Enthuse Foundation Pitch Competition
Enthuse Foundation
$3,000 – $25,000 cash + in-kind prizes
$3K–$25K pitch competition for women-led food, beverage, and CPG brands; 2026 cycle closed Sept 23, 2026.
The Enthuse Foundation's annual Pitch Competition celebrates women founders in food, beverage, and consumer packaged goods (CPG). The 8th annual event awards $25,000 cash to the grand prize winner, $10,000 to the runner-up, and $3,000 to the audience choice winner, plus in-kind business services. The 2026 cycle's applications opened August 2026 and closed September 23, 2026; finalists pitch live in New York City on November 5, 2026. The 2027 cycle has not yet been announced.
- Funding type
- Award
- Level
- Foundation
- Amount range
- $3,000 – $25,000
- Realistic amount
- $3,000–$25,000 cash plus in-kind services (2026 prize packages: grand prize $100,000+, runner-up $85,000+, audience choice $6,000)
- Deadline
- 2026 cycle closed Sept 23, 2026; 2027 dates not yet announced
- Status
- between-intakes
- States
- Nationwide
Who qualifies
- At least 51% women-owned
- Brand must be a physical product in food, beverage, or consumer packaged goods (CPG), including wellness and beauty
- Business and primary market must be U.S.-based
- At least one founder must be a U.S. citizen
- Annual revenue between $100,000 and $999,000
- Company must have been in business for less than four years (founded on or after January 1, 2022)
- Available to attend live in-person pitch night in NYC on November 5, 2026 if selected as a finalist
- Previous grant winners and pitch competition finalists may apply if they meet criteria
Who is not eligible
- Businesses less than 51% women-owned
- Service-only or digital-only businesses without a physical product
- Businesses founded before January 1, 2022
- Businesses with revenue under $100,000 or over $999,000
- Businesses unable to attend the live NYC pitch event
What it covers
Eligible expenses
- Growth-critical resources and operations
- Marketing and sales
- Professional services
- Technology and inventory
Ineligible expenses
- Personal expenses
- Activities unrelated to the business
How to apply
-
1
Confirm eligibility
Verify women-ownership, U.S. citizenship, physical product, revenue, and founding-date requirements.
~0.5 hrs
-
2
Prepare pitch deck and application
Draft pitch deck and written answers; optional pitch deck review event on August 20, 2026.
~6 hrs
-
3
Submit application by September 23
Submit the online application before the deadline.
~1 hrs
-
4
Pitch live if selected as finalist
Finalists pitch in person in New York City on November 5, 2026; travel stipend provided for out-of-town finalists.
~4 hrs
Revenue must be between $100K and $999K and the company must be founded after January 1, 2022—verify these hard numbers before applying; previous finalists can reapply, so polish your pitch deck using past winner recordings.
Deadline & timing
The 2026 cycle's applications opened in August 2026 (exact date not stated on page) and closed September 23, 2026. Live pitch event is November 5, 2026 in New York City. The 2027 cycle has not yet been announced.
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Required documents
- Online pitch competition application
- Pitch deck
- Proof of revenue and founding date
- Product samples if selected as finalist
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