Flyer Pitch Competition

The funding round is Flyer Pitch's main event, designed for serious entrepreneurs ready to launch or scale their ventures. This is more than a competition; it's an accelerator. Participants get access to workshops, dedicated mentors and the chance to pitch to Dayton's top investors and community leaders.

Teams pitching in the funding round will have their chance to be one of three awardees of cash prizes in each track.​

Eligibility

This round is open to the entire University of Dayton and Greater Dayton community. You can apply for the funding round even if you did not participate in the elevator pitch round.

Important Dates

• Jan. 12, 2026: Applications open
• January TBA: Business Plan and Financial Workshop
• Feb. 7, 2026: Final deliverables due
• Feb. 14, 2026: Finalists invited to pitch
• March 7, 2026: Flyer Pitch funding round competition

Mentorship and Support

You will have the opportunity to request a mentor to help you refine your materials. All applicants will also be invited to a mandatory Financial & Business Plan Workshop to help you prepare your materials for the February 7th deadline.

Deliverables​

Final deliverables must include:

• A full business plan, including financials.
• A draft of your pitch deck (slides can be amended after submission).
• A clear "ask" for funding and a specific plan for how you would use the prize money.
• A clear description of how far along your organization is (e.g., idea, prototype, first sales).

Prizes

Prize money, totaling over $65,000, will be awarded across all tracks.

Come up with novel idea that solves real problems — and pitch it to a panel of judges in just 60 seconds.

Important Dates

Information about our 2026 elevator pitch round will be posted in the summer. Teams are invited to apply for the funding round even if they did not not participate in the elevator pitch round.

Prizes

• 16 cash awards will be distributed — including guaranteed prizes to top pitches in each category.

Tech Venture Track

The Tech Venture Track is open to startups and businesses that are scalable with have high growth potential. These businesses contain a service or product that is tech-focused, tech-enabled, or manufacturing-focused with the intent to disrupt, diversify, and/or add significant value to a current or expanding market.

Criteria

• The product or service has to operate through advanced technology.
• The venture specifies the design and architecture of the specific technical components needed for the solution to be developed, implemented, and operated.
• The business has a profit model that requires the business to generate revenue.
• Businesses with launch dates, incorporation, or dates of first sales within the last 36 months are eligible to pitch (older firms are not appropriate for this competition).

Nonprofit Track

The nonprofit track is for 501(c)(3) organizations currently serving or planning to expand to the Greater Dayton area. The nonprofit must be a qualifying charitable organization.

Criteria

• Existing (older than 36 months) nonprofit ventures may pitch new ideas (ideas for projects that have not already been implemented).
• Ideas for new nonprofit organizations; applicant will pursue a nonprofit structure and register as a 501(c)(3).

Main Street Track

Main street businesses can include brick-and-mortar, vendor-based or ecommerce businesses. By nature, these businesses are operated locally and are typically small firms; however, they also have the potential to scale in size and location based on the goals of the owner. Main street business typically experience slower growth than high-growth, "tech" firms.

Common examples include: food trucks, dry cleaners, hair salons, restaurants, auto and truck services centers, convenience stores, small manufacturing and service businesses (accounting practices, tax preparation business, etc.), internet, website development and technology businesses, small wholesalers and many other similar businesses.

Criteria

• Businesses are operated locally, are typically smaller firms, and are not necessarily scaleable.
• The product or service can operate independently of advanced technology.
• The business has a profit model that requires the business to generate revenue.
• Businesses with launch dates, incorporation, or dates of first sales within the last 36 months are eligible to pitch (older firms are not appropriate for this competition).

Tech Venture Track

1. Problem

• Is the problem clear?
• Is the problem significant?
• Is this a valid and quality business idea?

2. Market

• Is it clear who the target market is?
• Based on the information provided, is it reasonable to expect this business will be competitive in the marketplace?
• Does the venture disrupt or add value to the market?
• How big is the market?

3. Solution

• Is the solution clear?
• Is the solution innovative?
• Is the customer value proposition legitimate and compelling?
• Is their growth potential?

4. Technology

• Is the venture truly a tech-based venture?
• Is the solution tech-enabled?
• Is there an IP opportunity?

5. Team

• Is it clear why this is the right entrepreneur for this opportunity?
• Does the entrepreneur have the required tactical and leadership skills?
• Do the founder(s) have the credibility, experience, or passion to execute?
• How well was the presentation delivered? Was their pitch concise, clear, smooth, enthusiastic, yet relaxed/natural feeling?

6. University Alignment

• How well does it align with University of Dayton's values?

Main Street Track

1. Overall Quality of the Idea

• Is the business sustainable?
• Is the concept clever, innovative?
• Does there appear to be a solid business model, is it well thought out?
• Is this a valid and quality business idea?

2. Clear Problem/Opportunity

• Does the business address a real customer need and/or solve a real problem for customers?
• Are there customer segments that would benefit from this venture?

3. Value Proposition

• Will the product/service address the need?
• Is the customer value proposition legitimate and compelling?
• Were the benefits of the venture articulated clearly?

4. Quality of the Presentation

• How well was the presentation delivered?
• Was the pitch concise, clear, smooth, enthusiastic, yet relaxed/natural feeling?
• Were the important points covered in sufficient depth?
• Was the team persuasive and showed enthusiasm, passion, and energy?

5. University Alignment

• How well does it align with University of Dayton's values?

Nonprofit Track

1. Overall Quality of the Idea

• Is there a clearly defined social benefit to the community?
• Is the approach unique and not currently being done locally?
• Is the mission and the beneficiaries specifically identified? Does there appear to be a solid nonprofit model, and it is well thought out?

2. Quality and Scope of the Impact

• Are the mission and vision clear and concise?
• Does the organization solve an important societal problem?
• Is the value proposition legitimate and compelling?
• Does the solution address a root cause or a symptom? Will it help break the cycle?
• Do the benefits justify the cost?

3. Competitiveness

• Does the presenter convincingly explain why their organization is best-suited to accomplish this effort?
• Is the scale of the impact significant to the Dayton area?
• Is there a strong basis for the concept?
• Are there objective and/or impact metrics?

4. Ability to Execute

• Based on the information provided, is it reasonable to assume that the entrant/team can/will launch and execute this nonprofit venture?
• Do the founder(s) have the credibility, experience, or passion to execute?
• Has the organization established a robust board/leadership team/advisors?

5. Quality of Presentation

• How well was the presentation delivered?
• Was the pitch concise, clear, smooth, enthusiastic, yet relaxed/natural feeling?
• Were the important points covered in sufficient depth? Were they persuasive?

6. University Alignment

• How well does it align with University of Dayton's values?

General Guidelines

• The Flyer Pitch competition is open to all University of Dayton faculty, staff, students and alumni, as well as members of the Greater Dayton region. Diverse (functional, cultural, education, etc.) entrepreneurial teams, ranging from 1 to 8 people, are encouraged to participate.
• Applicants self-select into competition tracks; however, competition organizers reserve the right to adjust track entry as appropriate. Each team may compete in only one competition track.
• Students currently under University disciplinary suspension are ineligible for the competition.
• If the submission involves an existing venture, the date of incorporation, venture launch or date of first sale must be within 36 months of submission date. Researching the business and discussing it with others are not generally considered major startup events. Exceptions are made for nonprofit track submissions; the nonprofit organization can be older than the 36 months.
• An individual may be a member of a maximum of two competition entries (judged separately on each) but may only be on one finalist team.
• By entering the Flyer Pitch competition, participants acknowledge that funds awarded by the competition are intended for the purposes of funding the business concept entered and will be allocated equally across team members unless otherwise agreed up by all team members. Prize package money will be awarded to the company or nonprofit unless otherwise specified.
• By entering the Flyer Pitch competition, applicants agree to allow the University of Dayton to use their application materials, photos, likenesses and presentations to market, promote and provide information about the competition. By entering the Flyer Pitch competition, participants acknowledge that they must conform to the technology specifications detailed by the competition for the submission of competition materials (e.g., PowerPoints, documents, etc.). While the competition will work to ensure proper technology functioning throughout the competition, we do not guarantee it.
• Any submission that is deemed discriminatory in nature will be automatically disqualified.
• Participants advancing to Round 2 must include a student, faculty, staff or alumnus of UD.

Project Guidelines

The competition organizers reserve the right to disqualify business plans that fail to adhere to competition rules or are inconsistent with the values and mission of the University of Dayton as a Catholic institution of higher education. The following guidelines were created to clarify what is and is not acceptable for the competition. Each entry is vetted by members of the competition eligibility committee, who make the final determination whether or not the entry meets acceptable guidelines.

• All work must be the original work of the applicants. Proposals and plans that constitute academic dishonesty will be disqualified, even if discovered after the competition ends.
• All plans must be based on a legitimate business enterprise. Ventures that involve breaking the law as part of their business model are prohibited (e.g., music piracy).
• Plans or any venture that requires a liquor license to be legal, or whose primary purpose is the promotion or sale of alcohol or illegal drugs, is prohibited.
• Plans that conflict with University values are prohibited, including but not limited to the following:
  • Payday loan/check cashing companies
  • Gambling events/activities featuring violence
  • Pornography
• All applicants must be startup focused; purchasing a current venture, including business opportunities and franchises, are ineligible for the competition.
• Plans involving pyramid-based marketing are prohibited.

The Flyer Pitch Competition is grateful for our sponsors, including:

• PNC Bank
• The Entrepreneurs' Center
• University of Dayton Herr Venture for Change
• Bandila Studios
• Greater West Dayton Incubator
• Emerald Sparks LTD
• Enterprise Roofing
• Propel Dayton
• Flyer Enterprises
• Flyer Consulting
• StructuredNumbers