COHOSTS:
PRIZES
This is a crowdfunded pitch! This is your chance to reach out to friends, family, colleagues and supporters and get their help.
Each finalist has the opportunity to raise funds both before and during the pitch night. ALL donations intended for a startup or project will go to that startup! Before the pitch night, there will be a donation portal open to contribute toward a project, and at the pitch night, the audience can purchase votes to support the projects that most inspire them. ALL monies intended for a startup will go to that startup.
In addition to the crowdfunded support, the Community Investment Collaborative (CIC) will sponsor a grand prize winner to receive a max $5,000. Winner will be selected by a panel of judges. An additional $5,000 in prizes and support services from Black Ambition, CIC, and other local business owners may also be awarded.
“Participating in Pitch Night connected us with others who had undergone the same process of formalizing an idea and putting forth the effort involved to see it through. It was exciting being surrounded by creative and driven members of the community."
- Pete Akey (Charlottesville Food Co-op) Winner of the Grand Prize (2025)
CELEBRATING 12 YEARS
"We are thrilled to once again host the Crowdfunded Pitch Night! This event has become a cherished highlight for the CIC team, our clients, and the broader community, showcasing entrepreneurship in a dynamic and meaningful way. We deeply appreciate our ongoing partnership with the Tom Tom Festival and are eagerly anticipating the innovative pitches and entrepreneurial spirit of year 13."
- Stephen Davis, President of CIC.
Community Investment Collaborative (CIC) is a Community Development Finance Institution (CDFI) with a mission to strengthen the community and contribute to economic development by fueling the success of under-resourced entrepreneurs through education, mentoring, financing, and networking. Based in Charlottesville and serving Central and Southern Virginia, its 16-week Entrepreneur Workshop has over 650 graduates, and more than 250 entrepreneurs have acquired over $6.5 million through CIC’s microloan program. Learn more about CIC at cicville.org.
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