It’s that time again! Time to compete against libraries across the nation in a pitch competition to win a prize to launch or support your idea that will aid local entrepreneurs, small businesses, job creation, and economic development! Submissions for the pitch competition are open now!

Mark your calendars with these important dates for the 2024 Entrepreneurship & Libraries Conference (ELC) Pitch Competition:

• March 27, Wednesday: Perfect Pitch workshop (1-2:15 pm Eastern via Zoom), Register today!
• April 5, Friday: Pitch submissions deadline
• April 15, Monday: Top three finalist libraries notified
• May 14, Wednesday: Pitch competition (1-2:15 pm Eastern via Zoom, open to all)

Want to know what makes a business funding pitch stand out from the rest? Find out at Pitch Perfect: A Workshop for Libraries, a free event on March 27, 2024 from 1-2:15 pm Eastern on Zoom. Hosted by the Entrepreneurship & Libraries Conference (ELC), this workshop will showcase past ELC pitch competition winners plus a “Pitch Me Anything!” panel of business and library experts who will share tips, best practices, and answer audience questions in an ask-me-anything style open discussion. From content to delivery, this workshop will give attendees the tools to build a compelling presentation and prepare them to compete for $7,000 in prizes in ELC’s upcoming pitch event (via Zoom on May 14, 1-2:15 pm Eastern), sponsored by EBSCO, Privco, SimplyAnalytics and Anonymous. The workshop will conclude with a networking session.

FYI, the ELC received three Texas submissions in 2023, but in 2024, let Texas libraries dominate the competition and win the prizes! In preparation, videos of past competitions and pitch workshops can be found below:

• 2023 ELC Pitch Competition
• 2022 ELC Pitch Competition
• 2020 ELC Pitch Competition

Visit the ELC event page for more details, and don’t forget to register for the free pitch workshop on March 27 to learn how make make effective pitches to engage with local entrepreneurs, job hunters, nonprofits, and economic development partners. Lastly, be sure register for the big day on May 14 (registration details to come) to cheer on and vote for your favorite libraries, and get some ideas to hone your library’s pitch to gain funding for your workforce and economic development initiatives!