Name: DSH Pitch
Start: 2026-06-24T00:00:00+00:00
End: 2026-12-15T23:59:00+00:00

DSH Pitch Competition is a global student pitch competition open to students aged 13+, hosted collaboratively by three youth-led organizations: DeltaForge Hacks, NextHorizon, and STEMise.

This event brings together young innovators from around the world to transform bold ideas into compelling solutions at the intersection of STEM and entrepreneurship. Participants will work individually or in teams to identify a real-world problem and pitch a STEM-driven venture concept — no working prototype required. Ideas may range from biotech startups addressing global health challenges, to sustainability-focused engineering solutions, to AI-powered platforms reimagining how we learn, work, or connect. Creativity, market insight, feasibility, and the strength of your vision will be central to evaluation. Feel free to work individually or in a team of 3 people at most.

You don't need to build it — you need to believe in it. DSH Pitch Competition is about giving every ambitious student a stage to turn their "what if" into a pitch that could change the world.

Requirements

Submission Requirement

Pitch Video - 3 minutes min and 5 minutes max. It is recommended that you go through your Pitch Deck in this video and explain your solution in detail.
Business Pitch Deck (PDF) - 10 slides max. Includes problem, solution, market, and vision.
One Page Executive Summary / Written Response (PDF) - A concise written overview of the venture idea — problem, solution, target market, and impact.

Prizes

Prize Pool for Winners

$100 in cash

$100 in AoPS giftcard

Judging Criteria

Problem & Impact Does the pitch clearly identify a real, significant problem? How meaningful and scalable is the potential impact?
Innovation & Creativity Is the idea original and non-obvious? Does it approach the problem in a fresh or unexpected way? Does it demonstrate creative thinking beyond conventional solutions?
Feasibility & Market Fit Is the solution realistically buildable or launchable? Is the target market clearly defined? Does the pitch demonstrate awareness of market competition and differentiation?
Pitch Quality Is the idea communicated clearly and compellingly? Is the pitch well-structured and easy to follow? Does the presented demonstrate confidence and passion?