Resource Roundup: 3 accelerators and pitch competitions you can apply to right now

DC Startup Week Pitch Competition

The annual DC Startup Week is back this year, complete with its customary pitch competition for new and growing startups.

The weeklong event, which takes place place Sept. 12-16, offers chats, panels and other programming for local startup founders. This year, it’s hosting two pitch competitions: one for early-stage startups and one for growth-stage. Early-stage applicants must have no more than two years of business and under $100,000 from raises or revenue. Growth-stage ones must be under five years in age and less than $500,000 raised or in revenue.

The committee will select five companies in each category, and finalists will be notified by August 24. Last year, 2022 RealLIST Startups Electo Analytics and JoyLet took home the competition prizes.

Founder Institute’s FI Core

If you’re an aspiring founder, a newbie to the game or not developed enough for seed accelerators, the Founder Institute is now accepting applications for its fall FI Core cohort in DC.

The four-month program is made for pre-seed founders of tech and tech-enabled businesses, which the program says include e-commerce and those selling physical products. Service-related businesses, according to the Founder Institute, are not a great fit for the programming.

Founders can pick between a launch track and a growth track, and selected founders will be able to participate in a pitch competition at graduation. Sessions begin November 8, and applications are due October 30. The early application deadline is Aug. 14.

The Community Business Academy

The Jackson Ward Collective, a hub for Black business owners in Richmond, Virginia, is launching the Community Business Academy for early-stage founders.

The 12-week course will feature hands-on training and education on business fundamentals to help new startups create a successful business plan and identify their next steps. Program creators say that it is intended to fill a gap for small-business development in the area.

According to the Collective, the program is valued at $3,000, but those selected will only have to pay anywhere from $100 to $250 through a sliding scale based on income. Altria, Capital One and Dominion Energy are sponsoring the rest of the program fee.