Though the event is called, "The Big Pitch – The Ultimate College Competition," three colleges collaboratied to create a contest to support students and their entrepreneurial endeavors. The participating colleges, ASU, GCU, and MCCD, each selected three students with an idea or a company less than a year old to pitch at the competition. 

The pitch took place during the Venture Café Phoenix Thursday Gathering to providing students access to a great network of support.

The awards were sponsored by Wells Fargo and APS and the student companies had the opportunity to win one of three prizes:  Best Small Business ($4,000), Best Tech Business ($4000), and People's Choice ($2000). 

To help entrepreneurs stay ahead of the curve and leverage AI technologies, we asked 15 industry leaders, including CEOs, founders, and marketing managers, for their insights. From utilizing AI chatbots and assistants to embracing AI-powered cloud solutions, discover the top strategies these experts recommend for creating innovative products and services that meet the ever-changing consumer needs.

From helping people feel more secure to instilling an inner sense of value, here are 14 answers to the question, "What are the most effective ways you keep your team motivated when the company is struggling?"

From Basecamp to Microsoft Teams, here are 16 answers to the question, "What are the most helpful team collaboration tools (free/cheap) that you use at your startup, and why?"

From Basecamp to Microsoft Teams, here are 16 answers to the question, "What are the most helpful team collaboration tools (free/cheap) that you use at your startup, and why?"

What is your best tip for nailing a five-minute startup pitch?

To help you deliver the best info in your pitch, and hopefully get investors, we asked CEOs, founders, and other business leaders this question for their best advice. From being solution-oriented to clearly communicating investment needs, there are several recommendations below that may turn five minutes of speaking into an amazing opportunity for your company.

If you're looking to start your own business, finding the right technical co-founder is
essential. Not only will this person help you with the technical aspects of your venture,
but they will also be a great team player and provide valuable insights and feedback. We
asked successful entrepreneurs and tech professionals for their best tips to help you
with your recruiting efforts.

Besides running lean and getting sales, what's one tip you have for bootstrapping a startup?

To help you best bootstrap your startup to success, we asked successful startup founders and business owners this question for their best insights. From building strong and loyal customers to negotiating every agreement, there are several tips you may follow to harness and direct your resources effectively in bootstrapping your startup to success.

What is one tip for moving from strategy to execution?
To help you properly execute your business strategy, we asked entrepreneurs and
project management professionals this question for their best pieces of advice. From
understanding the tactics that support the strategy to holding yourself accountable, there
are several tips that may help you keep your strategies progressing forward.