Kelson Hall Centre for Arts & Education
The entrepreneurial spirit is alive and thriving in Kamloops! The energy at The BIG Pitch (TBP) was electric, and we couldn’t be more proud to have hosted such an incredible showcase of local entrepreneurial talent.
We had 39 participants registered, with 28 contestants in the finals and an amazing lineup of 5 finalists stepping up to pitch live! The room was packed full of inspiration, innovation, and community spirit.
This competition offered early-stage entrepreneurs a rare and exciting opportunity to present their concepts to a diverse panel of local business professionals. Participants received invaluable feedback, gained exposure, and a chance to win the grand prize of $5,000, sponsored by Venture Kamloops and Community Futures Thompson Country, and People’s Choice earning beneficial mentorship hours from established business, Angie Olson Business Coach & Consultant.
The Big Pitch Countdown
About the Event
Our competition followed the Dragon’s Den style. Participants engaged in the initial closed-door pitch, and then the five finalists chosen from the first round pitched live in front of an audience, where the judges picked a final winner, and the audience voted for People’s Choice.
Simultaneously, we had a business support services tradeshow in the adjacent room where mature business owners and entrepreneurs received various information from mixed entrepreneurial support organizations including Pepper, Venture Kamloops, Kamloops Innovation, Standard Office Space, AvidAction Coach, Community Futures Development Corporation of Central Interior First Nations, Tire Tracks & Felines Incentives, Sc.wén̓wen Economic Development Corporation and ourselves!
The BIG Pitch is a free community event, and registration to participate was open to entrepreneurs and small business owners of Kamloops, Sun Peaks, Westwold, Vavenby, Pritchard, McLure, Little Fort, Clearwater, Chase, Blue River, Barriere, and Avola. Plus, we had a coffee bar supplied by Hey Neighbour Coffee Roasters fueling everyone through the day, which the North Shore Business Improvement Association sponsored.
This event is a unique opportunity for new small business owners, and it will drive economic growth in our region. We look forward to next year!
Congratulations
A huge congratulations to our pitch competition winners!
Amanda St. Pierre of The Sweet Spot for taking home the top prize of $5,000!
Dennis Mullis of VERT Agtech for winning the audience’s hearts (and votes!) with the People’s Choice award!
We are incredibly proud of all the entrepreneurs who pitched their ideas, and we can’t wait to see where your businesses go next!
The Pitch Team
Tara Holmes
Event Host
George Emery
Event Judge
Evangelia (Lian) Dumouchel
Event Judge
Jeremy Heighton
Event Judge
Brian Jones
Event Judge
Anna Harrison
Event Judge
Stacey Owen
Event Judge
Angie Olson
Event Judge
George Casimir
Event Judge
Pitch Criteria
To be eligible for The BIG Pitch competition, businesses have to meet the following application criteria:
- Have less than $50,000 in revenue since the launch of the business.
- Have been in operation for less than 18 months.
- You can be in the ideation phase of your business (generating an idea for a possible business).
- Have business/operations based in Kamloops, Sun Peaks, Westwold, Vavenby, Pritchard, McLure, Little Fort, Clearwater, Chase, Blue River, Barriere, or Avola.
- Show intent and/or ability to expand your operations and/or pursue a physical business location.
- Submissions may be entered as individuals or teams; however, the maximum number of team members to pitch is one person. (One person from the team can present on behalf of the business).
- A company may only submit one pitch to be considered for adjudication.
*Registration deadline is Wednesday, February 26th, 2025.
Register Today
Event Sponsors
