Propel Your Entrepreneurial Journey at CTX!
The IncubatorCTX Pitch Perfect Competition offers a platform for entrepreneurial-minded students at CTX to present their innovative startup ideas, following the format of the acclaimed television series, Shark Thank.
During this exciting event, each participating team, consisting of 3-5 undergraduate or graduate students, will deliver a compelling pitch directly to a panel of experts and a live audience.
As an incentive for their hard work and ingenuity, the winning team will be granted a substantial award: a $2,000 CTX scholarship per member. This scholarship can be applied toward the tuition fees of the upcoming semester for on-ground MBA tuition, or M.Ed. courses. Undergraduate winners can save and apply their winnings to graduate programs for up to three years.
The IncubatorCTX Pitch Perfect Competition stands as a testament to the University's commitment to nurturing creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurship among its student body, and serves as a platform where bold ideas can thrive, and aspirations are empowered to soar.
Interested in pitching your groundbreaking business concept? Register now and join us in the pursuit of innovation and entrepreneurship!
Registration Form
“Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do.”
-Steve Jobs
Interested in sponsoring our Future Leaders?
Here are our sponsorship packages:
- Gold: $5,000
- Silver: $2,500
- Purple: $1,000
- Friends: $500
2024 IncubatorCTX Pitch Perfect Judges
Joseph Cope – Emcee
Empathy Expert and Speaker
Empathy expert Joseph Cope helps you feel the weight of Empathy with Intention. Thanks to his two decades of experience with the world’s most ornery and misunderstood population, teenagers, Joseph Cope has developed an unwavering calm, an insightful perspective, and a masterful skillset for the adults he works with today. By intentionally engaging in the practice of self-empathy with Joseph, you awaken untapped skills, nurture authentic bonds, and navigate even the most challenging of conflicts with newfound confidence and ease. Joseph and his wife Liz live in Austin with a delightful teen and tween of their own.
Kim Barnes - Judge
Founder, Barnes Team Media
Kim Barnes has spent more than 30 years on the air! Together with her former sportscaster husband Mike, the dynamic duo works as Barnes Team Media. The work with executives, entrepreneurs, speakers and small business owners who want to improve their on-camera presence for video and media interviews, as their presentation and communication skills. Kim was an award-winning reporter and news anchor for 15 years, including more than a decade at KVUE in Austin. Kim & Mike also founded Parenting Aging Parents, an online platform that provides content, connection and community to help adult children caring for aging parents. They worked with the Capstone class in Concordia’s MBA program on this project. Kim is a member of the Concordia Communication Advisory Board. She received her Bachelor of Journalism from the University of Texas at Austin.
Kristin McMinn - Judge
Vice President of Marketing, Pluckers Wing Bar
Kristin is the Vice President of Marketing for Pluckers Wing Bar, a restaurant chain headquartered in Austin, TX. In her role as Marketing VP, Kristin oversees all marketing, graphic design, sales, social media, and advertising for Pluckers. Kristin graduated from Concordia University with a BA in Communication. When she is not working, Kristin enjoys time with her husband, Brandon, and son, Samuel. Kristin has a deep love for Concordia University and is currently serving as the Alumni Council Chair.
Miles Miller - Judge
Senior Vice President, Bank of America Private Bank
Miles Miller has had a 30-plus year banking and investment career focusing primarily on business and transactions in central, south, and west Texas. His responsibilities include working directly with high-net-worth individuals, real estate developers, oil and gas operators, and technology start-ups; advising in structuring, underwriting, presenting, and negotiating complex credit opportunities. He has been with Dun and Bradstreet, Merrill Lynch, BBVA of America, Southside Bank, and currently Sr. Vice President with Bank of American Private Bank-US Trust. Miles’s non-bank business activities involve family agricultural operations in Crockett and Pecos counties of Texas. He and his wife have twin high school boys at Regents School of Austin. The family enjoys golf and following the boy’s baseball activities throughout the year. Miles received a B. S. in Economics and Finance from Texas A&M University.