Five small businesses in the UK and Ireland will each receive a £4,000 grant, mentoring and business support in a new competition from Canva.
The visual communication platform has launched the Small Business Pitch Challenge for existing entrepreneurs as well as those with a side hustle or just an idea.
Alongside the funding and support, winners will also get to host an event at Canva’s London office.
Lorna Bladen, small business community manager at Canva, said:
“At Canva, community has always been at the heart of everything we do. We know how challenging it can be to turn a great idea into a growing business, especially when you’re just getting started.
“That’s why we’re creating more opportunities for founders to share their stories, connect with other entrepreneurs and access the support they need to grow with confidence.
“We know how hard it can be to get your idea noticed. Through the Small Business Pitch Challenge, we’re excited to help founders share their stories, access funding and connect with a community that’s cheering them on every step of the way.”
Applications are open until 12 July here.
Entries will be judged on criteria including strength of the idea, growth potential and clarity of the pitch.
The judges are Jason Gibb from Bread & Jam, Lamees Butt from RISER, Charlotte Broadbent from Faire, serial entrepreneur Bejay Melunga MBE, Martha Keith from Business Secrets Club, AJ Brinnand from Intuit Mailchimp and Joe Glover from The Marketing Meetup.