Propeller & 4.0 Schools Open Applications for $10,000 Education Pitch

17 August 2016

2015 scores show the achievement gap has widened in the past four years across race, income, and special education. New Orleans needs your solutions more than ever.

NEW ORLEANS, LA (Aug. 16, 2016) – Propeller and 4.0 Schools announce that applications are now open for PitchNOLA: Education, a business pitch competition that will award $10,000 in total funding to entrepreneurial solutions to increase equitable educational outcomes for all New Orleanians.

Applicants who apply online before 11:59pm CST on September 12th will receive feedback to help strengthen their application in advance of the final deadline on September 27th.

A widening achievement gap, divided across lines of both race and income (NOLA.com), as well as high rates of youth unemployment indicate that there is still work to be done in making the gains of post-Katrina education reform accessible to all New Orleans youth. PitchNOLA: Education seeks concrete solutions to measurably improve educational outcomes for New Orleans’ most vulnerable student populations, as well as ideas with sustainable revenue streams, from maximizing funding streams for early childhood education to selling a product or service.

Non-profits, for-profits, individuals, and organizations are invited to apply. For existing for-profit companies and nonprofit organizations with over $50,000 in 2015 revenues, the proposed idea must be a new idea that is not currently implemented.

Interested applicants are encouraged to attend upcoming question and answer sessions on August 24th (5:30-6:30pm), August 30th (12-1pm), or September 8th (4:30-5:30pm) at the Propeller Incubator, 4035 Washington Ave.

Propeller will select 10 semi-finalists on the basis of potential social impact, financial sustainability, and viability. They will pitch their solutions in front of a panel of judges and over 200 audience members at the Propeller Incubator on November 3rd. Tickets are free and open to the public at Eventbrite.

ABOUT PITCHNOLA: EDUCATION
Now in its second year, PitchNOLA: Education 2016 is hosted by Propelle and 4.0 Schools and presented by the Walton Family Foundation, with support from the Patrick F. Taylor Foundation and the Kabacoff Family Foundation.

Media Contact:
Catherine Gans
(504) 302-3747
cgans@gopropeller.org

Propeller & 4.0 Schools Open Applications for $10,000 Education Pitch

Applications received by September 12 will receive feedback. Final application deadline: September 27.