We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: entrepreneurship can be an isolating journey—especially in rural areas where access to resources, professional networks, and visibility is limited. That’s where pitch competitions come in. While most folks associate them with glossy TV shows like Shark Tank, pitch competitions take on a different, more community-focused role in rural ecosystems.
These events offer founders a platform to refine their ideas, gain exposure, and connect with investors and peers. But their value extends beyond the entrepreneurs on stage. Rural pitch competitions also engage the broader community, helping build a shared sense of possibility and momentum around local startup ecosystem development.
“We’ve seen annual pitch competitions become an integral component of a rural community’s efforts to become a startup ecosystem,” said Mark Madic, Startup Colorado’s Director of Ecosystem Building & Partnerships.
But first, what are pitch competitions?
Here’s the gist: Entrepreneurs present their business ideas to a panel of judges—often investors, business leaders, or ecosystem builders—with the goal of receiving funding or other forms of support. Unlike demo days, which are typically the culmination of an accelerator program, pitch competitions are often standalone events open to a range of founders.
Awards also differ by competition. Winners might receive cash prizes, equity investments, in-kind support such as legal or marketing services, or access to mentorship. The Startup Colorado Pitch Competition in Sterling, for example, offered early-stage entrepreneurs the opportunity to launch a crowdfunded Kiva loan campaign.
Sarah Berkeley, the founder of Symbiosis Gear in Leadville—who won the event—will soon launch a Kiva loan campaign with up to $5,000 in support from Startup Colorado. She will use the funds to develop new product prototypes and build brand awareness.
On the flip side, our 2024 competition in Durango featured startups who were further along in their entrepreneurial journey. These founders pitched to a panel of venture capital investors and secured more than $380K cumulatively in equity investments.
How pitch competitions support founders
In 2023, Mike Blecha, founder of the agtech startup AnywhereCam, attended the Northeast Colorado Pitch Competition in Sterling. Retrospectively, he said he winged the presentation and “probably should have prepared better.” While he didn’t win the event, one of the jurors was so impressed with the business concept that he eventually joined as a co-founder.
Fast forward a year, Mike pitched at the 2024 Startup Colorado Pitch Competition in Durango. Again, he didn’t win, but… he connected with partners from the Greater Colorado Venture Fund who later invested $250K in his business.
Read more about AnywhereCam here.
Mike’s story is the perfect example of how pitch competitions offer more than a stage. They provide strategic opportunities for growth and connection. Here’s how pitch competitions can help founders:
Brand Exposure: Participating in a pitch competition increases visibility. Founders gain exposure not only to potential investors, but also to local stakeholders, media, and community members who may become customers, advocates, or collaborators.
The Sterling Pitch Competition received statewide coverage via KUNC/CPR and was later released on NPR’s Marketplace to a national audience. Sarah, the founder of Symbiosis Gear, said she received a bump in outreach from potential customers, vendors, and investors.
Investor & Mentor Access: Many competitions are judged or attended by investors, business lenders, and experienced entrepreneurs. This creates a rare opportunity for founders to build relationships that can lead to mentorship, follow-up conversations, and potentially funding.
Networking: Beyond the pitch itself, these events bring together other founders and service providers. The informal conversations that happen off-stage are often as valuable as the formal feedback.
Skill Development: Preparing for a pitch forces founders to clarify key elements of their business. Startup Colorado, for example, offers pitch coaching sessions to all its finalists prior to the event. This includes:
- Refining the business model and value proposition.
- Strengthening brand messaging and narrative.
- Identifying and articulating the target market.
- Understanding financials and preparing for investor questions and due diligence.
The ripple effect: pitch competitions as ecosystem builders
Startup ecosystems are built over time (like, a long time) shaped by an interchange of efforts from entrepreneurs, community champions (aka ecosystem builders), government initiatives, and storytelling. Pitch competitions serve as public milestones—celebrations of the businesses already being built and signals of what’s possible for the future.
Check out our full write up on how to build rural startup ecosystems.
Pitch competitions—as well as events like demo days which follow the conclusion of an accelerator program—foster belief, not just among founders, but across the broader community. When residents see local entrepreneurs pitching viable, ambitious ideas, and securing funding, it expands the definition of what their economy can be. It opens the door to accepting entrepreneurship as a legitimate and necessary part of rural economic development.
In addition to the Sterling and Durango pitch competitions, Startup Colorado has supported rural pitch competitions and demo days across the state, including:
- CSU Spur’s Colorado Collision Pitch Competition
- High Country Tech Accelerator Demo Day
- Hayden Colorado Business Pitch Competition
- Pueblo Food Project Snack & Tell
Lastly, pitch competitions help reframe the relationship between entrepreneurs and their communities. Founders often see their neighbors as customers, but communities can also be collaborators, investors, mentors, and advocates. In return, strong local businesses create jobs, retain talent, and contribute to long-term vitality.
Attend a pitch competition near you!
The best way to understand the power of pitch competitions is to attend one! The Startup Colorado Pitch Series is a growing initiative to host rural pitch competitions around the state. Our next event is at West Slope Startup Week in Durango, October 6-10.
If you’re interested in supporting our pitch series, now’s the time to get involved. Here’s you you can help:
- Boost our award packages by contributing prize money to the pool
- Become a sponsor of the Startup Colorado Pitch Series. Contact development@startupcolorado.org for more information.
- Invest in a rural startup. Connect with mark@startupcolorado.org to learn about pitch competition investment opportunities.
Join our application review committee in advance of the next competition. Email mark@startupcolorado.org for more info.
Join us in empowering rural entrepreneurs and ecosystem builders to achieve even more in 2025. Contributions of any amount directly power our mission to build a sustainable statewide network of resources supporting rural entrepreneurs, so that people and places can thrive and chart their own futures! Will you help us?
