Competition Rules
- Startups, ideas/concepts, and new and existing businesses are welcome to apply. If you are an existing business, you must be a licensed Lauderhill Business, or willing to relocate your business to Lauderhill. (If you are not a Lauderhill business please provide proof of your County Business Tax Receipt). If chosen as a winner(s) and business is not located within the City of Lauderhill, winner(s) must register and obtain their City of Lauderhill Certificate of Use (COU) within (6) six months of winning the prize.
- Pre-finalists and finalists must appear in person at the semifinals and final pitch competition.
- Any prize money awarded must only be used to finance your Lauderhill Business, and your business must stay in the City of Lauderhill for at least (3) three years.
- Applications must be complete and submitted by June 30, 2025, by 11:59 pm. No applications will be accepted past the due date.
- Up to (1) one person from the business can present during the competition and must be the owner or co-owner(s) of the business. Up to (2) two persons may assist the presenter during their presentation.
- Audio/visual devices or systems may be used during presentation (e.g. PowerPoint, recordings, flip charts, etc.).
- Presenters may bring a product sample (e.g. garment) to use during the pitch. No guns, firearms, weapons, or pyrotechnics are allowed. Any and all specific presentation requests are to be sent to [email protected].
- Contestants may bring promotional materials (which may only be distributed at the end of the contest) for the audience.
- During the preliminary rounds presentations will be no longer than 5 minutes. During the final pitch competition finalists will be given 5 minutes to present. Throughout all stages of the competition presenters should be ready to answer questions posed by the judges. Pre-finalists MUST pitch IN-PERSON.
- Finalists MUST check in at the registration table by 2:00 pm the day of the competition, August 28, 2025 (In-Person).
- Must be a for-profit business.
- The event will be photographed and recorded for informational and promotional purposes. The event pictures and interviews may be used on the Lauderhill CRA website, CRA publications, external publications, City of Lauderhill website, and electronic media.
Disclaimer: Please note that the rules, guidelines, and availability of funds for the Small Business Pitch Competition may be subject to change. The City of Lauderhill and The Lauderhill CRA reserve the right to modify or update the competition rules and the prize offerings as necessary. Participants are encouraged to check the official website for the latest information and updates.
What to do after applying
Timeline
Application due date – June 30, 2025, by 11:59 pm EST
Preliminary Round (Top 10 Determined) – July 17, 2025 (In-Person)
Semi-final Round (Top 5 Determined) – August 21, 2025 (In-Person)
Final Pitch Round (Top 5) – August 28, 2025 (In-Person), at 4:00 pm
The Lauderhill CRA Small Business Committee will review all applications turned in prior to the closing date June 30, 2025, by 11:59 pm EST. Be prepared for a follow-up call, as the committee may reach out with questions about your business. Top 20 Finalists will be announced on July 7, 2025. Ten finalists will be picked after the preliminary round on July 17, 2025 (In-Person). Five finalists will be picked after the semi-final round on August 21, 2025 (In-Person). The final pitch competition is August 28, 2025 (In-Person). Cash prizes will be awarded to first, second, and third place businesses and a Fan Favorite will be selected by the audience.
For the Pre-Finalists
On July 24, 2025, the top ten pre-finalists will participate in a Small Business Boot Camp training program. Following completion, all pre-finalists must deliver their pitches in-person to determine the top five finalists. Presentation order will be randomly assigned on the event day.
For the Finalists
On August 13, 2025, the top five pitch competition finalists will be selected and provided additional information needed for the Final Small Business Pitch Competition. All finalists must present in-person. The order of presentations will be decided at random on the date of the event.
Note: Pre-finalists and finalists are responsible for arranging and covering all transportation and accommodation expenses.
Suggested Pitch Content
We want to learn about you, your past experiences, and your business idea. A defined business plan can help you deliver a successful live pitch. Your plan should answer questions such as:
What is the single declarative sentence that defines your company?
Explanation of Product Service – clear description of the product or service.
Value Proposition – what value will be brought to customers with your product or service? What community impacts will your business have?
What problem will you solve? How will you solve it?
Differentiation – How is the product or service different from existing products and services?
Who are your current direct competitors?
Experience – Does the team have previous training, skills, and/or experience that will benefit the operation of the company?
Target Market Characteristics – Who will buy the product or service?
Market Measurement – What is the current size and foreseeable growth of your market?
Revenue Model – How will the product or service generate revenue? (Sales, subscription, advertisement, etc.)
Business Funding – How has your company been pursuing funding so far? What is the plan for the future?
We ask that you prepare a brief slide deck to present in the event you are chosen as a finalist.
Why choose Lauderhill as the new home for your business?
The City of Lauderhill is an excellent place to live, play, and work. The City of Lauderhill is an ever growing City focused on the education of residents and the economic growth of is people, and with one of the most affordable commercial real estate areas in Broward County, it is a great place to open up a business. The City of Lauderhill is conveniently located between three international airports (Fort Lauderdale – Hollywood International Airport, Miami International Airport, and the Palm Beach International Airport), three international ports (Port Everglades, Port of Miami, and the Port of Palm Beach) and minutes away from the Florida Turnpike, Interstate 95 and the Sawgrass Expressway.
The City of Lauderhill offers a number of different resources to assist businesses with training, workshops, accessing capital, marketing, employee training, streamlined licensing for businesses, and more. Below is a list of some of the ways the City provides assistance to its businesses.
Business License/Permitting Concierge Service: Tired of calling about a license or Permit and getting nowhere? The City of Lauderhill has created a Business License/ Permitting Concierge Service that provides one point of contact between you and the various departments handling your license/permit. Real time updates, real time follow up.
Site Selection: Looking for space? Our Economic Development team will research and send you spaces of available property in the area. No matter if you are a new business, or thinking of relocating, our team will connect you with the spaces that fit your needs.
Resource Gathering: Looking for more information? Our Economic Development Division is constantly researching grants, loans, and incentives to help and assist businesses. Our team is ready to connect you with training, workshops, grants, loans, and other resources from community partners and organizations.
Special Events: Looking to market or bring exposure to your business? The City of Lauderhill gives businesses the opportunity to do just that with our many special events. Through sponsorships or in-kind donations we provide opportunities for businesses to market their business.
Technical Assistance Site Visits: Too busy to come to City Hall to talk about your business? Our experienced Economic Development team will come to your location and share with you the many ways you can improve your business.
FAQs
No. The application to the competition is completely free. There is no cost associated with participating in the competition.
Yes, you can apply. But please note, if you are chosen, you must appear in person for your semifinal and your final. The applicant is responsible for their own transportation and lodging.
Response times vary, but we aim to get back to you within two (2) business days.
After submission, we will provide status updates via email or phone.
Yes, previous winners can apply for this competition. Previous participation in other pitch competitions does not disqualify you from applying. Please note: Previous Lauderhill CRA Pitch Competition Winners are NOT eligible to apply.
Yes, you can submit applications for multiple businesses, but only one may be selected if qualified.
The minimum age requirement to participate is 18 years old.
Yes, light refreshments will be served on event day. Please note, the pitch competition is an invitation-only event.
Winners will be chosen based on their pitch presentations and evaluation by a team of judges.
Judges will evaluate pitches based on criteria such as innovation, viability, and market potential.
Up to (2) two persons may assist the presenter during the competition. Presenter must be the owner or co-owner(s) of the business.
Changes to applications cannot be made after submission.
Yes, there will be networking opportunities with other participants and industry professionals.
You can showcase your product or service through visual aids during the pitch presentation.
Media coverage and publicity will be part of the event.
The pitch competition has limited seating and is an invitation-only event, registration is still required for entry for invitees.
The deadline for submitting applications is June 30, 2025, by 11:59 pm EST.
Businesses outside of Lauderhill may apply if they meet other qualifying criteria. Please see Competition Rules.
A current City of Lauderhill Certificate of Use (COU) is required as proof to ensure the business is operating legally and safely.
Yes. Startups and businesses in the early stages are eligible and are highly encouraged to apply.
There is no limit on the number of participants or businesses that can apply to the competition.
Workshops and training sessions will be available to finalists to assist them with improving their pitches.
Non-profit businesses are not eligible to apply.
Pitch deck design styles can vary. Please refer to our Pitch Deck Resources section as a guide.
Feedback opportunities with judges will be provided during the competition.
Participants are responsible for their own transportation and/or accommodation.
Previous participation in other pitch competitions does not disqualify you from applying.
Winners will be announced at the conclusion of the competition. Winners will be contacted to fill out required paperwork; prize money is distributed in the form of a check in (2) two installments.
