Organisers of the Minerva Birmingham Pitch Up Business pitching competition have extended the deadline for applications for next year’s event to 26 January 2024.

The competition provides the opportunity for ambitious Entrepreneurs to improve their ability to win investment while simultaneously boosting their business’s profile. 

The initiative is  delivered by the Centre for Growth at Aston University, University of Birmingham and Minerva at the University of Warwick Science Park. Over the last nine years over 200 entrepreneurs have been put in front of investors, helping to bring over £65,000,000 of investments to the region’s small businesses.

The competition begins with pitch preparation, helping applicants to refine their investment pitches, followed by judging rounds, where entrepreneurs pitch directly to a panel of investors, who provide feedback. 

At the public final, hosted at Natwest-sponsored Venturefest West Midlands 2024, the best business pitches compete in front of a live audience of investors and entrepreneurs to win the Best Pitch Award.

Harinder Kunor, regional ecosystem manager at NatWest, said: 

“Small businesses are the backbone of the UK economy, making a positive impact across the communities and towns where they are rooted. As the biggest lender to SMEs in the country, we are committed to removing barriers to enterprise and providing more opportunities for companies to grow and thrive. Our Accelerator programme empowers small business owners to scale their business to the next level, supporting entrepreneurs to take their business much further and faster.

“We are delighted to be sponsoring Minerva Birmingham Pitch Up this year. This exciting event is a unique opportunity for entrepreneurs to build their pitching skills while raising their profile in the West Midlands and beyond, showcasing the diverse range of businesses in our region and putting ambitious business leaders directly in front of investors. We are looking forward to seeing the range of submissions from entrepreneurs and to support them on their business success journey.”

Ibrahim Abbas, business engagement manager for Aston Centre for Growth, said:

“We are delighted to have support and sponsorship from NatWest for this year’s competition. We have successfully delivered other events together with an aim of improving the local economy through inclusivity and entrepreneurship and through this sponsorship we will work together to support more entrepreneurs from across the region.

“We look forward to discovering the next Best Pitch Award star from the West Midlands, following the success of our 2023 winner, Kameese Davis, whose brand is set to embark on global expansion, commencing with a UK direct-to-consumer subscription and a launch in the US.” Entrepreneurs wishing to apply can find out more here.