Where Teen Innovation Meets Opportunity
Aspiring Youth Academy invites high school students from across Maricopa County to bring their ideas to life at our annual Aspire to Pitch! event. Whether you’re dreaming of launching your own business, solving a community challenge, or creating the next big innovation—this is your moment to shine.
Aspire to Pitch! is more than a competition—it’s a celebration of youth voice, bold thinking, and entrepreneurial spirit.
Get Ready with ASU's Tools for Success
To help prepare for your pitch, we encourage students to use ASU J. Orin Edson Entrepreneurship + Innovation Institute’s resources, including:
- Just Start Guidebook — A practical step-by-step workbook to develop and refine your idea.
- How Can I Optimize My Pitch? Module — Learn how to structure, polish, and deliver your idea with clarity and confidence.
These tools were created by innovation educators to help you take your ideas from vision to reality.
Pitch Rules & Prizes
- Eligibility: Must be a Maricopa County high school student, grades 9–12.
- Time Limit: Each student will have 2 minutes to pitch their idea to our panel of judges/sharks, local business owners, leaders who have a passion for youth entrepreneurship.
- No Visual Aids: No slides or presentation materials—just you and your story.
- Audience Voting: All attendees (students, family, friends, community) are invited to vote for the Crowd Favorite.
Prizes (if 5 or more students pitch):
- 1st Place: $2,500
- 2nd Place: $1,000
- Crowd Favorite: $500
Not ready to pitch yet? No problem! Join the audience, get inspired, and vote for your favorite pitch.
APPLY TODAY!
The deadline to apply to pitch is Sunday, September 15, 2025.
Aspire. Speak. Launch. Be bold. Be creative. Be the next Aspiring Teen Leader at Aspire to Pitch!
Spots are limited, so don’t wait!