs
BUILDFest Southwestern PA is an annual event where high school students in BUILD Pittsburgh programs present businesses they have developed over the course of the year. You showcase your venture at the Student Business Expo and may be selected to pitch live in a final round similar to a Shark Tank–style competition. The event highlights work completed through BUILD’s multi-year entrepreneurship curriculum, where you develop ideas, build prototypes, and refine business strategies. Selected teams present in front of judges and a live audience, competing for recognition and cash prizes.
2. Chamber High School Business Challenge (CHSBC)
Location: South Central Pennsylvania, PA
Cost: Not specified; scholarship prizes awarded to winning teams
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified; finalist teams advance to final presentation round
Dates: Not specified (annual competition cycle)
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: High school students competing in teams
The Chamber High School Business Challenge (CHSBC) is a state-level entrepreneurship competition where you work in a team to develop a business plan designed to serve the needs of a specific region. You research market opportunities, create a financially viable business concept, and prepare a structured pitch. The competition includes both a submission phase and a live presentation round. Finalist teams present their ideas in a Shark Tank–style format to a panel of judges. Your business is evaluated based on creativity, feasibility, and potential impact on the community. Winning teams receive scholarship awards supported by the sponsors of the competition.
3. FBLA Entrepreneurship Competitive Event
Location: Organized by local school or region
Cost: No stipend; standard FBLA membership dues and conference registration fees apply
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Up to 4 entries per state may advance to the National Leadership Conference; top 15 teams advance to the role play round at nationals
Dates: National membership deadline is March 1
Application Deadline: March 1 (national membership deadline; local and state deadlines vary)
Eligibility: High school FBLA members competing individually or in teams of 1–3 members from the same local chapter
The FBLA Entrepreneurship event is a high school competitive event that tests your understanding of what it takes to launch and manage a business. You compete in two parts: a 100-question objective test covering topics like business planning, finance, marketing, taxes, legal issues, and personnel management, followed by an interactive role play if you advance. At the national level, the top 15 teams based on test scores move on to the role-play round. During the role play, you receive a business-related scenario, prepare for 20 minutes, and then present your solution in 7 minutes while judges may ask questions.
4. World Series of Innovation (WSI) Impact League – NFTE
Location: Online
Cost: Free to participate; prize funding awarded to top teams
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Top 10 finalists per challenge category; Top 3 winners selected
Dates: September 9 - April 21
Application Deadline: December 12
Eligibility: High school students (ages 13–18) competing individually or in teams
The World Series of Innovation (WSI) Impact League, hosted by the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship, is a global virtual competition where you develop solutions to real-world challenges aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. You begin by selecting a challenge, brainstorming ideas, and submitting your solution through an online platform. Submissions are evaluated based on creativity, feasibility, and potential impact. Throughout the competition, you can access webinars, workshops, and mentorship to refine your ideas. After the submission deadline, entries go through a judging process, with top teams advancing to submit final pitch videos.
5. National Summer & Out-of-School Time Pitch Contest – Young Entrepreneur Institute
Location: Online
Cost: Free to participate; prizes not specified
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified; winners selected by grade-level divisions
Dates: March 23 - August 31
Application Deadline: July 31
Eligibility: High school students (grades 9–12), competing individually or in teams
The National Summer & Out-of-School Time Pitch Contest is a virtual entrepreneurship competition where you create and present a business idea through a short video pitch. You develop an original idea, then record a 30–90 second video explaining your concept, focusing on clear communication and presentation. Submissions are evaluated based on creativity, clarity, and overall effectiveness of the pitch. The format emphasizes speaking directly on camera rather than relying on slides or visuals. You can participate individually or with a team, and you compete within your grade-level category. The competition is designed to help you build skills in problem-solving, critical thinking, and concise pitching.
6. INCubatoredu National Student Pitch Event
Location: Online
Cost: 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
The INCubatoredu National Student Pitch Event is a national entrepreneurship competition where you can present a business idea through multiple stages, including recorded pitch submissions, promotional videos, and a live virtual Q&A with entrepreneurs and investors. The competition emphasizes skills such as problem-solving, creativity, and business development, while giving you experience refining and defending a venture idea. Teams present in front of judges and a live virtual audience, with evaluation based on the strength of the business concept and pitch execution.
7. Stevens High School Entrepreneurship and Artificial Intelligence (AI) Video Pitch Competition
Location: Online
Cost: 1st place: $500; 2nd place: $250; 3rd place: $100
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
The Stevens High School Entrepreneurship and AI Video Pitch Competition is a virtual competition where you develop a two-minute video pitch presenting a problem, an AI-powered solution, and the business case behind your idea. Your submission is evaluated on innovation, application of AI, business impact, feasibility, and presentation quality. The competition gives you experience thinking through entrepreneurship concepts such as market need, scalability, and value proposition while also explaining how artificial intelligence fits into a product or service.
8. Global Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge (GYEC)
Location: Online
Cost: 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
The Global Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge is a virtual 12-hour business idea competition where you work in a team to develop a science- or technology-based solution to a global challenge. On competition day, teams receive a prompt and have 12 hours to create and submit a two-page business proposal and a three-minute video pitch in English. Projects are evaluated on creativity, finance, production, marketing, and communication, with challenges often centered on sustainability, education, or social impact.
9. 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.
10. Blue Ocean Student Entrepreneur Competition
Location: Online
Cost: No entry fee; cash prizes available for winners and prize opportunities for participating schools
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open-entry competition; 23,000+ participants from 173 countries in 2026
Dates: Annual competition cycle; registration typically opens in the fall, with submissions and judging taking place over several months (check current cycle for exact dates)
Application Deadline: Varies by competition year
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.
11. Verge Challenge
Location: Online
Cost: No application fee stated; cash prizes include $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.
12. NNOSpark Competition
Location: Online
Cost: No entry fee stated; $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.
13. Citizen Entrepreneurship Competition (CEC)
Location: Online
Cost: 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.
14. CaseCatalyst Case Competition
Location: Online
Cost: Registration fee ranges from $120–$200 per student, depending on the deadline; no stipend is stated
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.
15. FCCLA Virtual Business Challenge
Location: Online
Cost: 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.
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. Are there free pitch competitions for high school students in Pennsylvania?
Yes. Several competitions, including the World Series of Innovation Impact League, Diamond Challenge, Blue Ocean Student Entrepreneur Competition, and Citizen Entrepreneurship Competition, are free to enter, though many still offer significant cash prizes.
2.Which pitch competitions are open to students outside Pennsylvania?
Most competitions on this list are fully online and open to students nationally or globally, including Diamond Challenge, Verge Challenge, NNOSpark, and CaseCatalyst. Only BUILDFest Southwestern PA and the Chamber High School Business Challenge are tied specifically to Pennsylvania programs or regions.
3.How can I get structured preparation before entering a pitch competition?
The most common gap for first-time competitors is not idea quality but pitch structure. The Young Founders Lab includes dedicated pitch training and regular mentor feedback as part of its four-week startup bootcamp, pairing you with entrepreneurs and professionals from companies like Google, Microsoft, and X as you develop and refine your venture. This kind of iterative feedback is more valuable than generic presentation practice, since you're defending real decisions about your own concept rather than a hypothetical case.