Project Pitch It is preparing for its seventh season with a new twist. The show will welcome student entrepreneurs, ages 13-18, to share their business ideas for a chance to win cash prizes and mentoring. Students will join the show’s adult entrepreneurs as they pitch their businesses to a group of well-known Wisconsin “moguls.”
Last season’s moguls are set to return and include past contestant and entrepreneur Joanne Sabir, attorney David Gruber, former owner of Empire Level Peggy Ann, and WEC Energy Group executive chairman Gale Klappa. Jerry Jendusa, owner and CEO of BreakThru Business Advising and Investing, has been the show’s host and the final mogul throughout its history.
Similar to the ABC show Shark Tank, in each episode of Project Pitch It, three entrepreneurs tell the story of their business for the chance to earn weekly awards valued at more than $40,000 in cash and in-kind contributions. Each contestant receives some sort of award for participating. This season’s awards include:
- Project Pitch It Cash Award
$10,000 cash award for startups looking to scale.
- The Jendusa/ UWM Lubar Entrepreneurship Center Award
Offers workshops, programming and support services including investment guidance and mentoring from UW-Milwaukee’s Lubar Entrepreneurship Center, plus $5,000
- AmFam/We Energies Award
The AmFam/We Energies Award will include $1,500 and mentoring from a We Energies leader to support all aspects of the business, including marketing, IT, human resources, and finance.
The application deadline for season seven is Sept. 26 with Zoom auditions being held in October. Both students and adults can apply to be part of Project Pitch It online.
Project Pitch It airs locally on WISN-TV Channel 12. BizTimes Media is media sponsor for the program.
