The ACTIVATE Pitch Championships are a showcase of Algonquin College's entrepreneurial spirit, designed to help kickstart student and tech-enabled ventures by giving learners a platform and a chance at funding. They provide a platform for student-led and tech-enabled ventures to compete for funding and recognition.
The dynamic pitch competition took place on March 4, 2025. Four student teams competed for a non-dilutive grant of $1,500 from the federal government, administered through Invest Ottawa. Industry judges evaluated competitors based on three key areas: business plan, prototype proof-of-concept and live pitch. All participants were the top teams from Algonquin College's Fall 2024 Entrepreneurship Co-op cohort.
The pitches ranged in topics from sustainability solutions, multimedia services, and app development. The winning pitch, ARTEVE by Saksham Bhardwaj, Interactive Media Design student, is a tech platform that connects artists and venues to empower artists' career opportunities and exposure. The platform offers the event organizers hassle-free access to talented performers for any event types.
"It's always amazing to see what students are able to do when you give them the freedom to create on their own terms. Less than six months ago, many of these students were hesitant to stand up and share their business ideas with their peers. Today, all four presenters showed that they have the makings of successful entrepreneurs. It has been an honour to watch them grow through this process and I hope to play a part, however small it might be, in their continued growth," said Stephen Gagné, Entrepreneurship Officer at Algonquin College.
This opportunity to practice entrepreneurial pitching provides learners with industry connections and creates a unique, high-value experience. The event aims to raise the profile of entrepreneurship programming at Algonquin College.
For more information
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