Salem State Students Vie For $10K Viking Business Pitch Awards

SALEM, MA — Three finalists out of a field of 38 entries will share in $10,000 to support their business ventures at the culmination of this year's Viking Business Pitch Competition at Salem State University.

The weeks-long contest in Salem State University's AACSB accredited Bertolon School of Business sees teams of students and individuals from across campus build businesses from an initial
concept to a final pitch. Winners are selected by a panel of judges from the greater North Shore
business community.

"This competition serves as an innovative opportunity to move our students toward their post-commencement entrepreneurial journeys," said Jian "James" Gu, a professor and faculty fellow for the Center of Entrepreneurship who helps lead the competition. "From preparation to the final presentations, we have business leaders with tremendous entrepreneurial experience coaching our student teams, giving them the insight into what it takes to actually start a business."

The winning team takes home $5,000 to launch their venture, while the second and third-place finishers earn $2,500 and $1,500 respectively. The remaining five finalists receive $250.

Eight teams were selected as finalists to compete in the final event on April 3 at 5 p.m.

The final Business Pitch event will be held in the recital hall of the academic building on Harrington Campus, 71 Loring Ave., Salem.

The Business Pitch Competition is designed to inspire students from all university majors to be change-makers by introducing them to business leaders and alumni who have both been there and succeeded. The process starts with panelist discussions in the fall, where business leaders share their experiences with students.

"By talking about their businesses, they show our students one thing: 'yes, you can do that,'" Gu said. "Then, in the following semester with the Pitch Competition, our students formalize their ideas and present them on a springboard to possibly launch their business in the future, after they graduate."

The Viking Business Pitch Competition aims to provide an added opportunity for participants to build confidence and connect with business leaders and sponsors.

Among the judges are Salem State University Trustee Dino Di Palma, who has served on the panel since the beginning of the competition. He and his wife, Annalisa Di Palma, chair of the Salem State University Alumni Association and Foundation, Inc., have been driven to bring entrepreneur-minded opportunities like the Viking Business Pitch Competition to Salem State. The two also serve on the
Meet the Moment Campaign Steering Committee.

"By making entrepreneurship a key part of what Salem State offers, we can create amazing new opportunities for all our students," Di Palma said. "Making entrepreneurship core to what we do at Salem State serves not only our business school students, but all students campus-wide.

"This competition brings together a range of great ideas, often from different departments — from psychology to biology, and nursing to business. We’ve watched as the competition has improved more and more each year, and it has been exciting to watch the contest grow in its five years."

Di Palma is joined on the three-judge panel by Board of Trustees Chair Samanda Morales and David Eidle, senior vice president at Rockland Trust.