Athene Beyond Boundaries Business Summit Pitch Competition Application
2026 Pitch Competition Brought to you by our Exclusive Pitch Competition Partner
Benefits of Applying:
All pitch competition applicants are invited to attend the Athene Beyond Boundaries Business Summit on April 14-15 at the Sheraton Hotel in West Des Moines, Iowa. On April 14th, seven (7) of the top applicants will be asked to present their pitch in front of judges and have a chance to win thousands of dollars. In addition, we will select one (1) additional business to pitch on April 14th which will be chosen at random.
It is required that you must attend the full day of experiences, and networking on April 14th from 8:00 am – 5:00 pm to qualify to pitch your business at 2:00 pm in front of the judges and community for a chance to win. The celebration of pitch winners occurs on April 15th from 1:30 PM to 3:00 PM. Food and beverages will be provided. Over the past five years, winners have shared a monetary pot of $200,000 and everyone takes home a monetary prize. Good luck everyone!
Eligibility Requirements:
- For anyone & everyone to apply. Small businesses are encouraged to apply.
- Must be an established small business. (Organizations – whether product or service businesses – are defined as more than 2 years in business, under 50 employees and under $2.5M annual revenue.)
- This pitch is for-profit businesses only. No nonprofit pitches.
- Business does not have to be West Des Moines located. ANY business that meets the above requirements is welcome to compete.
- If you have received funds from the past three years at the Athene Beyond Boundaries Business Summit and to make room for new applicants, you are not able to apply for the 2026 event unless you were a ‘surprise fishbowl winner’ from a previous year.
Video Rules/Guidelines:
The video does not have to be professionally filmed and can be recorded on a phone or computer. Video cannot exceed 1 minute. If you already have a promo video for your business, you may use a 1-minute excerpt. Vimeo and YouTube video links are preferred. Please do not send the video as a file.
Application Deadline:
Both your written application and 1-minute promo video are DUE by 5:00 p.m. on February 2, 2026. NOTE: Incomplete or late applications will not be considered.
A $20 application fee must be submitted at the end of your application for it to be considered. Applicants not selected will receive a $20 flat-rate discount on event registration if they choose to attend, and one additional attending applicant will be selected as the 8th pitch contestant at the event.
