Enter Seton Hall's $50k Pirates Pitch for High School Students Startup Competition

Are you a high school student interested in launching your own business or already a startup entrepreneur? If so, you are invited to participate in the 12th annual Pirates Pitch Competition for High School Students, hosted by the Center of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the Stillman School of Business.  

This exciting competition will take place from 3 to 6 p.m. ET, Friday, November 20th, at Seton Hall University’s Jubilee Hall. The top 10 Finalists selected will compete for $50,000 in cash prizes and scholarships.  The competition is open to high school sophomores, juniors and seniors with a GPA of 3.0 or higher. To enter, students submit a business proposal of 350 words or less describing an innovative product or service they’d like to develop or share details about a startup that has already launched. As an alternative, applicants may submit a three-minute video pitch on YouTube. Registration is currently open, with the scheduled submission deadline set for Tuesday, October 20, 2026.  

A panel of judges consisting of faculty members and successful alumni entrepreneurs will select the winners in the finalist round of the competition on Nov. 20. Finalists will deliver a five-minute pitch followed by a five-minute Q&A session with judges.  Family members, teachers and classmates invited to attend and vote for their favorite finalist to receive the Audience Choice Award. The contest will also be livestreamed. 

Prizes:

The first-place winner will receive a $2,500 cash award as well as a $10,000 scholarship to Seton Hall University. The second-place winner will earn a $1,000 cash award and $6,000 scholarship, while all other finalists will each be awarded a $4,000 scholarship ($1,000 annually). Additionally, a $300 Audience Choice Award will be presented. 

This “Shark Tank” style competition immerses students in the world of entrepreneurship, offering valuable experience as they learn how to identify business opportunities and deliver persuasive pitches. Last year’s Pirates Pitch competition received more than 200 submissions from the U.S. as well as foreign countries; this year’s competition promises to be just as competitive.  

2025 Winners:  

• 1st place: Samantha Farrugia, a senior from Colts Neck, NJ, attending Saint John Vianney High School 
  Business Idea: Shield Her 
• 2nd place: Justin Deng, a sophomore from Morganville, NJ, attending High Technology High School 
  Business Idea: Thermo Track 
• Audience Choice Award: Anna Lau, a sophomore from Staten Island, NY, attending Staten Island Technical Hish School 
  Business Idea: Snugshi 
• Honorable Mention: Monica Raina, a sophomore from Syosset, NY, attending Jericho High School 
  Business Idea: RateRight 

Other Finalists Included:  

• Hans Patel, junior from River Edge, NJ (Bergen County Technical High School). Startup Idea: TickerSphere  
• Logan Roskow, senior from Waverly, NY (Waverly High School). Startup Idea: MoveMate  
• Morgan McNabb, senior from Beachwood, NJ (Toms River South High School). Business Idea: Safeguard Band  
• Aarush Bolla, junior from Edison, NJ (John P. Stevens High School). Business Idea: Upryt  
• Jacob Organ, junior from Park Ridge, NJ (Park Ridge High School). Business Idea: Dry Socks  
• Lucia Montoya-Leyva, junior from Berkeley Heights, NJ (Union County Academy of Information Technology). Business Idea: NeuroNav 

Seton Hall’s Pirates Pitch Competition for High School Students helps develop and showcase entrepreneurial skills that align with the World Economic Forum’s list of top skills needed for success, including complex problem-solving, critical thinking and emotional intelligence. This competition also serves as an introduction to the Stillman School of Business, its Center of Innovation and Entrepreneurship and the nationally ranked Center for Leadership Development within the Buccino Leadership Institute.

Categories: Business, Community Engagement