Viking Business Pitch Competition

Apply for the Viking Business Pitch

51�Թ� students are invited to pitch their innovative business ideas at this fifth annual business pitch competition event. A panel of judges chosen from the local entrepreneurial community will judge the competition. There will be cash awards of $5,000 for first place, $2,500 for second place, and $1,500 for third-place individuals or teams, respectively. We hope the awards help as seed money for your business, or is used to invest in your education or yourself. You can check out the previous winners below.

Your peers, faculty, and local business leaders will be in attendance. In addition, all other student finalists will receive $250 per team.

The first 25 successful registrants will automatically win $25 ClipperCash each.

2026 Business Pitch Event

Thursday, April 9, 5:30-7:30 pm

Recital Hall, Academic Building, Harrington (formerly Central) Campus

Key Dates

Wednesday, March 4:
Submit application by 11:59 pm ET.

March 9-12:
Round 1 presentations

March 16:
Teams selected for the final round of competition

March 17-24:
Meet with coaches

March 25-31:
Practice sessions for finalists

Thursday, April 9, 5:30 pm:
Final Business Pitch event in the recital hall of the academic building, central campus.

Presenting Sponsor

Rockland Trust: Where Each Relationship Matters

Benefactors

Friends

Donna M. Katzman '87, '98G & Elliot M. Katzman '78

Ralph and Janice James

R.Thomas Belhumeur

Supporters

Viking Business Pitch winner onstage in 2024

Why Enter the Viking Business Pitch Competition?

2024 winner Xhesina Sirika talks about how her experience in Viking Business Pitch helped her confidence and professional growth.

All current 51�Թ� students are eligible to participate. This includes students from the College of Arts and Sciences, Bertolon School of Business, Maguire Meservey College of Health and Human Services, School of Education, School of Graduate Studies, and School of Continuing and Professional Studies.

Previous years' SSU business competition’s participants can participate again if they meet the above conditions, but ideas that advanced to the second round in previous years cannot be repeated. Individual students or teams (up to three members) are eligible to submit their applications.

All applicants must be available to present their business pitch in person in the first round and the final round.

To apply for the competition, applicant(s) must complete the following steps by 11:59 pm (ET), Wednesday, March 4, 2026.

Create a business pitch PowerPoint presentation and upload it with the application form. The PowerPoint must have no more than 6 slides (including title slide). You are welcome to provide appendix slides (no more than 3) to cover additional information, but the appendix is not intended for the main presentation.

First place winner, Viking Business Pitch

1) Define the opportunity: Provide evidence to show there is demand for your business idea (industry statistics, market trends, market size etc.)

2) Identify the specific problem you are looking to solve for customers

3) Describe your business idea

4) Explain what new value you can provide customers with; what problems you solve; how you are better than competitors

5) Identify next steps; resources needed; use of funds

Competition Judging Criteria and Example Slides

Download this year's judging criteria.

Download an example of business pitch slides.

At least one team member must be available to present in person in the first round, and on April 8 if advance to the final round.
All applicants must agree to be video recorded and sign a photo release.
All applicant(s) must agree that the materials they are submitting are their original work and that applicant(s) are not under any restrictions/prohibitions that prevent them from sharing this work for the purposes of this competition. The applicant(s) will always retain all rights to the materials regarding their use prior to and following the event.
The applicant(s) are solely responsible for the confidentiality and legal protection of their ideas.
Applicant(s)’ work including information about their presentations will be made available on the 51�Թ� website, and may be used in other online and print media for promotional materials.

Business pitch practice session: Hosted by the Center of Entrepreneurship, presenters can get feedback on their presentation skills and content of slides by Salem State faculty and MSBDC staff.
SSU library has a variety of , including IBIS World and Statista for industry and market research.

The Viking Business Pitch Competition has awarded more than $20,000 in prizes. Read about past prize-winning ideas.

2025 Viking Business Pitch

1st Prize $5,000: David Sheehan, a Fire Science major student, who pitched “First Due Fire Exam” a website to offer the study materials and exam for firefighters in Massachusetts.

2nd Prize $2,500: Jingwen Zhou & Wenna Li, two English major students, for “LocaLink” a worldwide travel guide app to find local tourist guides of trust.

3rd Prize $1,500: Vin Tep, Jennifer Arevalo & Sophia Beechin,, three Marketing major students, for “The Cozy Bowl” a hot meal vending machine business.

2024 Viking Business Pitch

1st prize ($5,000): Xhesina Sirika with ShareBattery (an idea for sharing phone battery charge wirelessly) -Xhesina is a business student. She is working on this business idea with a data science student from Vienna University and an architecture student who is taking English classes at SSU.

2nd prize ($2,500): Ben Gallini with ClutterCache (an app for recording and valuing possessions on a real-time basis). Ben is a history major, with a minor in business.

3rd prize ($1,500): Christian Alquinta with Auto Prints (a business that prints hard-to-find/expensive car parts more cost-effectively using 3D printers). Christian is a business major.

2023 Viking Business Pitch

First prize of $3,000 went to Henry Doherty, Michael Flynn, Jack Pender, a team of three business majors, who pitched “PoliticalEd,” a plain-language unbiased political media platform for education and reporting.
Second prize of $2,000 went to Rose Biandie Jean Mary, a biology student, for “All Things Rosemetics,” a sustainable beauty store with handmade cosmetics.
Third prize of $1,000 went to Glen Gjuraj, a management student, for “Harmony,” a laundry and textile recycling business.

2022 Viking Business Pitch

First prize of $2,000 went to Lorimer Mateo, a management student, for “Local Spot,” a business that rents shelf space to small businesses.
Second prize of $1,500 went to Patrick Tannian, a marketing student, for “Jersey Express,” a yearly subscription platform for professional sports club jerseys.
Third prize of $1,000 went to Abigail Hurley, a business major with concentration in analytics and management Science, for “Alleviate,” a peer-to-peer mental illness support app.

2021 Viking Business Pitch

First prize of $2,000 went to Toiell Washington, a senior sociology major, who pitched “The Master's Tools,” a board game that teaches people about systems of oppression.
Second prize of $1,500 went to Benine Mudymba, a second-year graduate student working toward a master of social work, for “The Natural Sis,” a beauty consultation service.
Third prize of $1,000 went to Katie Ciccolini, a media and communication major for “The Salem Witch Subscription Box,” a monthly box that contains items from local Salem Witch shops. The theme of each box is based on the cycles of the celebration of pagan holidays.

Questions about this year's Viking Business Pitch? Contact Don White at dwhite@salemstate.edu.

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