(YFL) 10 Elevator Pitch Competitions for High School Students
This blog lists 10 elevator pitch competitions for high school students, including national and international level contests.
If you're a high school student thinking about launching a business idea or studying it further in college, an elevator pitch competition is one of the fastest (and most rewarding) ways to get started. These competitions are built to help you sharpen how you talk about your idea, what it is, who it helps, and why it matters. Most of them focus on short and clear presentations that push you to explain your concept in a way anyone can understand.
Along the way, you also get exposure to feedback, industry judges, and sometimes even funding or scholarships. A few programs offer training or mentorship before the pitch, while others drop you right into the challenge. Even if you’re just exploring entrepreneurship, joining a pitch competition can give you something real to talk about in future applications, resumes, or college essays.
To help you get started, here is a list of 10 elevator pitch competitions you can apply to while you are still in high school!
10 Elevator Pitch Competitions for High School Students
Conrad Challenge
Location: Virtual + Power Pitch Summit (U.S.)
Participation Fee: Participation is free for initial stages, but teams advancing to the Innovation Stage must pay a $499 entry fee
Dates: August – April; Power Pitch Stage: April 22–25
Application Deadline: August–October
Eligibility: Open to students ages 13–18 working in teams of 2–5 from any country
The Conrad Challenge is a global competition where high school students use entrepreneurship and STEM to solve real problems. You’ll work in a team, choose a category like Cyber-Technology or Health & Nutrition, and build a business idea using tools like the Lean Canvas. You’ll submit an Innovation Brief, a website, and a short elevator pitch video. Finalist teams go to the Power Pitch Summit to present their ideas live to industry leaders. The program includes mentorship, planning resources, and feedback. Top teams win scholarships and the Pete Conrad Scholar title.
Blue Ocean Student Entrepreneur Competition
Location: Virtual
Participation Fee: Free
Dates: Top 100 – April 6; Winners – May 13
Application Deadline: February 22
Eligibility: Open to high school students worldwide (ages 14–18); solo or team entries allowed
The Blue Ocean Competition is an online pitch contest where high school students present business ideas for new markets. You’ll first take a short course on Blue Ocean Strategy, then submit a five-minute video elevator pitch explaining your concept, target customers, and what makes it different. The format helps you focus on the value proposition and competitive advantage. Judges score each pitch, and there’s also a Popular Choice Award based on public votes.
Diamond Challenge
Location: Virtual + In-person Finals in Newark, Delaware
Participation Fee: Free
Dates: Submission window opens September 18
Application Deadline: Check format-specific deadlines after registration
Eligibility: Open to high school students ages 14–18 in teams of 2–4 with one adult advisor (21+)
The Diamond Challenge is a global competition where high school students create either a business or a social venture. You’ll work in a team, choose between the Business Innovation or Social Innovation track, and submit a concept narrative and pitch deck. You’ll then give a short elevator-style pitch in a regional or virtual round. Top teams go to the finals in Delaware to pitch live to expert judges. The program includes pitch tools, mentorship, and feedback.
TYE Global Pitch Competition
Location: Arlington, Virginia, U.S. (in-person)
Participation Fee: Free
Dates: June 18–20
Application Deadline: Rolling, based on local TYE chapter bootcamp schedules
Eligibility: Open to high school students selected through local TYE chapters; teams of 3–6 participants typically advance
The TYE Global Pitch is the final round of the TiE Young Entrepreneurs program, which trains high school students through a 10-week bootcamp. After completing the program, top teams from regional chapters go to the finals in Arlington, Virginia, where they present their business ideas in a fast-paced elevator pitch format. You’ll use concepts like design thinking, lean canvas, customer discovery, and financial planning. At the event, teams pitch in front of judges, mentors, and investors, and take part in workshops and networking sessions. Only top teams from local TYE chapters can qualify for the global round.
Global Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge (GYEC)
Location: Virtual
Participation Fee: Free
Dates: Preliminary Round – April 12; Final Round – May 17
Application Deadline: March 21
Eligibility: Open to high school students aged 14–18 in teams of 3–8
GYEC is a one-day international business challenge where high school teams have 12 hours to solve a surprise social issue. You’ll work with your team to create a science or tech-based solution, then submit a two-page proposal and a three-minute video elevator pitch. Topics may include education, public health, or sustainability. Judges score your work based on creativity, feasibility, and clarity. Top teams from each country advance to the global finals. All participants receive feedback and certificates.
Pirates Pitch Competition for High School Students
Location: In-person at Seton Hall University, South Orange, NJ
Participation Fee: Free
Dates: November 21
Application Deadline: October 22
Eligibility: Open to U.S. high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors with a GPA of 3.0 or higher
Pirates Pitch is a business idea contest hosted by Seton Hall University for high school students. You’ll submit a 350-word summary answering questions about your customers, your competitive edge, and how you plan to make money. You can also add a three-minute elevator pitch video on YouTube. Ten finalists are invited to Seton Hall to deliver a five-minute live pitch followed by a Q&A with judges. Winners get up to Rs 2 lakh in cash and up to Rs 8 lakh in scholarships. There’s also a Rs 25,000 Audience Choice Award.
Wharton Global High School Investment Competition
Location: Virtual + In-person Global Finale at Wharton School, Philadelphia
Participation Fee: Free
Dates: Trading Period – September 29 to December 5; Global Finale – April 24–25
Application Deadline: September 12
Eligibility: Open to high school students in grades 9–12; teams of 4–7 with a teacher advisor
The Wharton Global High School Investment Competition is a case-based finance competition where high school students work in teams to build an investment strategy for a fictional client. You’ll manage Rs 2 crore in virtual capital using the Wharton Investment Simulator and focus on strategy and analysis instead of just returns. You’ll submit midterm and final reports explaining your decisions. The top 50 teams are selected to give a virtual elevator pitch-style presentation to a panel of judges. The top 10 teams advance to the Global Finale at the Wharton School and present their strategies live to a professional audience.
First Wave Pitch Competition
Location: Virtual
Participation Fee: 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.
tecBRIDGE High School Business Plan Competition
Location: Virtual preliminaries + in-person finals in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
Participation Fee: Free
Dates: Final Awards Event – May 1
Application Deadline: Early spring
Eligibility: Open to high school student teams with a school-affiliated chaperone
tecBRIDGE is a regional business plan contest for high school teams. You’ll submit written responses to a business prompt, prepare financial reports in both cash and accrual formats, and build a PowerPoint presentation. Finalists are invited to present a 10-minute pitch followed by a 10-minute Q&A at the in-person event in Pennsylvania. The pitch needs to clearly explain your idea, value, and market strategy within a business plan format. Judges include entrepreneurs and business leaders from across the state.
FBLA Business Plan Competition
Location: Local and state levels; national finals at FBLA National Leadership Conference
Participation Fee: Free
Dates: Pre-judged report due May 13; finals held in late June/early July
Application Deadline: May 13
Eligibility: Open to FBLA high school members in teams of 1–3 from the same chapter
The FBLA Business Plan Competition is a national event where high school students develop and present a full business plan for a new venture. You’ll submit a 17-page written report with detailed operational, marketing, and financial projections for a startup that hasn’t been active for more than one year. Top teams are invited to the FBLA National Leadership Conference to give a 7-minute live presentation, followed by a 3-minute Q&A. Judges evaluate feasibility, clarity, and delivery. The final pitch is longer than a standard elevator pitch but still requires strong communication and clear storytelling.
One other option - Young Founders Lab
If you’re looking for an incubator program that helps you build a startup in high school, consider the Young Founders Lab!
The Young Founders Lab is a start-up boot camp founded and run by Harvard entrepreneurs. In this program, you will work towards building a revenue-generating start-up that addresses a real-world problem. You will also have the opportunity to be mentored by established entrepreneurs and professionals from Google, Microsoft, and X.
You can access the application link here!