A major highlight of the weekend was the HBCU Magic City Classic Pitch Competition, which brought together 40 teams from 10 Alabama HBCUs to showcase their entrepreneurial ideas. Each team began by submitting a 3-minute video pitch, and after a rigorous evaluation process, the top 10 teams advanced to the in-person Pitch Training Workshop at Innovation Depot on October 24. There, participants received targeted coaching on MVP Development, Business Financing, and Pitching, gaining valuable feedback from mentors and industry experts before advancing to the semi-final round. After presenting their pitches again, the field was narrowed to the top five teams, who moved on to the Pitch Finale at Top Golf Birmingham on October 25.
The distinguished panel of judges awarded funding to the top three teams, marking a significant milestone in their entrepreneurial journeys:
- First Place: Team Thrive from Alabama A&M University – $10,000
- Second Place: MyFocusPal from Stillman College – $3,000
- Third Place: FurFinds from Tuskegee University – $2,000
- Honorable Mentions: Fashion Fusion Lab from Alabama A&M University and MILO from Talladega College – $500 each
These winning teams will continue to receive mentorship and resources from The Alabama Collective to help bring their innovative visions to life.
