Skip to main content
 
 
 
 
 
2023 Desjardins Elevator Pitch Competition

2023 Desjardins Elevator Pitch Competition

Information for the 2024 competition coming soon
November 14th, 2023
$35,000 in prizes!
Logo Desjardins
GEW logo

The Desjardins Elevator Pitch Competition highlights the University of Ottawa’s top startups each year. As part of Global Entrepreneurship Week, the competition allows both those in business with “traction” as well as entrepreneurs that are still in the early stages of “validating” their ideas to pitch to a panel of judges for a chance to win prize money and progression services.

The evening also includes a networking portion as well as a keynote speaker who provides inspiration, advice and insight into their personal successes and challenges as an entrepreneur. Students apply to one of two categories: Validation or Traction recognizing a need to applaud and reward those early in the process, as well as those who are already in business having achieved significant milestones.

Elevator Pitch Competition 2017
Elevator Pitch Competition 2017
Elevator Pitch Competition 2017

How It Works

Three categories

Idea Stage (3 finalists)
Validation Competition (3 finalists)
Traction (3 finalists)

Applications

Applications must be submitted by October 26th, 2023 11:59 pm and includes both a written application and a 2-minute video pitch submission.

Final Event Date

November 14th, 2023 at 5:30 pm

Categories & Prizes

Idea Stage

3 finalists

This category is designed for students who want to pitch their idea, benefiting from the pitching experience and the questions and feedback from the judges. To compete in this category you cannot have realized any traction to date such as sales or external funding, nor have you developed a final prototype or beta version. You may have started customer validation, but it’s really just an idea at this point!

1st
place

$1,000

Validation Competition

3 finalists

This category encourages and rewards customer validation, and/or early prototypes. These ideas are still somewhat conceptual but work is being done to actively validate or build early working solutions. Applicants must still be at an early stage and cannot have realized significant traction to date such as meaningful funding, sales or other significant accelerants as determined by the selection committee.

1st
place

$3,000

Traction

3 finalists

This category is for applicants whose business is further along the entrepreneurial path with achieved milestones and will compete on the bases of an executive summary and pitch. Applicants in this category already have some realized form of traction with their business such as:

  • Technical and/or market validation completed
  • Early customer adoption
  • Prototype finalized/website operational
  • Early sales or beta clients
  • and/or, acceptance into an accelerator or incubator program.
1st
place

$10,000

and professional services as described in the Eligibility Criteria and Competition Details

2nd
place

$5,000

and professional services as described in the Eligibility Criteria and Competition Details

3rd
place

$1,000

People's choice

$2,000

and professional services as described in the Eligibility Criteria and Competition Details

Registration

Applications must be submitted by October 26th, 2023 11:59 pm and includes both a written application and video pitch submission.

Registration to attend and application to participate coming soon.

Eligibility Criteria and Competition Details

For more information contact Éric Nelson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Telfer Knowledge Hub

Business Case Competitions: An Experiential Approach to Learning

Business Case Competitions: An Experiential Approach to Learning

MBA Management Consulting Project Wins Leadership Award for Sustainable Pharmacy Practices

MBA Management Consulting Project Wins Leadership Award for Sustainable Pharmacy Practices

MBA Students Tackle Food Insecurity in Canada at Diversity & Inclusion Competition

MBA Students Tackle Food Insecurity in Canada at Diversity & Inclusion Competition

View All ›

© 2024 Telfer School of Management, University of Ottawa
Policies  |  Emergency Info

alert icon
uoAlert