WOMEN FOUNDERS NETWORK 11th ANNUAL
FAST PITCH COMPETITION
Applications accepted April 1 - May 31, 2023
$55k
IN CASH
GRANTS
$100k+
IN PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
Self-select your category based on the definitions below. Unsure? Contact us.
Tech/Tech-enabled
B2B or B2C company that relies on significant development of technology to deliver the product or service.
Consumer/CPG/Other Non-tech
Any product sold to consumers as physical units or consumer focused media/content, e-commerce sites, or services provided to consumers.
FAST PITCH FINALISTS RECEIVE
Pitch
Coach
One-on-one pitch coaching to prepare for the Fast Pitch Event
Spark Collective Perks
Access to discounts on a wide variety of products and services
Financial
Mentor
Expert guidance to get your financials in order
WFN Alumni Community
Invitation to join our community of alumni founders
Helpful
Feedback
Practice pitch session to get friendly feedback
VIP Private Pitch Event
Pitch to a curated group and make high-value connections
Professional Services
All finalists receive free professional services awards
WFN Fast Pitch Event
Compete to win cash grants totaling $55k
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
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Founder/Co-Founder/CEO must be a woman or business must be majority-owned by a woman
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Must attend in person and participate in the annual Fast Pitch Event on October 24*
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Must have raised no more than $750K in outside funding, including personal cash funds**
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Business must be based in the United States
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Pre-revenue plans are welcome (need to show customer interest, such as customer sign-ups, surveys, LOI’s, etc.)
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We cannot accept applications from Life Sciences, nonprofit, or cannabis/CBD companies
*Exact format will be determined by health and safety standards. Travel expenses are the responsibility of the applicant.
**Research grants or other non-recourse, non-dilutive grants, and PPP loans do not count towards the $750K maximum.
If you meet the above criteria, we invite you to apply for our competition.
We recommend that you download our Fast Pitch Guidelines, which includes important tips for the online application process, all questions that appear on each track's application form, and important dates.
IMPORTANT DATES
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May 31 – Application deadline date (midnight Pacific Time)
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Week of June 12 – Applicants notified of status from Round 1 Judging. Semi-finalists in each track advance to Round 2 and answer follow-up questions from judges.
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Week of July 3 – Semi-finalists notified of status from Round 2 Judging. Top 10 companies (5 in each track) are our Fast Pitch finalists.
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Week of July 10 – Finalists will attend virtual on-boarding meeting
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August 17 – Finalists participate in private friendly feedback virtual event > REQUIRED
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August – Finalists are matched with pitch coaches and financial mentors
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September 19 – VIP Private Pitch Event in Los Angeles with WFN judges, board members, sponsors, and investors > ATTENDANCE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED
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October 24 – WFN 11th Annual Fast Pitch Event at UCLA, Los Angeles > REQUIRED
Each year Women Founders Network creates a unique opportunity for Female Founders. What makes our pitch competition different than other fast pitch competitions is the valuable mentoring, coaching and in-kind sponsorships that we offer as part of the program.
This individualized attention allows the top women entrepreneurs to become pitch-ready in a way that sharpens their plans to scale their companies and makes their business more appealing to Angel and VC investors.
In addition, there is cash investment potential from investors that attend the Fast Pitch event and an ongoing support network of successful businesswomen committed to building the female entrepreneur ecosystem.
WHAT FINALISTS SAY
“The Fast Pitch program was instrumental in helping us craft our elevator pitch. The mentorship we received was incredibly valuable and you'll see it pay dividends for years to come. Our mentors were incredibly generous with their time, expertise, and support.”
Hannah Hong & Mollie Cha
Must Love
“My involvement with WFN has been a gift that keeps on giving. Not only did we get investors,we got mentors who have played a crucial role in our growth. I’ve gained not only a network of amazing, powerful women, but also new friends for life.”
Fran Dunaway
TomboyX CEO & Co-Founder
“All women entrepreneurs
should apply despite the
company size–even if they
don’t make the final top 10. If
you have a great business
concept, there is still an
opportunity to receive
funding from investors who
review your application.”
Sashee Chandran
Tea Drops Founder & CEO