EPCC@Hood 2026 Pitch Competition

Get ready for an electrifying experience!

The Delaplaine School of Business at Hood College proudly presents the annual Entrepreneurship Pitch Competition and Conference (EPCC2026)—where big ideas, bold dreams and high energy collide. This action-packed day is your ticket to ignite your entrepreneurial spirit, compete for $5,000 in awards and prizes, and connect with the Frederick region’s most ambitious and innovative students. Step into the spotlight, pitch your vision and unlock exhilarating opportunities at the crossroads of academic excellence and real-world entrepreneurship.

EPCC2026 unites recent Hood alumni (within five years of graduation as of December 2025), current undergraduate and graduate students, and current Frederick Community College students for an adrenaline-pumping pitch competition. The spotlight is yours: each team gets just seven minutes to wow the judges and spark excitement, followed by a rapid-fire Q&A for five minutes. It’s your moment to dazzle, inspire and stand out in a field of exceptional talent.

Don’t miss your shot—submit your pitch by March 25, 2026, and get ready to take center stage on Friday, April 17 at the Whitaker Campus Center of Hood College. This is your chance to shine, show off your most creative ideas, win incredible prizes and be inspired by the energy and ingenuity of your peers.

The excitement doesn’t stop with the pitch competition. The second half of EPCC2026 shines a spotlight on emerging academic research that’s driving the future of entrepreneurship. Academics and researchers—this is your moment to stand out! Submit your cutting-edge “works in progress” on entrepreneurship, social entrepreneurship, innovation management, small business management or leadership. Take the stage, impress your peers and compete for cash prizes in a collaborative atmosphere teeming with possibility.

EPCC2026 is generously supported by BlueSky Capital Management, Washington Freedom and CampusAI.Solutions.

RSVP to watch EPCC2026 in person Pitch Competition Submission Paper Development Workshop Submission

*Registering to watch EPCC2026 and being present during the pitches will qualify you for a chance to win a free polo shirt!

How to submit your business Pitch:

Please click on the link and provide all the required answers.
A two minute video pitch to explain your business (existing or an idea)
Complete the one page on "Lean Canvas for my Business"
If you are not familiar with lean Canvas please watch the attached explanation created by Dean Joshi. click here to learn more lean canvas.

Who is eligible to apply for the pitch competition?

Answer: Any team can participate in the pitch competition (EPCC@Hood), as long as one of the team members is a Hood College student, Hood College alumni (independent of their major) or current student at Frederick Community College.

Is there a registration fee for the Pitch competition

Answer: No. There are no registration fees for participating in the pitch competition. We thank the generous support by BlueSky Capital Management, Washington Freedom and CampusAI.Solutions to cover the costs and prize money.

Can I participate virtually?

Answer: No. The pitch competition as well as Workshop development conference is designed for in person participation.

Do I need an established business to participate?

Answer: No. You may participate in the pitch competition with an idea only. There is no need for an existing business. If you have an existing business it must not exceed one million dollars in revenue and it must not be established prior to December 2020. Existing business will have to provide their incorporation details.

Can I participate in the pitch competition as part of a team?

Answer: Yes and not all team members have to be affiliated with Hood College.

As an alum of Hood College, who can participate in the pitch competition?

Answer: The pitch competition allows any Hood College alumni who graduated from Hood College any time from 2020 or later years.

How will I know if I’ve been selected as a finalist ?

Answer: The organizers will inform you via email if you are selected.

How do I make sure my intellectual property is safe?

Answer: The IP belongs to the participant and their team members. Hood College, or the organizers do not have any claim to the IP. You may take any necessary steps top protect your IP such as applying for a provisional patent, prior to pitching, if you so desire.

How will winners of the competition be announced?

Answer: Winners for the competition will be announced by the organizers on the day of the Pitch competition and conference (April 17, 2026). Please see the complete schedule.

Are there limitations to visuals and props I can use when pitching my idea?

Answer: Pitch competition will provide MS PowerPoint for presentation. If you prepare your presentation in other programs, please convert them to PPT format.

How long should my pitch be?

Answer: No longer than seven minutes for the pitch competition.

What are the judging criteria for pitch competition ?

Answer: A rubric will be provided for the finalists before the competition.

Am I allowed to bring friends or family with me?

Answer: Absolutely yes. We will seek RSVP from each finalist to list their friends and families.

Will there be a live stream available for my friends and family to view?

Answer: Unfortunately, livestreaming for this event is not planned for this year. May be in future events.

Is there a registration fee for the EPCC Conference for paper development)

Answer: No. There are no registration fees for participating in the paper development workshop. We thank the generous support by BlueSky Capital Management, Washington Freedom and CampusAI.Solutions to cover the costs and prize money.

Can I participate virtually?

Answer: No. The pitch competition as well as Workshop development conference is designed for in person participation.

Do I need a completed paper to submit to this conference?

Answer: No. You may participate in the conference with a working paper. There is no need to submit a completed paper for this workshop.

How will I know if my paper has been selected for the workshop?

Answer: The organizers will inform you via email if your paper is part of the program.

How many papers can I submit?

Answer: You may submit multiple papers but only one may be selected for the workshop.

What happens after my paper is accepted?

Answer: You or any of your co-author commits to being present in person and participating in the conference.

Is there a CASH prize for best paper idea?

Answer: Yes.

How will winners of the CASH prize be announced?

Answer: Winners for the best paper idea will be announced by the organizers on the day of the conference. Please see the complete schedule.

Can I attend without submitting a paper?

Answer: Yes. Please let us know in advance so we organize the event accordingly.

Will anyone be available to review and discuss research methodology, research instruments, and quantitative analysis?

Answer: This will depend on the key topics you list for feedback.

Is there a page limit for my research paper submission?

Answer: No. A work in progress manuscript can be up to 20 pages long.

How long should my paper presentation be?

Answer: No longer than 10 minutes for the initial introduction of the paper. After that it will be roundtable conversation with other participants.

Will there be a live stream available for my peers to watch the workshop?

Answer: Unfortunately, livestreaming for this event is not planned for this year. May be in future events.

The full EPCC@Hood 2026 agenda will be announced soon.

The basic timeline is as follows:

Event Date: Friday, April 17, 2026 (Whitaker Campus Center, Commons, Hood College)
8 a.m.-2 p.m. - Breakfast, Entrepreneurship Pitch Competition, lunch, awards
2-4:30 p.m. - Entrepreneurship Research Conference
4:30-5:30 p.m. - Reception

Pitch Competition Tracks (Total Prizes: $3,900)

Best Pitch by an Undergraduate Student/Team (First Prize: $1,000 and Second Prize: $300)
- Three finalists (max) will be invited (cash prizes for the top two pitches, if applicable)
Best Pitch by Graduate Student/Team (First Prize: $1,000 and Second Prize: $300)
- Three finalists (max) will be invited (cash prizes for the top two pitches, if applicable)
Best Pitch by Alumni Student/Team (First Prize: $1,000 and Second Prize: $300)
Three finalists (max) will be invited (cash prizes for the top two pitches, if applicable)

Competition Format

Pitch competition submissions invited (due date March 25, 2026).
Finalists notified.
Presentation coaching/mentoring (online) available.
The pitch competition will be held at Hood College on Friday, April 17, 2026 (in person).
Time allocated per pitch 12 minutes total (seven minutes of presentation and five minutes Q&A).

Conference Format (Total Prizes: $1,100)

Extended abstract of “work in progress,” submissions invited (due date March 25, 2026).
Research topics must broadly include entrepreneurship, social entrepreneurship, innovation management, small business management and/or business leadership.
“Work in Progress” acceptance notifications.
Roundtable feedback will be organized for each selected paper (in person) on Friday, April 17, 2026.
The two most promising “work in progress” papers will be identified for cash awards.

Title: Speaker to be announced soon.

Speaker Bio: Speaker to be announced soon.

Organizing Team: Pitch Competition and Research Conference

Contact email:EPCC@Hood.edu