Awards
We believe that grit, persistence, and hustle correlate with long-term entrepreneurial success. We like to encourage that by sponsoring awards at colleges/universities, workforce development organizations, incubators/accelerators, and similar programs.
2022 Hustle Award: TBD
This is our second year working with the Minority Innovation Weekend (MIW). They use our Foundation Course to help finalists prepare for their Summer 2022 Pitch Competition and Innovation Marketplace, sponsored by Fearless Technologies. Pitch Creator was an education partner and we were honored to sponsor our Hustle Award ($1,000) for the entrepreneur who made the most improvement during the pitch preparation process.
2022 Hustle Award: Maritza Alcoreza-Dominguez
This is our second year working with the Loyola University of Maryland to help prepare entrepreneurs for their Baltipreneurs Accelerator program demo day (on 4/27/22). The University instructors and mentors used our online Foundation Course to prepare entrepreneur finalists for this event. We were excited to sponsor our second annual Hustle Award ($500) for the entrepreneur who made the most improvement during the pitch preparation process on the learning objectives in our online Foundation Course.
2022 Student Hustle Award: Clarrissa Cozart
“Pitch Creator gave me the tools necessary to not only build my investment summary but to create an impactful slide deck from start to finish. I felt confident during my presentation and won the grand prize.”
Video (~1.5 min): 2022 Student Hustle Award – Clarrissa Cozart
This is our sixth year working with the University of Baltimore’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. We were excited to help prepare finalists for their “2022 Rise to the Challenge” Business Pitch Competition and sponsor the Pitch Creator Hustle Award ($500).
2021 Best Pitch Award: Student Team
“I did not expect to win the competition because there were so many great presenters. I learned a lot from Pitch Creator while preparing for the competition.” – Yurou Liu
In December 2021, The Johns Hopkins School of Education held a virtual, inter-class business pitch competition between 80 students in multiple sections of Introduction to Entrepreneurship in Education (graduate level). Pitch Creator sponsored a Best Pitch Award for a Student Team ($250). Congratulations to Yurou Liu and the BIFROST team!
2021 Hustle Award: Tina Williams-Koroma
“I plan on using the pitch I created for this competition with other investors”
Summary video (45 sec): Hustle Award – Tina
Award video (2.5 min): Hustle Award – Presentation
The Minority Innovation Weekend (MIW) Summer 2021 Pitch Competition and Innovation Marketplace was sponsored by Fearless Technologies and showcased tech-focused startups that have been launched by a founder of color or by founding teams that include a co-founder of color. Pitch Creator was an education partner and we were honored to sponsor our Hustle Award ($1,000) for the entrepreneur who made the most improvement during the pitch preparation process.
2021 Student Hustle Award: Rebecca Thompson
Video (~2.5 min): 2021 Hustle Award – Rebecca Thompson
This is our fifth year working with the University of Baltimore’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. We were thrilled to be an education partner again this year and help prepare the student-entrepreneur finalists for the final business pitch competition. We also sponsored the Pitch Creator Hustle Award ($500) for the entrepreneur who made the most improvement on the core learning objectives in our Foundation Course.
2021 Hustle Award: Matthew Featherstone
“I really wanted to learn how to pitch when I started this, so this award is certainly an accomplishment for me.”
Loyola University of Maryland used our online Foundation Course to prepare 13 entrepreneurs in their Baltipreneurs Accelerator program for their demo day on April 21, 2021. We were excited to sponsor our first Hustle Award ($250) for this event.
2020 Student Hustle Award: James Soldinger
“Pitch Creator is an invaluable resource. It not only helped us to have a more focused pitch but a more focused plan for executing our goals as it pertains to the business.”
Video (~2.5 min): 2020 Hustle Award – James Soldinger
During covid, the University of Baltimore converted their live business pitch competition (“Rise to the Challenge”) to a virtual pitch event. We were honored to participate and sponsor our Hustle Award ($500) for the student entrepreneur who showed the most improvement during the pitch preparation.
2019 Student Hustle Award: Nikia Madison
Video (~2 min): 2019 Pitch Creator Hustle Award – Nikia Madison
For University of Baltimore’s Fall 2019 business pitch competition, Pitch Creator sponsored its Hustle Award ($500) for the student entrepreneur who shows the most improvement during the pitch preparation program.
. 
2018 Student Hustle Award: Crystal Santiful
Video (~2.5 min): 2018 Hustle Award – Crystal Santiful
For University of Baltimore’s Fall 2018, “Attman Competitive Business Prize,” Pitch Creator sponsored its Hustle Award ($500) for the student entrepreneur who showed the most improvement during the pitch preparation program.