Small businesses in NI invited to enter ‘The Pitch’

Dan Martin, editor of BusinessZone.co.uk, which runs the competition, said it started The Pitch five years ago to give entrepreneurs a platform to gain expert advice and create interest in their businesses. 

“Each year, The Pitch has grown both in the number of applicants and reach.  We are building upon the success of last year to make 2012 the biggest year ever by introducing The Pitch 80, a new social profile presence for the shortlisted businesses, and The Pitch Live.”

The judging process

There will be a series of judging days in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Local business owners will be able to attend a special event to meet the judges in person and get advice on how to pitch and build a successful business.  

A panel of experts will shortlist 20 from each country to create ‘The Pitch 80’, a list of the UK’s most exciting new businesses that will compete at the new two-day conference, The Pitch Live, in Liverpool during October. Then, four winners will go through to The Pitch 2012 Grand Final on 16 November at one of London’s biggest nightclubs.

Ross Dickinson, creator of Kibosh, an ingenious device which provides a temporary fix for burst pipes, won the competition last year.

He said: “The prizes have already made a big impact on my company.  Yell [sponsor] has given me a digital marketing package to raise our profile;  Studio Diva, one of the other companies which donated a prize, has put together some packaging for my product, and Karen Darby, the entrepreneur who is mentoring me as a result of my victory, has offered me brilliant business advice.”

Entries must be in by May. More information can be found here.