Rules & Regulations

Eligibility

  • Participants must be 18 years of age or older. Applicants under 18 must be accompained by a legal guardian who must also be present and on stage during the pitch.

  • Your business must be an operating for-profit or nonprofit business. Eligible business types include sole proprietorships, LLCs, side hustles, weekend operations, and nonprofits.

  • Business must be able to demonstrate an active business model with customers, sales, or validated operations. Pure concept-stage/ideation businesses with no customers or sales history are no eligible.

  • Businesses must have at least 50% ownership by an enrolled tribal member.

  • Your business must be located on, operating on, or primarily serving customers within an indigenous reservation in the 4 Corners region. (New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, or Colorado).

  • Change Labs borrowers currently in the lending program are especially encouraged to apply. This contest is designed in part to support business growth and financial sustainability for entrepreneurs in our lending community.

  • Past applicants and past winners may reapply if they fit eligibly requirements. However, previously submitted pitch decks or videos may not be resubmitted. All materials must be new and original for this competition cycle.

  • The owner or founder of the business must be present in-person at the event in Shiprock, to deliver the pitch.

  • A maximum of 2 individuals may pitch on behalf of a single business.

Eligibility

How to Enter

Required Submission Materials

  • Complete the online application form on our website (HubSpot Form - link on nativestartup.org/pitch). All required fields must be filled out.

  • Submit a 3-minute pitch video that includes: your business name, loaction, type of business, your pitch, and your demonstrated ask. before deadline to be considered. All materials (online form + final pitch video) must be uploaded or submitted before the deadline to be considered.

  • If you have trouble submitting via the online form, email your video file & materials to holly@nativestartup.org. You may submit via:

    • Dropbox share link

    • WeTransfer link

    • Google Drive (set to “Anyone with the link can view”)

What Your Pitch Should Demonstrate

Your application should clearly show:

  • Validation of your existing business model

  • Your business solution — what problem you are solving and for whom

  • How your business works and makes money

  • Your customer and market

  • Your Team

  • What you will use the prize money for

Finalists Pitch Deck (PDF) — Required if Selected as Finalist

Finalists will be asked to submit a pitch deck (PDF, max 100MB, approximately 3 to 5 slides) covering the following. Submissions do not have to follow this order — organize it as best suits your story.

  • Company & Product Overview

    • Business name, history, founding date, and operation location

    • Business mission and vision

    • Goals and what you are seeking funding for

    • Your problem and solution

  • Market Opportunity & Growth Potential

    • Your customer segments and channels

    • Your value proposition

    • Competitive advantage and differentiation

  • Business Model & Revenue Strategy

    • How you make money today — your main revenue stream

    • Historical and projected revenue overview

  • Team

    • Founders, co-founders, full-time, and part-time employees, board members

    • Which team members will be on-site to pitch

    • Anything that makes your team great — we care about the people behind the business

  • Use of Funds

    • How will you use the prize money? Be specific.

Pitch Rules

  • Each finalist has a strict 3-minute time to deliver their pitch.

  • Pitches will be cut off at exactly 3:00 minutes.

  • A maximum of 2 individuals may pitch on behalf of a single business.

  • Judges will have an opportunity to ask questions following each pitch. Q&A time is separate from the 3 min pitch window.

  • Practice and time yourself before the event.

Finalist Notification

  • Up to 8 finalists will be selected by the Change Labs team. Finalists will be notified in advance of the event and provided a detailed overview of presentation expectations, logistics, and the event schedule. Your in-person pitch does not have to be identical to your application video.

Submission Timeline

Application Opens - April 1st, 2026

Grant of License/Publicity Waiver

‍‍By entering this Contest and in consideration for the same, the entrant grants Change Labs  an irrevocable, non-exclusive, perpetual, royalty-free, worldwide license to broadcast, publish, store, reproduce, distribute, syndicate, and otherwise use and exhibit the Submission (along with their names and/or likenesses) in all media now known and later come into being. The entrant represents and warrants that they have full legal right, power and authority to grant Change Labs the foregoing license. The entrant agrees to sign documents deemed necessary by Change Labs to confirm and document the license. The license granted pursuant to this paragraph does not divest the entrant of ownership of the Contest submission.

Entrant consents to Change Labs capturing their likeness in photographs, video, and audio recordings.  Entrant grants to Change Labs an irrevocable, worldwide, royalty-free license to utilize, adapt, modify, reproduce, distribute, publicly perform and display the photographs, video, and/or audio (collectively "Media") taken of entrant for use in promotional, educational, informational, advertising or commercial materials and communications in any form now known or later developed. Entrant further consents to  the use of their name, image, likeness, and voice (collectively, "Likeness") in the Media for all Materials or any other purposes deemed appropriate by Change Labs. Entrant waives any right to be notified or to inspect or approve the Media or any Materials that are created using their Likeness, now or in the future.  Entrant agrees to sign any documents deemed necessary by Change Labs to confirm permission and authorization.

Waiver of Liability

‍‍By participating, the entrant agrees to waive, release, hold harmless, and indemnify Change Labs; its current and former officers, directors, owners, employees, agents, representatives, affiliates; and the judges (“Released Parties”) from and against any and all liability or causes of action (however named or described) and for any injuries, losses, and/or damages caused by or resulting from entry or participation in this Contest, including without limitation: (1) any incorrect or inaccurate information, whether caused by entrants, any Released Party, printing errors, by any of the equipment or programming associated with or utilized in the Contest; (2) technical failures of any kind, including but not limited to malfunctions, interruptions, or disconnections in phone lines or network hardware or software; (3) unauthorized human intervention in any part of the entry process or the Contest; (4) technical or human error that may occur in the administration of the Contest or the processing of entries; or (5) any injury or damage to persons or property that may be caused, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, from entrant’s participation in the Contest. If for any reason an entrant’s entry is confirmed to have been erroneously deleted, lost, or otherwise destroyed or corrupted, entrants' sole remedy is another entry in the Contest during the entry period. Released Parties are not responsible for any expenses incurred by entrants in connection with participation in this Contest.

Confidentiality

‍‍‍All entrants should be aware that finalists’ pitches will be presented in a public forum. Confidentiality is not guaranteed in any way. Applicants should exclude sensitive or confidential information from their pitches and not include confidential material in their applications or submissions. Change Labs is not responsible for any confidentiality issues that may occur during the course of the competition.

Privacy

These Official Rules will govern the privacy relationship between Change Labs and the Entrants. Entrants understand that if during the registration process of the Contest, Entrants have elected to opt-in to the sharing of their information with the event attendees, the Entrant has consented to allow Change Labs to share their personal information with these third-parties.

Modification of Contest Rules and/or Contest Termination

Change Labs reserves the right to modify any term of this Contest and these rules at any time at Change Labs’s sole discretion. Change Labs reserves the right to cancel, suspend, and/or modify the Contest, or any part of it, if any fraud, technical failures, or any other factor beyond Change Labs’s reasonable control impairs the integrity or proper functioning of the Contest, as determined by Change Labs in its sole discretion. In such event, Change Labs reserves the right to award the prizes from among the eligible entries received up to the time of the impairment.

Law

This Contest shall be conducted in accordance with the laws of the State of New Mexico. All disputes concerning these terms and Contest shall be adjudicated in the federal and state courts having jurisdiction over Shiprock, New Mexico, USA.

Disqualification/Ineligibility

Any attempt to enter this Contest in a manner other than in compliance with and as provided in these rules shall be VOID. Entries received from persons not meeting eligibility requirements will be disqualified. Change Labs is not responsible for lost, late, incomplete, invalid, unintelligible, or misdirected entries, all of which will be disqualified.

Change Labs has the sole discretion to disqualify and/or remove any individual for any reason that it deems appropriate before and/or during the pitch competition. All decisions regarding an individual’s removal and/or disqualification from the pitch competition are final.

A DONATION WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. This Contest is subject to all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. Participation constitutes full and unconditional agreement to these rules and Change Labs and its and judges’ decisions, which are final and binding in all matters related to the Contest. Winning a prize is contingent upon fulfilling all requirements set forth herein and is not guaranteed.

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Questions? Contact Holly Patterson at holly@nativestartup.org | nativestartup.org/pitch | Change Labs E-Ship Hub | Shiprock, NM

Application Deadline - May 10th, 2026 11:00pm MDT/10:00 pm (Phoenix Time)

Finalists Notification - May 22nd, 2026

Finalists Materials Submission Deadline - June 20th, 2026 11:00pm MDT/10:00pm (Phoenix Time)

Event Day - June 27th, 2026 12:00pm MDT/11:00am (Phoenix Time)

Judging Criteria: Total 10 points each; 50 points

Problem & Solution Fit

Does the entrepreneur clearly describe the problem and how their solution addresses it?

Business Model & Revenue

Is the way they make money clear and realistic? Is the plan sustainable?

Market Understanding

Do they know who their customers are? Do they understand their competition?

Community Impact

Does the business serve or benefit their indigenous community? Is there a clear connection to local needs in the 4 Corners region?

Presentation & Confidence

Is the pitch polished and compelling? Did they manage time well and tell a cohesive story?

Awards

  • 1st Place — $6,000.00 check prize

  • 2nd Place — $4,000.00 check prize

  • 3rd Place — $3,000.00 check prize

  • Audience Choice — $3,000.00 check prize (voted by event attendees; finalists cannot win both a judge prize, audience choice award and/or finalist honorarium)

  • Remaining finalists — $800 each (4 remaining finalists)

  • Total Prize Pool — $20,000.00

Finalists will need to complete a W-9 for prize money to dispensed to them.

Winner Notification & Prize Distribution

Winners will be announced live at the Change Labs E-ship Hub in Shiprock, NM on Saturday, June 27th, 2026. All potential winners are subjected to eligibility verification. Upon vertificaiton, prizes will be awarded no later than 30 days following the event. Prizes are non-transferable and in check form to the owner. All federal, state, and local taxes associated with prize winnings are the sole responsibility of the winner.

Finalists Responsibilities

  • Finalists must be present in person in Shiprock, NM on June 27, 2026. Inability to attend forfeits the finalist’s place in the competition.

  • Finalists are responsible for their own travel and lodging expenses.

  • Upon request finalists must provide promotional assets including but not limited: business logo, headshot, and bio.

  • Stories and posts about finalists and prize winners may be published on Change Labs’ website and social media channels.

Submission Rules & Legal

  • The context application period opens and closes on dates published at nativestartup.org/pitch. All applications must be submitted before the posted deadline.

  • Change Labs may publish articles about submissions, including those not selected as finalists. By submitting, you grant Change Labs the right to publish that you’ve entered Pitch Your Hustle and to link to your business’s website and social media.

  • Your submission will be shared with the review panel, judges, and relevant Change Labs staff and partners. By applying, you consent to Change Labs sharing your information with it’s sponsors, contractors, and agents for purposes of conducting the competition.

  • Entrants warrant that they own all right, includiing intellectual property rights, in all submitted materials.

  • Change Labs has sole discretion to disqualify any applicant or finalists for any reason deemed appropriate. All decisions are final.

  • A DONATION WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. This contest is subject to all applicable federal, state, and local laws. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.