The IdeAction Global Pitch Competition is a biannual online competition run by the Leadership & Innovation Lab (LIL) that gives high school students worldwide a platform to pitch their ventures and projects for real funding. Participants submit a recorded video pitch of 10 minutes or less presenting their business, nonprofit, or other project to the LIL Venture Fund (LVF). No prior pitching or business experience is required.
How it works:
The competition page describes Spring and Fall funding cycles but permits registration only when a cycle is open. This does not establish a future opening date. To enter, students complete a registration form and email their recorded video pitch before the cycle deadline. LIL provides a pitch deck template and crash course guide to support all participants regardless of experience level.
What you can pitch:
Entries are open to businesses, nonprofit organizations, and other signature projects. Both solo participants and teams are welcome.
Awards:
Winners receive venture capital grants from the LIL Venture Fund. Grant amounts are determined per cycle and are not publicly listed in advance. Winners are announced and recognized at LIL's biannual Student Research and Innovation Showcase.
Published cycle and source limits:
The competition page still gives September 30, 2026 as its Fall cutoff, with conditional wording about accepting entries only during open cycles. That date is historical; current intake status and the next cycle are not confirmed. Its linked registration DOCX is older: labeled September 2025, it gives an October 10, 2025 cutoff and a 2025–26 school-year field. No current free-entry policy or fee amount is explicitly stated.
Checked November 4, 2026 against the official competition page and linked registration document. The Showcase page and separate Club Fair describe events and award announcements; their dates and free attendance do not establish a new competition deadline or entry-fee waiver.