WMNtech Pitch Competition

03/30/2023 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm CST

2 hours

  • Early Stage
  • DEI
  • Funding
  • Pitch competition
  • Women

Early-stage women-identifying tech founder? Get the funding and support you need to drive your business forward. Pitch to receive investments and services from some of the leading venture firms and corporations in the Midwest. Free, public.

Cheer on the finalists!

Important dates

1871 is hosting a three-round pitch competition, in which early stage women-led tech startups will pitch their company for a chance to win a cash prize and equity opportunities from our notable VC partners. 

Applications close

Apps have closed for 2023

Semi-finals

TBD

Finals

TBD

Funding & awards

🏆 💰 🎉

$50k minimum committed prize money will be awarded at the final event. Prize money will consist of both cash and equity investments from our sponsoring VC partners

  • Top 5 finalists will receive free virtual membership to 1871 for 6-months

About WMNtech @ 1871

Our WMNtech initiative supports women-identifying entrepreneurs & leaders with regular programming, tailored resources, mentorship, & community designed to help them embrace their unique strengths & break down the barriers they face.

Why?

On average, less than 3% of all VC investment went to women-led companies and the average deal size for women-founded or co-founded companies is less than half that of only male-founded startups.

This event activates our community of early stage startups, corporate partners, venture capitalists and the wider tech ecosystem. As a collective we aim to deepen the pool of funds that women-identifying founders can access.

Eligibility to enter

  • Need to have a deep understanding of the problem they seek to solve and for whom
  • Clear definition of their user and key value propositions
  • Have developed a highly effective go-to-market strategy and have tested and verified these strategies
  • Clear and defined business model that ties into the overall strategy of the business
  • Need to show some traction with your business through customers success
  • We want to be an early stage advocate and fundraising partner to you!
  • Applicants are no longer eligible if you have already closed a series A funding round

Breakdown

App phase

Now CLOSED
1.20.23 - 2.24.23

The applicants are screened and the top 20 are notified if they are to move onto the semi-finals. The competition is open to non-members, across the US. See eligibility before applying.

Semi-finals

Private - Virtual
3.16.23

The top 20 founders will pitch virtually to a panel of business leaders for a chance to win a finalist spot in the next phase. Only the top 5 will advance to our finalist event. This round will be closed to the public. 

Finals

Public - Hybrid
3.30.23

Top 5 finalists will participate by pitching [hybrid options available] to a panel of judges consisting of business leaders and major VC’s in our network for funding & awards.

Sponsors

Corporate

StateFarm
Molson Coors

Venture Capital

Hyde Park Venture Partners
Oca Ventures
7 Wire Ventures
Subconscious