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WFN 2022 Fast Pitch: CONSUMER / CPG/OTHER NON-TECH COMPANIES

$55k in cash prizes, over $100k in service awards | Pitch coaching, mentoring for 10 finalists

Application Closed
Application

Application Deadline

06/04/2022

Judging Deadline

06/20/2022
Semifinal

Application Deadline

07/05/2022

Judging Deadline

07/08/2022
Final

Description

Female founders are invited to apply for our Fast Pitch competition through June 4, 2022.  There is no fee to apply. 

>>THIS APPLICATION IS FOR Companies in the CONSUMER / CPG / OTHER NON-TECH Category

Founders should self-select their track for either Tech/Tech-enabled or Consumer/CPG/Other Non-tech. Please review the category descriptions below to ensure you are applying for the right track. If you are unsure of your category, please feel free to contact us at [email protected]

  • Consumer / CPG / Other non-tech: This category includes any products that are sold to consumers as physical units (e.g., food and beverage, apparel) as well as consumer focused media/content, e-commerce sites, or services provided to consumers. Consumer products or services that rely heavily on technology (such as Nest or Oura Ring) should apply in the tech category. 
  • Tech/Tech-enabled: This category is for a B2B or B2C company that relies on significant development of technology to deliver the product or service. 

>> IMPORTANT TIPS FOR THIS APPLICATION

  • You will be prompted to set up a venture profile for your company. Note you can change the visibility of your profile to Private. If you leave it as Public, it will be visible to any other competition that you apply to within the Spark Collective, or to anyone to whom you provide the link. You may also use the other sharing/job posting features if you choose.
  • Required questions in the venture profile appear in red text - you may skip or select NA for the others.
  • After you complete the profile questions, you will be asked to complete a few additional questions from WFN.
  • You may save and edit/complete your application through the June 1st deadline.

Eligibility

  • Founder/Co-Founder/CEO must be a woman or business must be majority-owned by a woman
  • We cannot accept applications from Life Science or cannabis/CBD companies, or from non-profits
  • Finalists must participate in the annual Fast Pitch Event* in October 2022
  • Companies must have raised no more than $750K in outside funding, including personal cash funds**
  • Early-stage plans are welcome, but we expect to see some form of validation / proof of concept from customers, whether it is revenue, LOI's, user surveys, etc. 
  • Business must be based in the United States

* Exact format will be determined by health and safety standards. Live/hybrid event would take place in Los Angeles, CA. Travel expenses are the responsibility of the applicant.

** Research grants or other non-recourse, non-dilutive grants, and PPP loans do not count towards the $750K maximum. 

Process

Judging Process: Two groups of judges will evaluate the applications in each respective track.

  • Round 1: The top 20-25 companies in each category will be selected as semi-finalists. Additional due diligence takes place to further evaluate the applicants.
  • Round 2: Judges vote to select 5 finalists from each track. This group of 10 finalists will receive the benefits outlined below and advance to compete at the October 2022 Fast Pitch event for cash awards and professional services.
  • Round 3: The final voting round takes place at the October 2022 Fast Pitch event following live pitches from each of the finalists.

What an Applicant can Obtain

All applicants will be invited to join the WFN Community networking site and will receive a discount code for a ticket to the October 2022 Fast Pitch event.

Fast Pitch finalists will receive the following benefits:  
  • Individual pitch coaching to refine your pitch deck and presentation skills
  • Financial mentor providing $5,000 in pro bono accounting services to get your financials in order
  • Participation in the Springboard Enterprises Dolphin Tank with WFN in August to practice your pitch and receive friendly feedback
  • Participation in the WFN Private Pitch Event to practice your pitch and network with a curated group of investors, board members, WFN sponsors, and business professionals
  • Opportunity to compete for cash and services at the October Fast Pitch event:
    • $25,000 cash for 1st place winner in each track
    • $5,000 cash for Junior Judges winner selected by our youth program participants
    • $100k+ of services will be distributed to all finalists based on your needs
  • Invitation to join the WFN Community networking site and private WFN Alumni group
  • Access to WFN's network of professionals for support and advice
  • In addition, because we are using the Spark platform, you will have the ability to share your relevant information with other Spark members / potential investors, as well as the ability to access Spark Collective Perks including discounts on a variety of products and services

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