Championship guide · Pitch · Grades 10–12
Pirates Pitch for High School Students
An annual pitch competition at Seton Hall University in New Jersey. Students apply with a short written entry or a three-minute video, and finalists pitch to judges on campus, with the final also streamed online.
- Sophomores, juniors and seniors
- Short written or video entry
- Final on 20 November 2026
At a glance
- A short written or video entry
- Five-minute final pitch
- Cash and scholarship prizes
- Final streamed online
About the championship
What students actually do
To apply, students describe an original product or service idea, or a business they have already started, in 350 words or less, or in an unlisted YouTube video of up to three minutes. The entry answers four questions: the problem, how it makes money, the customers and the competition.
Finalists give a five-minute presentation to a panel of judges. Prizes combine cash with Seton Hall scholarships, which are most useful to students considering studying there.
Key facts
The 2026 competition at a glance
Applications closed on 21 October 2026. The final is on 20 November 2026.
Sources: Seton Hall University: Pirates Pitch, Pirates Pitch for High School Students. Checked 6 November 2026. Always confirm dates and rules on the official site.
Preparation with IFA
How we help students get ready
Live coaching from finance professionals who have been there and done it, built around what this competition rewards.
A real problem
Finding a problem worth solving and the people who have it, with evidence rather than guesses.
The business model
Customers, pricing, costs and simple projections that hold up to a judge’s questions.
The deck and the story
A clear structure, clean slides and a story judges remember.
Pitching and Q&A
Timed practice pitches and mock judging, with honest feedback after each run.
Not sure this is the right competition?
In a free 30-minute Readiness Assessment, a founder meets your child and you, and sends a written plan within 24 hours. If another competition, or none yet, is a better fit, we will say so.
Questions
What parents ask
Can international students enter?
Is the scholarship useful if my child studies elsewhere?
When does the next edition open?
Is IFA connected to the organisers?
International Finance Academy is independent and is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by Seton Hall University or its Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Competition names are used only to describe the events we help students prepare for.