GEA/GAIN Alumni Pitch Competition

Participating in the GEA/GAIN Pitch Competition offers Georgetown entrepreneurs a unique set of opportunities to gain financial backing, recognition, and valuable connections within the Georgetown community:

1. Opportunity to Win or Accept the GAIN Investment Prize: The winner of the pitch competition can accept an investment prize consisting of individual contributions from GAIN members (amount will be confirmed by February 2026).
2. Recognition as a Finalist or Winner: Finalists and winners earn the distinction of being selected from among Georgetown’s entrepreneurial community.
3. Subsidized Accommodations at John Carroll Weekend: Finalists receive subsidized hotel accommodations to attend John Carroll Weekend, Georgetown University’s premier alumni event.
4. Become a GAIN Portfolio Company: GAIN portfolio companies are promoted through GAIN’s online channels and receive other opportunities for networking and promotion.
5. Exclusive Access to Top Alumni and Investors: Finalists present their business to Georgetown’s most influential alumni and investors, opening doors to partnerships, investments, and mentorship. Finalists also receive invitations to attend all John Carroll Weekend events, including an exclusive dinner for entrepreneurs and investors, creating additional opportunities to build valuable connections.
6. Guidance from Expert Mentors: Finalists and semi-finalists get the opportunity to work with hand-selected mentors who provide feedback to refine pitches and support business growth.
7. Guaranteed Opportunity to Present to GAIN Investors: All finalists, including the winner, receive a guaranteed spot in a GAIN virtual pitch cycle a few weeks after the competition. Typically, only a select few companies from a large applicant pool are given this opportunity. This allows finalists to present their business to the entire GAIN network, giving investors the chance to consider additional investments beyond the prize amount.
8. GUAA Social Media Promotion: The GUAA will promote your company through its social media channels, creating visibility within Georgetown’s extensive alumni network.

These benefits provide financial support, exposure, mentorship, and connections that can aid your entrepreneurial journey beyond the competition.

We are sector agnostic, but do bear in mind that we will consider industry dynamics when evaluating the return potential of any particular investment. However, we are not a sector specialist network, so it can be more difficult for us to evaluate companies that require expert knowledge.

While it isn’t necessary to excel in each one of the criteria listed below, the closer that your company aligns with these categories, the better chance of being selected to present as a finalist. We are always open to explanations as to how we should think about your application – more information always helps us to make a better evaluation. 

• Traction: Generally, companies that have revenue will be favored, especially recurring revenue that demonstrates there is product/market fit. However, we will certainly consider companies that have an MVP with significant customer data showing a willingness to pay. In addition, we are open to pre-revenue companies that can demonstrate enormous potential in one of our other criteria.
• Market Size & Business Model: Significant market size (minimum c. $100 million for SOM – serviceable obtainable market), attractive unit economics, and a credible ability to scale the business are all desirable.
  • Please make sure to include plausible projections that demonstrate an attractive potential return to investors.
• Common Good: Companies that have an impact on or are solving a problem for the common good will be given special consideration.
• Georgetown Connection: To be eligible, a Georgetown alumnus/a must be a founder, senior executive, board member, or significant investor in the business AND must be willing to be the pitch presenter during the competition in Puerto Rico

Companies will be evaluated by GAIN prize contributors and a panel of alumni judges. They will review the presentations and vote for the top candidate based on the following criteria: Opportunity, Team, Product/Service, Financials/Terms, and Marketing.

In 2019, GAIN pooled their capital for the first time to contribute to an investment prize for the winner of the Alumni Pitch Competition. This year’s competition marks the seventh year the competition will include a GAIN prize opportunity. Previous pitch competition winners received cash investment prizes from sponsors.

The GAIN Investment Prize is a joint initiative of the GEA and GAIN, both volunteer-led organizations chartered by the Georgetown University Alumni Association (GUAA) and affiliated with Georgetown University. Collectively, these groups serve as the event organizers for the Alumni Pitch Competition.

The GAIN Investment Prize is supported by individual Georgetown alumni who commit to invest in the winning company. By participating in this competition, you acknowledge the following:

1. Prize Composition and Funding: The GAIN Investment Prize consists of individual alumni investors who each agree in advance to invest a specific amount (minimum $5,000) in the winning company. These commitments support Georgetown’s entrepreneurial community, and each investor has agreed to fulfill their commitment without delay, conditions, or further due diligence. These commitments are not legally binding, and the organizers are not responsible if one or more individual investors fail to follow through on their commitment.
2. Entrepreneur Responsibility for Prize Collection: The investment prize may include up to 20 individual contributions of $5,000 each (in previous years, the number of investors has been about 12-15). GEA/GAIN will work with the winning company to share the list of investors. The company is responsible for contacting investors individually, signing investment documents, and arranging for the transfer of funds. After the transaction closes, the entrepreneur notifies GEA/GAIN of the final investors and the total investment amount received. Additionally, if the company elects to present to the larger GAIN network after the in-person pitch competition, then the investment will be combined into one close, allowing other investors to participate and simplify the close process.
3. Additional Time Commitment for the GAIN Pitch Cycle: Finalists and winners of the Alumni Pitch Competition may choose to participate in the GAIN virtual pitch cycle to pursue further investment. Doing so can require a significant amount of time and effort, including additional presentations to investors and answering extensive follow-up questions. While this may enhance exposure to potential investors, there is no guarantee that this added time commitment will result in further investment – but historical companies have received an average of $100-$300k additional investment from GAIN members. If you choose to participate in a subsequent pitch cycle, you agree to dedicate the necessary time without assurance of any additional investment.  
4. Timing: Following the Alumni Pitch Competition, it typically takes 5-10 weeks to complete the investment transaction and deliver funds to the winner. All investment transactions must be finalized within 120 days of selecting a winner; if not completed within this timeframe, the prize will not be awarded except at the sole discretion of individual investors.
5. Potential Variability in Prize Amount: If one or more investors do not fulfill their commitment or if there is an administrative error, the total prize amount the winning entrepreneur receives may be less than advertised. By entering the competition, you accept this potential risk and agree not to hold the organizers or any individual investors responsible for any shortfall.

By participating, you confirm that you understand and accept these terms.

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