Competition Process

Breakthru starts with a call for proposals in the form of an application, 60-second video pitch, and executive summary.

Entries that meet the eligibility criteria proceed to the second round, which starts with our mandatory Breakthru Bootcamp, and ends with the submission of a business plan. Each plan is reviewed internally and six finalists are chosen. During the final round, on March 16, 2011, finalists make a presentation to the Breakthru Selection Committee of entrepreneurs, NBIF representatives, and other venture capitalists. Recipients of the prizes are announced at the Breakthru Awards Gala to be held on that same day. All participants are required to read and understand the Breakthru Participant Handbook before entering the competition. In it you will find all of the information you need about how to enter, fees, competition rules, what you’ll need to send to us and when.

Your video pitch is for internal purposes only and will not be shared by us without your written permission. Nor will it be used to assess the viability of your business proposition. The purpose of the video is to give you practice, and to help us find volunteers interested in participating in the pitching portion of our Breakthru Bootcamp.

The 2011 call for applications is now closed. Who do you think will win? Stay tuned to our website, and find out live March 16th!