Gala Music X Fashion Institute of Technology Announce Student Entrepreneurship Pitch Competition

Fashion Institute of Technology students with brilliant ideas for revolutionizing the music industry, or those who envision ways to use the power of games, film, or social impact to shape the future of creativity, can now enter a competition for campus students. Gala Music has launched the Gala X FIT Student Entrepreneurship Pitch Competition.

In a move celebrating both entrepreneurship and education, the Gala X FIT Student Entrepreneurship Pitch Competition is a semester-long competition challenging FIT students to solve real-world problems facing the music industry and beyond with innovative, business-minded solutions.

The Challenge, The Support, The Rewards

Here’s how it works:

Wide Open: Music, social entrepreneurship, games, film… if your business idea transforms the creative space, it’s eligible.
Mentorship: You won’t go it alone – Gala and FIT faculty will provide guidance and workshops along the way.
Cash Prizes: The top ideas earn serious funds: $3,000 for first place, $1,500 for second, and $500 for third.
Winners will be announced in May, and the competition officially kicks off today with an exciting launch event at FIT’s Katie Murphy Amphitheatre.

What’s in it for YOU (Besides the Potential Cash)

“This is about giving the next generation hands-on experience to shape the industry’s future,” says Leila Steinberg, Head of Gala Music. As a student, this competition is a chance to:

• Test Your Ideas: Go beyond theory and see if your concept holds up under real-world scrutiny.
• Build Your Network: Gain exposure to leaders at Gala Music and throughout the FIT community.
• Boost Your Resume: Even if you don’t win, participation demonstrates initiative – something future employers love!

Pitch FIT-FIT’s Student Entrepreneurship Pitch Competition

Students are tasked to develop video pitch decks and presentations promoting new entrepreneurial business concepts, social entrepreneurship and new business concepts through projects, products, and services. Students can submit both individually and as a team. If any team submission constitutes more than one student, that prize will be split equally by the number of students that are part of that submission.

Each student/team will be limited to two total submissions for the contest. In order to be able to participate in this challenge, interested students must fill out the Spring 2024 “Pitch FIT – FIT’s Student Entrepreneurship Pitch Competition” Rules and Student Consent Form.

For further information please contact either Entrepreneurship (Business Enterprise) Department Chair William Reinisch (william_reinisch@fitnyc.edu) or Professor Renee Leibler (renee_leibler@fitnyc.edu), who are overseeing the contest.

Pitch FIT-FIT’s Student Entrepreneurship Pitch Competition Timeline

Week of February 12, 2024 Contest Launch
March 5, 2024 On Campus contest launch event
Weeks of March 11 and March 18, 2024 On Campus workshops for students
April 1, 2024 11:59pm Student Consent Form Deadline
April 1, 2024 11:59pm Round 1 Student Designs Submission Deadline
Week of April 15, 2024 Round 2 Finalists Announced
Week of April 22, 2024 Round 2 Student Designs Submission Deadline
May 7, 2024 Final Presentations and Winners Announcement