The Hannah Grimes Center for Entrepreneurship created the PitchFork program in 2016 to coach entrepreneurs on pitching their business investment opportunities on a quarterly basis to a room full of investors. At the inaugural Radically Rural Summit in September 2018, the Center leveraged the success of PitchFork into the PitchFork Challenge – a pitch competition between local businesses and startups for a $10,000 cash prize to the winning pitch of a startup business entrepreneur and $1,000 cash prize to the winning pitch of a business idea.

The PitchFork Challenge is returning with the Radically Rural Summit, held over September 19^th and 20^th, 2019. The Challenge runs from July 23rd, when applications close, to September 19^th when the final live pitch event is held. Any residents or for-profit businesses located in a town with a population of 30,000 or less in the following counties are eligible to apply: (NH) Cheshire, Sullivan, and Hillsborough; (VT) Windham, Bennington, and Windsor; (MA) Franklin.

Interested in learning more about the PitchFork Challenge? Seven free information sessions are being offered through May, June, and July. To register for an information session, learn more about the program, criteria, important dates, and to apply, visit hannahgrimes.com/pitchforkchallenge. Don’t be discouraged to apply – if you are unable to answer any questions or supply the required documents, we can help develop the materials!