The Women|Future Conference has selected five women-owned businesses to compete in the Women-Owned Business Pitch Competition this year. Registered attendees can watch the competition live on November 9 at 12:00 PM ET.
This “Shark Tank”-style pitch competition provides a platform for a select group of women-owned businesses to compete for a chance to win funding support for their businesses and initiatives, and provides the opportunity for international exposure to hundreds of attendees.
Over 200 applicants applied for entry, but only five finalists were selected by the Women|Future Conference leadership team to present their pitches, face questioning, have their pitch evaluated by a panel of judges, and win funding! The winner of the competition will be announced at the conference November 10 at 2:25 PM.
The 2022 Women-Owned Business Pitch Competition finalists are:
Equability is an online clothing modification service for individuals with disabilities. It was launched in 2020 after their research had identified lack of adaptive clothing as a barrier to social and professional participation. Equability gives people the ability to conveniently modify clothes to suit their style and lifestyle.
Good Mood Treats
Good Mood Treats specializes in curating baked goods that uplift customers’ mood by infusing them with healthy ingredients. Each treat box includes a positive affirmation in hopes of combating issues with mental health and providing a good mood boost. Their mission is to spread love, positivity, and mental health awareness through their treats.
The Village App
Born out of necessity during the COVID pandemic, The Village App seeks to redefine how people use technology and create a modern-day equivalent of a healthy, happy village community. The app encourages collective coordination, enabling users to connect with others in their community who are offering or seeking neighborly assistance and connection.
Tiny Fish Co.
Tiny Fish Co. aims to inspire the canned fish industry by sharing products that are sustainable, flavorful, and tell the fish’s story from water to tin. Their focus is on the tiny fish from the Pacific Northwest and encouraging consumers to create environmentally conscious eating habits.
XpertPatient LLC
XpertPatient was founded to help people new to a cancer diagnosis feel empowered through personalized education and support. With all education developed from authoritative sources such as the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Guidelines, XpertPatient has been purposely designed by nurses, doctors, and patients to help individuals with cancer achieve the best treatment results possible, clinically and financially.
The Pitch Competition will be hosted by Emmy Award-winning broadcaster Sharon Delaney McCloud, a TEDx Speaker, a Certified Executive CDE, Adjunct Professor, agency owner, and a cancer survivor. With over 30 years of experience on local and national stages and online, Sharon’s goal is to help people make an impact by understanding and embracing the power of storytelling in business to move hearts and minds, and to drive better results in their business.
Sharon is a fierce advocate for women in business and develops programs designed to elevate their career trajectory. Featured in Thrive Global, Enterprising Women, Sheryl Sandburg’s Option B platform, and co-author of Keep Going, Memoirs of Strength, Courage & Perseverance, Sharon shows people how they can inspire, influence, and ignite change. Her diverse client list includes Cisco, Lenovo, Eaton, 7-Eleven, Duke University, UNC Health, Florida State University, SAS, Biogen, Merz, and many others. 
Pitch Competition Format and Judging Criteria
The format of the pitch competition is inspired by ABC's critically acclaimed, entrepreneurial-themed TV show, Shark Tank. Each finalist will present a live, three-minute virtual pitch about their product/service, business model, and target market.
A panel of four judges will evaluate each pitch using a five-point scoring rubric provided by the Women|Future Conference. The judging rubric takes into account criteria such as leadership capabilities, innovativeness, competitive advantage, maturity of the technology or product, business model, prospects, growth, response to the live questions, and preparedness for the competition.
The judges of the 2022 Women|Future Conference Pitch Competition are:
- Kim Roxie, Founder, LAMIK
Beauty, and first-place winner in the 2021 Pitch Competition - Heather Cox, President, Certify My Company
- Sree Kanuri, Senior Product Manager, DELL Technologies
- Shubhi Nigam, Product Lead, Carta Inc.
Pitch coaching and mentorship is being provided to our finalists prior to the pitch competition by Dusty Welsh, Executive Director and Lead Program Instructor at the Sister Sprout studio, which offers business and nonprofit development frameworks to guide women founders through each step of the startup process. With over 15 years of experience, Dusty Welsh provides startup founders from around the world with a 3-step magic formula for wowing judges, impressing audiences, and delivering a killer startup story.
Funding for the Pitch Competition Winners
At the close of the competition, the winner will receive a prize package of $5,000 cash prize to grow their business, as well as a certification ($4200 value) from Certify My Company.
If you are interested in joining us as a sponsor, judge, or participant in the 2023 Pitch Competition, sign up for event updates to get notified when entries open for next year.
Sponsor the Pitch Competition and Support Women-Owned Businesses
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Sponsorships are still being accepted! Sponsorship offers visibility among a demographic of women business owners, executives, and professionals.
We love working with organizations that are aligned with our mission of supporting women in business. The Pitch Competition is funded entirely through the generosity of our sponsors. Available sponsorship packages can be requested at the Sponsorship and Advertising Page.
What Else to Expect at the 2022 Women|Future Conference
Hundreds of ambitious women in business will gather virtually for the fifth annual Women|Future Conference taking place from November 8-10, 2022, with pre-conference sessions on November 7.
Hosted by the Stevie® Awards, the world's premier business awards, the Women|Future Conference is a professional and personal development, learning, networking, and mentorship conference for women around the globe.
We are pleased to highlight Opening Keynote speaker Rashmi Verma, Global Head of Diversity & Inclusion at HUGO BOSS, one of the leading companies in the premium segment of the global apparel market, employing 13,800 individuals representing 112 nationalities. The Opening Keynote will take place Tuesday, November 8, at 12:00 pm ET, followed by a live Q&A with attendees.
Conference sessions are designed for ambitious, career-driven professionals to learn and share what’s working in their organizations, troubleshoot the challenges they collectively face, and make meaningful connections. View the Full Agenda here.
Sessions fall into seven main tracks:
- Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
- Entrepreneurship
- Future of Work
- Leadership
- Marketing
- Personal Development
- Technology
The 2022 agenda includes over 80 women CEOs, founders, small business owners, entrepreneurs, coaches, and executives who will share their expertise. Conference speakers are from small businesses as well as Fortune 500 organizations including Accenture, Goldman Sachs, Hilton, IBM, LinkedIn, Microsoft, Nestle, T-Mobile, and others.
Registration for the Women|Future Conference is open. Attendees save 10% when groups of three or more individuals register together. Students may register for the Women|Future Conference at a discounted rate of $39 (with proof of a valid current student ID). Sessions are recorded and available for replay through 2022 for your convenience.
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Conference Registration and Sponsorship Opportunities
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