PitchTankWhat is PitchTank?
PitchTank is a student entrepreneurship competition where young innovators develop, pitch, and launch their business ideas. Students learn how to write a business plan and make a pitch, then present it to a panel of local investors. The best ideas win cash prizes to help make them real.
Whether you already have an idea or you're just curious about business, PitchTank gives you the resources and support to take the first step.
100+
students have pitched
6
executive interviews
Cash
prizes for the top pitches
What you get out of it
Real skills
Learn how to write a business plan and build a pitch in our virtual sessions, using the same questions investors ask.
A real stage
Present your idea live to a panel of local business owners and investors, and answer their questions.
Real feedback
Every student who pitches hears directly from the judges about what works and what to fix next.
Real money
Selected participants receive cash prizes to help turn their idea into an actual business.
How a season works
1Learn
Join our virtual sessions on how a pitch works, what investors listen for, and how to size up an idea.
2Build
Turn your idea into a business plan: the problem, the customer, the money, and the first steps.
3Pitch
Present to a panel of local business owners and investors, our sharks, and take their questions live.
- 4
Win
Selected founders receive cash prizes to start building, and every student leaves with real feedback.
Who it's for
- High school students with a business idea, big or small
- Students who want to learn how starting a business actually works
- Solo founders and friends building something together
- No experience needed: we teach everything before you pitch
What the judges look for
- Problem: is it real, and does the team understand it?
- Solution: does it actually solve the problem, and is it doable?
- Market: are there enough customers who will pay?
- Business model: does the money make sense?
- Presentation: is the pitch clear, confident, and well prepared?
- Q&A: can the team handle tough questions honestly?
Frequently asked questions
- What is PitchTank?
- PitchTank is a student-run entrepreneurship competition for high school students. Students learn to write a business plan and build a pitch, then present their idea to a panel of local business owners and investors for feedback and cash prizes.
- Where is PitchTank based?
- PitchTank is run by students at John P. Stevens High School in Edison, New Jersey. Learning sessions are held virtually over Zoom.
- Who started PitchTank?
- Abhinav Pentyala founded PitchTank in January 2024 as a high school student, to give young entrepreneurs a real place to pitch their ideas.
- Who can apply?
- High school students with a business idea, or students who just want to learn how starting a business works.
- Do I need a finished idea?
- No. Our sessions walk you through turning a rough idea into a business plan and a pitch.
- What do winners get?
- Selected participants receive cash prizes to help turn their idea into a real business, and everyone gets feedback from the judges.
- When is the next competition?
- Meeting times, deadlines, and the competition date are posted on the PitchTank calendar as soon as they are set. Registered students are notified by email.
Ready to bring your idea to the tank?
Registration takes a few minutes, and we'll send you session times, deadlines, and the competition date.