Startup St. Bernard Accepting Entries for 12th Annual Business Pitch Competition

SBEDF to host 2026 event at Nunez Community College 

ST. BERNARD PARISH, LA – Applications are now open for the 12th annual Startup St. Bernard pitch competition, presented by the St. Bernard Economic Development Foundation (SBEDF). Startup St. Bernard seeks out dedicated, enthusiastic entrepreneurs who want to grow their business to the next level. Entrepreneurs are invited to apply for the opportunity to pitch their business to a panel of judges. The entry period closes at 12:00 PM CT on July 10, 2026.

Three finalists will be selected to "pitch" their business to a panel of judges on August 20, 2026 at Nunez Community College. Each finalist will receive a cash prize of at least $5,000, with the grand prize winner taking home a mix of cash and in-kind services such as legal, accounting, marketing, and business consulting. Final prize details will be announced in the coming weeks.  Startup St. Bernard is open to any business that commits to establishing its base of operations in St. Bernard Parish for a minimum of two years, contributes meaningfully to the improvement of the parish, and actively participates in and supports the local entrepreneurial ecosystem. 

To qualify, entrants must be in business for five years or less or be an existing business creating a new division or entity, have yearly revenue under $1,000,000, and have five employees or fewer. Past Startup St. Bernard cash finalists, winners, and nonprofit organizations are not eligible to enter.  The Shark Tank-style public event is open to any business that meets the entry criteria and is passionate about joining St. Bernard Parish’s growing business community. Previous winners include 40 Arpent Brewing Company, Christie’s Dreams Seafood, Reactive Digital Systems, LLC, Clean Course Meals, Schmelly's Dirt Farm, CORE Louisiana Counseling & Recovery Center, Glass Half Full, Ceres Plant Protein Cereal, The Safety Pouch, Natural Wellness with Nurse April, and Limpiar.  Judges will score entries based on the quality of the business plans and how the startups will improve St. Bernard by creating jobs, investing capital into the parish, providing needed products or services to the region, and/or contributing to the growth of the core Startup St. Bernard sectors: sustainability, creative digital media, cultural arts/cultural economy, health and wellness, advanced manufacturing/value-added manufacturing, logistics, and the seafood industry. 

The application is now live at https://www.startupstbernard.com/enter.  

HOW IT WORKS

• Submit Your Business Plan Online 

Entrepreneurs must complete the entry form and submit a business plan at www.startupstbernard.com by 12:00 PM CT on July 10, 2026. 

• Committee Selects Semi-Finalists 

An independent, business-experienced selection committee will review submissions and select six semi-finalists for interviews with a separate interview panel. Applicants will be notified of their status on Monday, July 20, 2026. 

• Semi-Finalists Complete Interviews 

Semi-finalists will participate in an in-person interview with a separate interview committee on Friday, July 31, 2026. Based on interview scores, three finalists will be selected to pitch live at Startup St. Bernard. 

• Finalists Pitch Live for a Chance to Win 

Finalists will pitch their businesses to a panel of judges in a Shark Tank-style presentation format. The live public event will take place on Thursday, August 20 at Nunez Community College.   

Questions about the competition or entry criteria can be directed to contact@sbedf.org. 

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About St. Bernard Economic Development Foundation  St. Bernard Economic Development Foundation (SBEDF) is the official economic development organization and public-private partnership of St. Bernard Parish formed to create and retain jobs, build prosperity, and improve quality of life. To learn more about SBEDF and how the organization works to foster business attraction, retention and expansion, neighborhood revitalization, small business assistance, and talent and workforce development in St. Bernard Parish, sbedf.org.