Centenary College’s Frost School of Business opens third annual Frost Pitch Challenge business plan competition

SHREVEPORT, La. — Centenary College’s Frost School of Business and Shreveport’s Entrepreneurial Accelerator Program (EAP) are sponsoring the third annual Frost Pitch Challenge, a business plan competition for Centenary students with prizes totaling nearly $5,000. Interested students will work through an application, workshop, and business pitch process that spans several months. The top teams will be invited to a final pitch competition event in November 2023, where a panel of judges from the local business and education community will determine a Top 3 for the cash prizes.

“The Frost School of Business is pleased to partner with EAP for the third year to bring Frost Pitch: Ice Out the Competition to campus this fall,” said Dr. Barbara Davis, dean of the Frost School of Business. “Students have been asking about the competition since mid-summer so the word has spread about this exciting opportunity for all Centenary students – undergraduates and graduate students. I encourage any student with an idea for a product or service to consider the competition. Even if a student participated in past competitions, they can participate this year with a new or different idea.”

The Frost Pitch Challenge is open to Centenary students studying in any discipline and participants can propose business ideas in any industry or area of interest. After completing an online application, students attend a series of workshops and receive professional coaching from EAP and local business professionals serving as competition mentors. After the final business plans have been submitted, five teams will be invited to participate in the final pitch challenge to present their idea to a panel of judges. The winning team will receive $3,000, second place will receive $1,000, and third place $500.

Kile Mingo, a Centenary alumnus and current Business/Financial Analyst intern at EAP, is coordinating the Frost Pitch Challenge for EAP this year.

“EAP is proud to sponsor events like this because they foster creativity, collaboration, and growth within the community,” said Mingo. “Supporting initiatives that empower young minds to explore and execute their business concepts aligns with EAP’s commitment to nurturing the next generation of entrepreneurs and leaders. As a participant in the 2021 competition, I personally witnessed the impact of this event and the doors it opened for aspiring entrepreneurs like me. Through dedicated effort in the Frost Pitch Challenge, students can cultivate a distinct skill set, learn from experienced entrepreneurs, while also distinguishing themselves. Additionally, this could translate into actual investments materializing for their business proposals.”

This year, teams participating in the Frost Pitch Challenge will also be eligible to participate in the University of Louisiana-Monroe’s business pitch competition, the Pelican Cup, in spring 2024. The Pelican Cup awards a top prize of $25,000.

Centenary students have until September 18, 2023, to sign up for the Frost Pitch Challenge. Applications and more details are available at centenary.edu/frostpitchchallenge.