Win Money for Your Business via Ben Franklin’s Big Idea Contest
Ben Franklin’s $50,000 Big Idea Contest is looking for tech entrepreneurs or small manufacturers who are developing innovative, new products, processes or software applications.
In the past few years – maybe because of the popularity of the TV show, Shark Tank – there has been a growing interest in pitch competitions by the private sector, economic development professionals, and just regular folks who have an idea for an innovation that could turn into a business opportunity.
So, why do most people enter Ben Franklin’s BIG IDEA Contest? Because they want to win! Since the contest’s inception, nearly $2 million in cash prizes have been awarded throughout the program’s 32-county footprint in central and northern Pennsylvania. Winning up to $50,000 will go a long way in helping infuse a startup with much-needed cash. But, the pitch experience gained, the training offered, and the contacts made are worth every bit as much as the prize money.
In addition, other prizes available are:
- A free consult on accessing federal R&D grant money from the Innovation Partnership (IPART)
- Free passes to seminars offered by Ben Franklin’s eMarketing Learning Center
- Priority access to a seat in Ben Franklin’s Startup Boot Camp or the Harrisburg LaunchBox’s Idea TestLab
- A $2,500 “Peoples’ Choice” Award
You are eligible to apply if:
- You are located in one of the 32 counties in Ben Franklin’s central and northern footprint
- You have not received Ben Franklin funding, won a regional contest or a TechCelerator cash prize
- You plan to commercialize your BIG IDEA and create a for-profit company
- You currently do not have more than $500,000 in sales revenue
The deadline is August 23, 2021 at 5:00 PM
About Ben Franklin
The largest early-stage investor in our region, Ben Franklin Technology Partners/CNP, (an initiative of the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development and funded by the Ben Franklin Technology Development Authority) provides investment capital, operational assistance, BIG IDEA contests, and TechCelerator Startup Boot Camps to emerging tech-based companies and small, existing manufacturers to create and retain jobs in Pennsylvania. Visit Ben Franklin’s website at www.cnp.benfranklin.org or phone the Harrisburg office at 717-948-6339.
