RIT Center for Urban Entrepreneurship

04/10/2026

🚨 Finger Lakes Nine County Region small business owners—don’t miss this. 🚨

Ready to take your business to the next level this fall?

🔥 ROC the Pitch applications are OPEN! 🔥

We’re selecting just 8 teams for an exclusive opportunity to:
🎤 Sharpen your pitch with expert training
💡 Get real feedback from seasoned judges
💰 Compete for $25,000 in funding

This is your chance to step onto a real stage, tell your story, and win real capital.

⏰ Applications close May 31st at 5:00 PM

Please submit to [email protected] no later than 5:00 pm by May 31st.
Proof of residency
Business Plan
Proof of Revenue (2024/2025 tax returns)

Apply now:
https://www.rit.edu/cue/roc-pitch-application

04/03/2026

🚨 Small business owners in the Finger Lakes region—this is your moment. 🚨

Ready to grow your business this fall?

🔥 ROC the Pitch applications are OPEN! 🔥

We’re selecting just 8 teams for an exclusive experience that includes:
🎤 Expert pitch training
💡 Feedback from expert judges
💰 A shot at $25,000 in funding

If you’ve been waiting for the right stage to tell your story and compete for real capital, this is it!

📌 Limited spots. Big opportunity.
👀 Follow us so you don’t miss the application drop

Apply here:
https://www.rit.edu/cue/roc-pitch-application

09/16/2025

Aspiring entrepreneurs: Do you dream of launching a tech company? Get the support you need to move from ideation to a viable startup. Apply for a startup scholarship with NextCorps, made possible by funding from M&T Bank. Ten startup scholarship recipients will receive one year of incubation services for just $25 a month (valued at $275/month for a total savings of $3,000). Applications open after the info session on 9/22.

Learn more: https://nextcorps.org/startup-scholarship/
Sign up for the 9/22 info session: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/nextcorps-startup-scholarship-info-session-tickets-1596252717849

Turn your idea into a software startup in just one weekend. It's possible at the AI Startup Jam, happening 10/24-26 at NextCorps. Powered by the Springboard Prize Competition and supported by the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation, this event will give you the tools to rapidly prototype your idea using AI, no coding or technical experience required. Collaborate, create, and wrap up the weekend with the chance to pitch for cash prizes and in-kind support. Applications open following the info session on 9/24. Get ready to build something big. 🚀
Learn more about the Jam: https://nextcorps.org/ai-startup-jam-2025/
Sign up for the 9/24 info session: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ai-startup-jam-info-session-tickets-1607831881439

09/04/2025

https://nextcorps.org/partner-spotlight-rit-center-for-urban-entrepreneurship/

Discover how RIT’s Center for Urban Entrepreneurship supports Rochester’s small businesses with tailored mentorship, education, and more.

08/18/2025

We are honored to welcome Maisha Beard as this year’s host for ROC the Pitch!

Maisha has previously served as a pitch judge in our competition, and we are thrilled to have her return to the stage in a new role, bringing her signature energy, power, and purpose as our EMCEE for the event.

Maisha Beard serves audiences as a transformational speaker, voice artist, and purpose-driven advocate. Through her soul-led work as founder of The Maisha Experience and Mai’Mission Inc. (currently in its blossoming phase), she elevates sacred conversations around breast and prostate health and empowers entrepreneurs, while amplifying brands through her voice-over artistry.

With a Master’s in English/Creative Writing and more than 30 years in the beauty industry, Maisha brings heart, soul, Spirit, and intentionality to every space she enters.

She has been recognized as:

An Inaugural Rochester Business Journal Women of Impact honoree

Voices of Black Women Ambassador

Cover Woman for Rochester Women’s Magazine

2024 EMCEE for the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk

Maisha is truly a beacon of light known for sparking transformation wherever she goes.

Maisha Beard is:

A transformational speaker and facilitator who inspires healing, purpose, and prosperity

A voice artist who activates warmth, power, and resonance

A published author who uses sacred storytelling to inspire wholeness and liberation

We are grateful to have Maisha lead us through this year’s competition with excellence. Her presence will elevate every moment of ROC the Pitch!

Purchase your tickets today!
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1493378809219?aff=oddtdtcreator

08/18/2025

This year’s competition is incredibly special as we honor the life and legacy of our beloved judge and business coach, Richard Notargiacomo, who passed on May 3rd. Richard was more than a judge, he was a mentor, a champion of entrepreneurs, and a friend to so many in our Rochester business community. His impact continues to live on in every dream that takes flight through ROC the Pitch. This year, the finalist compete in his honor.

We are proud to introduce our 2025 panel of ROC the Pitch judges (from left to right):

Yasmin Mattox
Director of the Barbara J Burger iZone Program at the University of Rochester

James Eilertsen
Director, Intellectual Property and Management Office RIT

Yahaira Zapata
Deputy Director of Economic Development – NY, PathStone Enterprise Center

Ryne Raffaelle
Vice President for Research, Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT)

Bob Cieslica
Business & Professional Banking Regional Manager, M&T Bank

Please join us in celebrating these incredible leaders for lending their expertise, time, and passion to our 5th Annual ROC the Pitch Competition. And to Richard, not only do we remember you, we honor you with every pitch and every opportunity created through this competition.

Tickets are selling fast! Purchase your today!
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1493378809219?aff=oddtdtcreator

08/11/2025

The Countdown is ON!

Join us for the 5th Annual ROC the Pitch Competition, where Rochester’s most innovative entrepreneurs take the stage to battle it out for the win.

📅 Date: Wednesday, August 28th
📍 Location: Hyatt Regency Rochester Hotel
⏰ Time: Registration at 4:30 PM | Networking kicks off at 5:00 PM

Meet the 2025 Finalists

Business Finalists

✨MindfulWarrior Training

✨Experience Studio™

✨Legacy Drama House

Student Finalists

✨Rapid3D Hub

✨PRTY

✨ChallkBar

✨Spotlight Creators, LLC

Why You Should Be There:

Witness game-changing pitches live

Network with Rochester’s movers & shakers

Be inspired by the next wave of business leaders

Secure your spot now: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1493378809219?aff=oddtdtcreator

Let’s cheer them on and see who takes the crown.

07/28/2025

🎓 Meet Our Student Finalists!
Get ready to be inspired by these innovative student entrepreneurs who are transforming ideas into impact this year at the ROC the Pitch Competition! August 28th at the Hyatt Regency Rochester Hotel.

Yajna Pandith – Founder of Rapid3D Hub (RIT)
Yajna is an MS Computer Science student at RIT and the founder of Rapid3D Hub, a platform that makes 3D printing fast and easy for student creators and local startups. With a user-friendly ordering system and a network of reliable print partners, her venture turns digital designs into real parts in just 48 hours.

Rylan Ganeko - Spotlight Creators, LLC (RIT)
Spotlight Creators is reimagining how artists share their work in a world dominated by algorithms and AI. This digital platform helps visual artists stay authentic, showcase their creative process, connect with their audience, and promote events, all while building sustainable careers.

Aakash, Naod, Samuel, and Kebron - PRTY (RIT, U of R)
PRTY is a social event platform built for college students to easily find and attend parties, club events, and campus gatherings. With .edu email verification and helpful tools for hosts, PRTY is reshaping how students connect and celebrate, starting on campus and scaling beyond.

Brennan Conn – ChallkBar (St. John Fisher College)
Brennan’s invention, ChallkBar, is a new way for climbers to apply chalk mid-climb without stopping. This clip-on device delivers liquid chalk with a quick swipe, improving grip and performance. Developed with 3D printers on campus, ChallkBar is climbing innovation at its finest.

Purchase your ticket here to support these Student Innovators!
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1493378809219?aff=oddtdtcreator

07/28/2025

07/25/2025

As we celebrate the 5th Annual Pitch Competition, I’m beyond excited to introduce our standout business finalists. Each one is a reflection of vision, resilience, and innovation in our community. These entrepreneurs aren’t just building businesses. They’re building impact.

Alexis Russell, Antwan Russell, and Jamal Henderson | Experience Studio™
At the heart of Rochester’s creative economy is Experience Studio™, an experience incubator and multimedia production hub co-founded by this dynamic trio. From high-tech studio rentals to immersive learning spaces, they’ve created a powerhouse that supports creators, entrepreneurs, and dreamers across Western New York and beyond. Since 2018, they’ve helped birth bold ideas, nurture local talent, and build a community where collaboration meets culture. Their space isn’t just for content. It’s where vision turns into movement.

Dr. Mary Bisbee-Burrows | The Legacy Drama House
What started as a neighborhood venue has become a cultural landmark in the Beechwood area. The Legacy Drama House is more than a building. It’s a living, breathing expression of joy, community, and empowerment. Led by Dr. Mary Bisbee-Burrows and her visionary sisters, this space hosts everything from weddings and concerts to voter registration drives and economic empowerment conferences. For over seven years, they’ve made it a home for memories, a haven for creatives, and a heartbeat for social change.

Massie Scott | MindfulWarrior Training
When fitness meets purpose, you get MindfulWarrior Training. Founded by Massie Scott, this business is rooted in mindset, mental health, and true transformation. His personal journey fuels a mission to help others reach physical goals while building inner strength. From body recomposition coaching to all-natural products like “Muscle Butter” and branded hoodies, Massie isn’t just training bodies. He’s mentoring warriors. His authenticity, discipline, and transparency make this more than a business. It’s a movement.

Join us to witness these powerful pitches live
Purchase your tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1493378809219?aff=oddtdtcreator

07/18/2025

Rochester, it's time to ROC the Pitch!

Join us for the 5th Annual ROC the Pitch Competition on Wednesday, August 28, from 5:00 PM to 9:30 PM at the Hyatt Regency Rochester Hotel. (4:30 registration)

We’re proud to spotlight this year’s innovative and inspiring finalists:

Business Finalists

MindfulWarrior Training

Experience Studio™

Legacy Drama House

Student Finalists

Rapid3D Hub

PRTY

ChallkBar

Spotlight Creators, LLC

These incredible founders and student entrepreneurs will pitch their ventures to a panel of expert judges for the chance to win funding and community support.

This event is brought to you in partnership with:

Barbara J. Burger iZone at the University of Rochester

St. John Fisher University School of Business

With generous support from:

Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT)

M&T Bank

Canandaigua National Bank (CNB)

University of Rochester

St. John Fisher University

Tickets are on sale now!
Come out and support Rochester's next generation of innovators:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/roc-the-pitch-2025-tickets-1493378809219?utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=listing&utm-source=cp&aff=ebdsshcopyurl

Let’s rally together and ROC the Pitch!