Are you a high school student who dreams of launching your own business, or are you
already an entrepreneur with a venture underway? If so, you are invited to participate
in the 11th annual Pirates Pitch Competition for High School Students, hosted by the Center of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the Stillman School of Business.
This exciting competition will take place from 3 to 6 p.m. ET, Friday, November 21,
2025, and offers over $50,000 in cash prizes and scholarships to Seton Hall University.
The competition is open to high school sophomores, juniors and seniors with a 3.0
GPA or higher. To enter, students should submit a business proposal of 350 words or
less, describing an innovative product or service they would like to develop — or
they can share details about a business they have already started. Participants also
have the option to submit a three-minute YouTube video pitch. Registration opened
Monday, August 25, 2025, and the deadline to submit applications is Wednesday, October
22, 2025.
This “Shark Tank”-style competition provides students with valuable experience in
entrepreneurship, helping them learn how to identify business opportunities and deliver
a persuasive pitch. Last year, the Pirates Pitch Competition received submissions
from across the U.S. and several foreign countries, and this year promises to be just
as competitive.
Participating in startup contests fosters creativity and innovation and also helps
students develop public speaking skills, which are essential for all career paths.
Whether a student is pitching a business idea, persuading others to support their
projects, or interviewing for an internship, this competition teaches effective ways
to communicate value.
A panel of judges, consisting of faculty members and successful alumni entrepreneurs,
will evaluate all submissions and select 10 finalists. Finalists will deliver a five-minute
pitch followed by a five-minute Q&A session with the judges. The event will be held
on Seton Hall University’s South Orange campus, and family members, teachers and classmates
are invited to attend and vote for their favorite finalist for the Audience Choice
Award.
2024 Winners
- First-Place Winner: Muhammad Haseeb, senior, PCTI STEM Academy, Wayne, NJ — Hydro
DeFrost - Second-Place Winner: Jeffery Liu, junior, Delbarton School, Morristown, NJ — RemeMore
- Audience Choice Award: Caroline Kiernan, sophomore, Ridgewood High School, Ridgewood,
NJ — Stress Less - Honorable Mention: Grace Rhine, senior, Toms River High School, Toms River, NJ — Legally
Chic Clothing
Other Finalists Included:
- Nifemi Adeyemi, senior, Newark Collegiate Academy, Newark, NJ — Irahs_Collection
- Ryan Kim, junior, Bergen County Technical High School, Teterboro, NJ — Smat Pitch;
Vivica Electronics - Rishabh Nambiar, senior, John Jay High School, East Fishkill, NY — Research Chat
- Eve Parrott, junior, Livingston High School, Livingston, NJ — Scolipoly
- Jacqueline Perez, sophomore, Park Ridge High School, Park Ridge, NJ — Digital Insurance
and Car Registration - Ayden Pinto, junior, High Technology High School, Lincroft, NJ — Eco-Smart Trash Pickup
Prizes
The top finalist will receive a $2,500 cash award and a $10,000 scholarship to Seton
Hall University. The second-place winner will earn a $1,000 cash award and a $6,000
scholarship, while all other finalists will each be awarded a $4,000 scholarship ($1,000
annually). Additionally, there will be a $300 Audience Choice Award presented.
The Pirates Pitch Competition for High School Students helps to develop and showcase
entrepreneurial skills that align with the World Economic Forum’s list of top skills
needed for success, including complex problem-solving, critical thinking and emotional
intelligence. This competition also serves as an introduction to the Stillman School
of Business, its Center of Innovation and Entrepreneurship and the nationally ranked
Center for Leadership Development within the Buccino Leadership Institute.
The event will be live-streamed by the Digital Media Team. Use this link to access the stream.
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