Active-duty members of the military, veterans, and their spouses who think they’ve come up with the next hula hoop or paper clip are invited to pitch their business ideas at the second annual Blake Family Military & Veterans Pitch Competition. Entrepreneurs with the most compelling pitches will be awarded cash prizes of $10,000, $7,500, $5,000 and $2,500.
The event was made possible by a gift from Frank and Jennifer Blake, both members of the class of 2000. Frank, a Bronze Star recipient, commissioned as a second lieutenant through Clemson’s Army ROTC program, rose to the rank of captain and was honorably discharged in 2004. He is currently the Regional Vice President for New England for The Home Depot. The Blakes aim to highlight Clemson’s ongoing commitment to service, leadership and innovation through the competition, with hopes of empowering the next generation of military-connected entrepreneurs.
The competition is housed in the Brook T. Smith Launchpad, the epicenter of entrepreneurship at Clemson. It is open to C Corps, S Corps and LLCs with at least one founder who is active duty, an active ROTC cadet, in the Reserves or National Guard, a veteran or a military spouse.
Applicants submit an idea, a pitch deck and a short video. A group of mentors evaluates applications and selects 10 finalists. Finalists receive mentorship from serial entrepreneurs before traveling to Clemson for additional preparation, networking and the competition.
Jeff Goff, a former U.S. Marine officer and founder of Natur Athletics Shoe Co., which builds performance footwear designed to allow young athletes’ feet to develop, came in second place at last year’s event, and the prize money changed the course of his company.
“I am extremely grateful to the Blake family and to Clemson University for hosting the Veteran Pitch Competition. The experience I had at Clemson was one I will never forget, and the prize I won at the competition came at just the right time,” says Goff.
The pitch competition came at a critical time for Natur Athletics, which was struggling to stay afloat due to tariff pressures on its supply chain.
“God made a way through the Blake Family veterans’ pitch competition. We got second place, and the critical runway was extended.”
The competition is open nationwide, and last year’s ten finalists made an impressive and highly entertaining lineup for the day of the competition. In addition to Goff’s innovative shoes, there were pitches for performance ruck marching socks (the winner), a mechanical rehabilitation system, and a service that digitizes old photos, videos and film, to name just three. No Clemson-connected entrepreneurs submitted to the first competition, so Clemson University student veterans and ROTC cadets are encouraged to apply.
Whether applicants win one of the cash prizes or not, they get exposure to venture capitalists, angel investors and other funders and leave the competition with valuable networking opportunities.
This year’s competition takes place on Friday, November 6.
