One entrepreneur set to win £50k – enter our biggest ever Pitching Competition ahead of the Belfast Telegraph Business Awards

The contest offers entrepreneurs a chance to make a short pitch for their business in front of an audience of leading figures from NI business.

Ulster Bank are marking a decade of their Accelerator Programme with the biggest prize pot yet, a £60,000 fund to be split between participants.

Four applicants will be selected to make their case to the guests at the Business Awards on Wednesday 25 March, when the winner will be crowned.

Those interested in applying can submit a 60-second video pitch for their business below.

Submissions will have be in either mp4 or mov formats, be 30mb or under and made no later than 5pm on Friday 6 February.

Run in partnership with Ulster Bank, the competition is open to UK residents over the age of 18 who have a limited company which has been registered for between 1-5 years.

Businesses applying should have a turnover of up to £1m, and must not be an employee or strategic partner of the NatWest Group of companies.

The 12 top entrants will be invited to a live semi-final event in which they’ll pitch in front of a panel of judges and their video pitch entries will also be put forward to a public vote on the belfasttelegraph.co.uk website.

Of the four entrants selected to go to final round, the winner will receive £50,000, with the runner up getting £5,000 and the third and fourth placed entrants each getting £2,500.

Giving advice to prospective applicants, Gabi Burnside from the Ulster Bank Accelerator hub said: “When making your pitch, keep it short and punchy and try not to be too modest.

“Tell us what makes your business special and how the prize fund will make a genuine difference to your growth.

We need to hear about your USP so be authentic and try to let your personality shine through.

“It’s also important to think about production, you don’t need a film studio but good lighting, clear sound, and a nicely framed shot will enhance your pitch.

“Be concise, stick to your most powerful points, rehearse and make every second count. This prize could really propel your business growth so give it your all and good luck!”

Criteria

To enter the competition, you’ll need to be:

• a registered Limited Company
• registered in the UK
• trading up to five years
• turning over up to £1m
• 18 or over and a UK resident
• You don’t have to be an Ulster Bank customer to apply
• You must not be a Strategic Partner, an employee of NatWest Group of companies, their families or anyone associated with this competition.
• If you have been a Finalist or have won a prize in another Ulster Bank Accelerator Pitch Competition you are not eligible to participate in any future competitions.

To support your application, you should:

Prepare and upload a 60-second video pitch and complete the form below. Make sure you are using good lighting, clear sound and a steady camera. It’s important to position your camera at eye level and make sure you are cantered in the frame. Please not – files must note exceed a maximum size of 30mb and be uploaded in either mp4 or mov format.