KY-270 Pitch Competition
Overview
Kentucky investors are coming together to celebrate the Kentucky startup ecosystem with the KY-270 Pitch Competition taking place on Thursday, October 22nd. The competition will inject $270,000 of pre-seed capital into early-stage Kentucky technology startups.
KY270 investments will be made by funding partners Bluegrass Venture Fund IV (BGVFIV) operated by Bluegrass Angels (BGA), the Kentucky Enterprise Fund (KEF) at Kentucky Science & Technology Corporation (KSTC), KY Innovation at the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development, and Commonwealth Seed Capital (CSC).
Technology startup companies from across the Commonwealth are eligible to apply.
Pitch Description
The KY-270 Pitch Competition will include twelve technology startups pitching for a total of six investment awards. Founders will have seven minutes to pitch their startup and seven minutes to answer questions from a panel of investors. The competition will take place online via Zoom on Thursday, October 22nd.
Technology startups will be scored on the following criteria:
Founder and Team
Problem and Solution
Business Model
Traction
Awards will be made in the below amounts.
First Place Award: $90,000
Second Place Award: $60,000
Four (4) Awards of $30,000
Startup Friendly Investment Terms
Convertible Note
20% Discount
$2.5M Valuation Cap
>>CLICK TO VIEW the full term sheet and the investment instrument
Investment terms are startup friendly and non-negotiable.
Eligibility
The KY-270 Pitch Competition is for early-stage technology startups with a strong founder or team, a significant identified problem and unique solution, a large market opportunity, a defined scalable business model, and early traction.
Technology startups must meet the following criteria;
Be a Kentucky based company
Registered with KY SoS
More than fifty percent (50%) of assets, operations and employees located in KY
Founder & majority of team reside in KY
Have no more than $100,000 in dilutive capital raised to date
Must be a scalable technology startup business model (businesses such as real estate, retail, services, and food are not eligible to apply)
Must meet eligibility requirements of the Kentucky Investment Fund Act (KIFA) program, including Kentucky-based and qualified activities definitions.
How to Apply
The KY-270 Pitch Competition online application opens August 3rd and will close September 18th. Applicants will be vetted through a competitive application review process and the top twelve will be invited to pitch. The final selections for pitching at the competition will be determined by a selection committee appointed by the funding and organizing partners.
Those selected to pitch will be invited to participate in a half-day Launch Blue Lab Pitch workshop on October 15th. Participants will be REQUIRED to schedule a 30 minute coaching session on October 16th to help them prepare in advance for the competition on October 22nd.
The workshop and coaching session will ONLY be offered online via Zoom.
>> APPLICATION IS CLOSED
