Get the chance to win prizes totaling $5,000 at our upcoming Riverside Regional Fast Pitch Competition and move onto the Riverside County Finale Competition for a chance to win up to $25,000!

April is Riverside County Innovation Month, and as part of this dynamic celebration of innovation and entrepreneurship in Riverside County we are thrilled to announce our upcoming Fast Pitch Competition on April 18th, 2024 at Riverside ExCITE. Hosted by the Office of Technology Partnerships' EPIC SBDC, this event is designed to amplify the voices of startups and entrepreneurs in our community.

The Fast Pitch Competition is a highlight of Riverside County Innovation Month, offering a platform for startups and entrepreneurs to present their groundbreaking ideas in a 5-minute pitch. This year, the competition will consist of four regional events: Coachella Valley, Murrieta (Southwest Regional), Riverside (City), and Crucible.

We are inviting local startups to participate in our city-level Riverside competition for a change to secure a spot at the Riverside County Finale Competition and compete with other regional finalists. To check out the full details and sign-up for the competition, please check out our website at https://ucrotp.ucr.edu/rivco.

This event is open to the public for the community - the bigger the audience, the more the fun! Food and drinks will be served. Join us for a night of networking, pitches, and innovations!

Prizes

Our regional 2024 Riverside Fast Pitch event will include prizes of $2,500, $1,500, and $1,000.

If you win our regional Fast Pitch, you will have the chance to move onto the Riverside County Finale Fast Pitch Event, which will award over $20,000 in prizes.

APPLY TO THE RIVERSIDE REGIONAL FAST PITCH COMPETITION

Guidelines for Participation

To participate in the Riverside Regional Fast Pitch Event on April 18th, 2024, eligible candidates must meet the following criteria:

• Have a startup with a verifiable business presence in Riverside County.
• Possess a minimal viable product, with sales or early investment (less than $1M raised to date, excluding grant funding).
• Submit an application to pitch in a Regional Fast Pitch Event panel.
• Deliver a 5-minute Fast Pitch presentation, accompanied by a pitch deck.
• Be prepared for a Q&A session with the judges, with responses limited to 1 minute each.
• Entries will be screened by a panel of judges to determine eligibility.
• Startups cannot enter more than one regional fast pitch competition during Innovation Month and should present in the nearest regional pitch competition to their business.

Please review the official 2024 Innovation Month Guidelines here.

Applications close on Monday, April 8th, 2024.

Qualifying for the County Finale

To qualify for the Riverside County Finale Fast Pitch Event on April 30, 2024, candidates must meet the following additional requirements:

• Complete at least one hour of training with UCR’s EPIC Small Business Development Center (SBDC) prior to the County Finale.
• Pitch a technology-focused or scalable business concept.
• Qualify under a Regional Fast Pitch Event or be nominated by EPIC SBDC.
• Deliver a 5-minute Fast Pitch presentation, followed by a Q&A session.
• Provide a pitch deck prior to the event.

APPLY TO THE RIVERSIDE REGIONAL FAST PITCH COMPETITION