Verde Valley News – Yavapai College Small Business Development Center (SBDC) and Moonshot are excited to announce a bigger and better Moonshot Rural Arizona Pitch Competition for 2025. This entrepreneurship shark-tank like contest is coming back to Yavapai County as part of the 6th annual event series.
Free to participate, entrepreneurs with a start-up idea or seasoned founders looking to expand, all are encouraged to participate. This competition is a great way to perfect your pitch, build confidence, access capital, network with other founders, and prepare for future growth.
As a six-year partner of the event series, Ruth Ellen Elinski, Center Director for the Yavapai College SBDC, has seen the long-term economic impact Moonshot participants have contributed. “By far one of my favorite events of the year, we see just monumental change in these founders. They are definitely stronger business owners as a result. It’s such a valuable experience whether they take home the top prize or not.”
In past competitions, two Yavapai County based businesses took home the top prize of $10,000. Both Elaine O’Connor, owner of Prescott Bark in 2022 and Katie Dufort, owner of Puzzle Rides Prescott in 2024 who worked closely with the SBDC, demonstrated future scalability, job creation, and financial stability winning over the panel of judges and earning first place overall.
For 2025, Moonshot is expanding the pitch tour into 20 communities across rural Arizona. The Yavapai College SBDC will be working with entrepreneurs and supporting pitch events in Wickenburg (4/17), Quad Cities (4/24), and Verde Valley (5/15).
Entrants receive coaching, training, business education, and pitch practice opportunities from the expert team of certified business analysts at the Yavapai College SBDC. No cost, confidential coaching and mentorship is offered for each participant for the events as well as ongoing after the pitch tour is over. The final state competition will be held in Prescott on October 18th, 2025.
Online registration to participate for the Moonshot Rural Pitch Tour is available at: www.moonshotazpitch.com/sign-up
Local cash prize packages for the top three winners in each community are made possible through area sponsors including title sponsorship from Desert Financial Credit Union as well as several local businesses, and community partners.
About Yavapai College SBDC: YCSBDC offers no cost, one on one, confidential consulting and educational training to business owners and entrepreneurs throughout Yavapai County. With expertise to help you grow and expand your business, the SBDC team of experts provides access to a wide variety of tools and resources to strengthen your business.
About Moonshot: Moonshot is an entrepreneur development program that promotes the creation and sustainable growth of local business. It offers multi-track programs to help businesses become ready for the market as well as entrepreneurship mentoring, speaker series and community events. www.moonshotaz.com
