Pitch for Success: A Speed Pitch Competition

The Chamber of Commerce Serving Duchesne County, in partnership with Duchesne County, proudly presents Pitch for Success, a speed pitch competition created to support entrepreneurs, start-ups, and growing businesses in Duchesne County.

Pitch for Success gives local entrepreneurs the opportunity to compete for cash prizes, along with additional business resources and prizes provided by community partners.

The competition is designed to help new and growing businesses strengthen their ideas, tell their story, and clearly communicate how additional funding could help them launch, grow, expand, or improve.

Finalists will present their business before a panel of 4–5 judges from outside the local area to help provide a fair and unbiased judging process. Finalists will be evaluated based on the strength of their business concept, market understanding, customer need, business viability, use of funds, and overall feasibility.

Competition Prizes:

First Place:

$4,000 Cash Prize

Plus:

• One-year UFitness membership
• One year of free internet service from Strata
• Choice of any two UBTech workshops in Excel, QuickBooks, or Artificial Intelligence

Second Place:

$2,500 Cash Prize

Plus:

• One-year UFitness membership
• One year of free internet service from Strata
• Choice of one UBTech workshop in Excel, QuickBooks, or Artificial Intelligence

Third Place:

$1,500 Cash Prize

Plus:

• One-year UFitness membership
• One year of free internet service from Strata
• Choice of one UBTech workshop in Excel, QuickBooks, or Artificial Intelligence

Additional partner prizes may be subject to eligibility, service-area, scheduling, or provider requirements.

Eligibility:

• Applicants must be 18 years of age or older.
• Pitch for Success is intended for businesses and entrepreneurs located in Duchesne County.
• Requests for geographic exceptions may be considered by the Chamber on a case-by-case basis.
• Both new business concepts and existing businesses may apply.
• Existing businesses must generally have been operating for five years or less.
• New concepts that have not yet officially launched are eligible to apply.
• Businesses must be a current member of the Chamber of Commerce Serving Duchesne County by November 20, 2026.
• Existing businesses should have a valid EIN and be registered with the State of Utah. New business concepts will be considered even if registration has not yet been completed.
• The business concept, product, service, expansion, or initiative presented must be the original work of the contestant or team.
• Only one entry per business is permitted.
• Previous Pitch for Success finalists who advanced to the Top 10 are not eligible to compete again.
• Previous applicants who did not advance to the Top 10 may apply again if they meet all current eligibility requirements.
• Applications involving illegal, fraudulent, discriminatory, unsafe, or otherwise inappropriate business activity may be disqualified at the discretion of competition organizers.

Participation Rules:

1. Entries may be submitted by an individual or a team of no more than two people.
2. Each business may submit only one business idea, concept, expansion, product, service, or funding proposal.
3. Contestants may participate in only one Pitch for Success entry.
4. Only the individual or individuals officially entered as contestants may present the pitch and answer questions from the judges.
5. Contestants are responsible for providing complete and accurate information throughout the competition.
6. Failure to meet required deadlines, attend mandatory meetings, or follow competition requirements may result in disqualification.

Key Competition Dates:

Applications Open: October 19, 2026

Applications Close: November 8, 2026 at 11:59 PM

Mandatory Applicant Meeting: November 10, 2026 at 6:00 PM
Crossroads Center, Roosevelt, Utah

Round 1 Written Pitch Due: November 20, 2026 at 11:59 PM

Chamber Membership Deadline: November 20, 2026

Top 10 Finalists Announced: November 24, 2026

Final Presentation Materials Due: December 4, 2026 at 11:59 PM

Live Pitch Night: December 8, 2026 at 6:00 PM
Crossroads Center, Roosevelt, Utah
Dinner Provided

Public Tickets:

Tickets to attend Pitch for Success will be available beginning November 24, 2026.

Tickets are $15 per person and include dinner.

Ticket sales will close December 4, 2026 at 11:59 PM in order to provide an accurate catering headcount. Tickets may not be available after the deadline.

Competition Format:

Initial Application-

Applicants will first complete the official Pitch for Success application during the application period of October 19 through November 8.

Applicants who move forward in the process must attend the mandatory applicant meeting on November 10 at 6:00 PM at the Crossroads Center.

During this meeting, applicants will receive information regarding competition expectations, written pitch requirements, judging criteria, deadlines, and the Live Pitch Night format.

Round 1: Written Pitch:

Applicants will submit a written business pitch by November 20 at 11:59 PM.

The Written Pitch will address the following areas:

Hook

Introduce your business, idea, or opportunity in a way that immediately captures attention.

Problem

Explain the problem, need, or gap your business addresses. Identify who experiences the problem and why it matters.

Solution

Explain how your business, product, service, or concept addresses the problem.

What Makes You Unique

Describe what sets your business apart. Explain why customers would choose your business, product, or service over other available options.

The Ask / Use of Funds

Clearly explain how you would use Pitch for Success funding and how the funds would help your business launch, grow, expand, or improve.

Business Impact

Explain how receiving Pitch for Success funding could impact your business and Duchesne County. Applicants may include anticipated growth, new jobs, additional customers, new services, increased capacity, or other measurable outcomes.

Written submissions will be reviewed and scored to determine the Top 10 finalists.

Top 10 Finalists:

The Top 10 finalists will be notified and publicly announced on November 24, 2026.

Finalists will then begin preparing for the Live Pitch Night on December 8.

Finalists are strongly encouraged to use the preparation period to refine their pitch, prepare for questions from the judging panel, and clearly demonstrate how Pitch for Success funding would impact their business.

Final Round: Live Pitch:

Each of the Top 10 finalists will present before a live audience and a panel of 4–5 judges from outside the local area.

Each finalist will receive:

3 minutes to present their business pitch

followed by

Up to 3 minutes of questions from the judging panel

Finalists may use up to five presentation slides, product samples, prototypes, or other appropriate visual aids.

Contestants may bring their own presentation device or submit presentation materials to the Chamber in advance.

Final presentation materials submitted to the Chamber must be received by December 4, 2026 at 11:59 PM.

Judging:

Finalists will be evaluated by the official judging panel. Audience participation will not determine competition results.

Judging may include consideration of:

• Strength and clarity of the business concept
• Demonstrated problem or market need
• Quality and feasibility of the proposed solution
• Market research and understanding of customers
• Business viability and growth potential
• Competitive advantage
• Customer traction, when applicable
• Feasibility of the proposed use of funds
• Potential business and community impact
• Quality and effectiveness of the live presentation
• Responses during the judge Q&A

Final rankings and award decisions will be determined by the official judging panel.

Use of Prize Funds:

Cash awards must be used in accordance with the business proposal and use of funds presented during the Pitch for Success competition.

Winners may be required to provide additional documentation regarding the proposed use of funds.

Prize Payment & Tax Responsibility:

Cash prizes will be distributed within 30 days of the final competition, provided all required documentation has been received.

Before receiving payment, winners must provide the Chamber of Commerce Serving Duchesne County with:

• A completed W-9
• An invoice for the awarded amount

Prize recipients are solely responsible for any federal, state, or local tax obligations associated with their winnings.

Disclosure & Confidentiality:

Confidentiality is not guaranteed at any stage of Pitch for Success.

The Chamber of Commerce Serving Duchesne County, Duchesne County, judges, sponsors, partners, and event organizers cannot guarantee that information presented through applications, written submissions, presentations, question-and-answer sessions, or other competition materials will remain confidential.

Contestants should not disclose proprietary, confidential, or legally protected information that they do not wish to make public.

Applicants are encouraged to seek appropriate legal advice regarding intellectual property, trademarks, patents, trade secrets, or other proprietary information when necessary.

By participating, contestants acknowledge that Pitch for Success and its organizers are not responsible for confidentiality disputes or the unauthorized use of information disclosed by contestants during the competition.

Media & Publicity Release:

By participating in Pitch for Success, contestants grant permission to the Chamber of Commerce Serving Duchesne County, Duchesne County, and authorized event partners to photograph, record, and share competition-related content for promotional, educational, media, and public-relations purposes.

This may include photographs, video recordings, business names, contestant names, presentation footage, interviews, and competition results.

Participation in Pitch for Success constitutes acknowledgment and acceptance of these competition rules and requirements.