V2 Pitch Competition

Each spring, the Venture Vetting (V2) Pitch Competition catalyzes the entrepreneurial spirit of our University of San Diego community. Organized by the Free Enterprise Institute's Catalyzer, the V2 Pitch Competition is a campus-wide competition where USD students can pitch their businesses (concepts or operating enterprises) for cash awards.

Students with nearly any type of business idea are invited to participate. Ideas can range from any industry and target any business model.

By taking part in this competition, participants will learn the basics of turning a business idea into a fully developed startup. Participate in hands-on workshops, get paired with industry and faculty mentors and create a pitch deck and presentation fit for investors. Applications will be assessed by a team of reviewers. The best projects will be invited to present to a judging panel of investors. The best three to seven proposals will get to present to a live audience at the Seven-by-Seven and V2 Pitch Competition finals on April 20, 2022, for a chance to win up to $25,000 in funding, an invitation to the FEI’s new incubator and a chance to compete in the San Diego Angel Conference for $200,000.

Get ready to transform your entrepreneurial dream into meaningful and financially rewarding work. Win up to $25,000, refine your skills and build your network to succeed as an entrepreneur! As a participant, you will:

• Build a successful and scalable business
• Explore your inner entrepreneur
• Build your network
• Work with a mentor/coach

If you have any questions, please contact the Catalyzer team at entrepreneurship@sandiego.edu.

Attend the Grand Finale

Join us for the first ever, combined Seven-by-Seven and V2 Pitch Competition on April 20, 2022. Bring your friends to celebrate and watch our entrepreneurs go from wild dreams to wildly successful.

Register today using the Seven-by-Seven registration link:

Attend V2 Grand Finale and Seven-by-Seven

Schedule

Unless otherwise noted all events will be held virtually during "dead hours" (12:15 to 1:45 p.m.).

There are four workshops scheduled for all V2 participants. Each workshop may have multiple speakers and may cover several topics. These events are open to all USD students, including those not participating in the V2 Pitch Competition. All events are eligible for Passport, Compass and Connect points. 

Everything Students Need to Know

• Eligibility
  • Current USD undergraduate and graduate students
  • Compete as an individual or as a team with 2, 3, or 4 members. At least one member must be a current USD student
  • Each participant (individual or team) can submit as many projects as they wish. Only one idea per participant (individual or team) can make it to the finals. 

  Submissions should be new business venture proposals. Businesses that are already incorporated and ideas that have won prizes at a previous V2 Pitch Competition are not eligible to participate. Founders of such businesses can submit new ideas for this year’s competition even if they have previously won money for their other ideas.

• Important Dates and Deadlines

  February 22, 2022 - Interest forms are due

  March 25, 2022 - By 5 p.m. PST, submit your pitch deck (an annotated slide deck) + one-minute elevator pitch video (cannot include slides but you can use a stationary virtual background or a slide/business logo in the background)

  April 19, 2022 - Finalists will pitch their venture proposal to investors (10 min. pitch + 20 min. Q&A + 20 min. feedback per team)

  April 20, 2022 - V2 Award Ceremony will take place from 5:30 to 8 p.m. PST
  

• Submission Requirements
  • All submissions must be made via Gust: https://gust.com/organizations/v2-2022/public_profile
  • Complete submissions must include:
    • 1-Minute Elevator Pitch Video:
      • Include your venture logo in the background
      • Duration of the video must be 60 seconds or less
      • Show only one team member in the video speaking about your venture
    • Pitch Deck
    • Executive Summary

  Submit Your Pitch

• Selection Process

  A panel of investor judges will review initial submissions and:

  • Select three teams to advance to the finals where they will pitch their ideas live to a panel of investor judges, and compete for up to $25,000 in seed funding
  • Nominate up to 10 additional teams as the Most Promising Ventures of 2022 V2 who will get featured at the 2022 V2 Award Ceremony on April 20, 2022
• Selection Criteria
  • Originality - business idea is new, novel and unique
  • Clear and compelling value proposition - demonstrates a legitimate and recognized need along with an appropriate solution
  • Competitive advantage - creates more value for the customer than alternative solutions
  • Market opportunity - adequate market size and viable revenue mode
  • Feasibility - reasonable prospect of funding and successful implementation
  • Well-researched - demonstrates clear understanding of customer, market, competitive set and solution requirements
  • Positive impact on stakeholders and the community
• Seed Funding Prizes

  Investor judges will allocate the seed funding prize pool of $25,000 among the three finalists as they see fit. One team may take home the entire $25,000 or more than one team could split the prize pool. Winners will be revealed at the V2 Pitch Competition Grand Finale on April 20, 2022 (5:30 - 8 p.m. PST), combined for the first time ever with the Seven-by-Seven event. 

  Attend Grand Finale