Appalachian State BIG Stock Pitch Competition
A BIG Thank You to Dennis Covington for sponsoring this event!
What is Appalachian State’s BIG Stock Pitch Competition?
The Sustainable Horizons Stock Pitch Competition, hosted by the Bowden Investment Group (BIG) at Appalachian State University, invites participants to pitch compelling investment opportunities in companies poised for sustainable growth. This competition seeks businesses that demonstrate not only strong growth potential and long-term value creation but also a commitment to innovation, operational excellence, and responsible business practices.
We’re looking for companies that stand out within their industries, whether through cutting-edge technology, resource efficiency, or industry disruption, while positioning themselves for continued success. The focus is on identifying businesses that are shaping a resilient and prosperous future. If you believe a company is making a significant impact and can deliver impressive returns while embracing sustainable growth, we want to hear your pitch!
Each team will submit a slide deck for the initial round of judging. In the final round, the top three teams will be selected to present to an esteemed panel of judges via Zoom to compete for cash prizes paid to their universities.
2025 Important Dates:
March 16: Submission Deadline
March 21: The top three teams will be notified
March 28: The competition will take place at 2pm EST- consisting of the top three teams' presentations to a panel of judges and a distinguished guest speaker.
Rules:
Each team must be University sponsored.
Teams can be made up of between 2-5 students.
Maximum of two teams per school.
Select a stock that you believe presents an impressive return opportunity backed by fundamental analysis and risk assessment, including ESG considerations.
We encourage you to consider multiple valuation techniques (valuation is an important part of the evaluation).
The stock must have at least a $1 billion market capitalization.
The stock must have a minimum stock price of $5.
Each team will submit a slide deck to be judged.
Presentation Guidelines:
- The three finalists will be chosen to deliver a presentation on their submitted slide deck.
- Presentations will have a maximum time limit of 10 minutes.
- There will be a 10-minute period allotted for questions.
What will the process look like?
Each team will submit their slide deck by March 16th, 2025.
Each team will be notified via email if they are selected to move on to the next round by March 21st, 2025. They will also be notified if they are not selected. These teams are still invited to join us on the day of presentations via Zoom.
The three teams selected will be required to present their slides to a panel of three judges.
These three teams will each win a cash prize. The placement will be decided after the presentations.
We will have a keynote guest speaker while the judges deliberate
The placement will be shared with everyone present on Zoom.
Every team will be provided with feedback.
Common Questions:
How do I participate?
You will use the Google form above to submit your information and pitch deck by the deadline.
Who will be responsible for judging?
The judging of the slides in the first round will be conducted by the Bowden Investment Group. We will have an esteemed panel of judges judging the presentations of the top three teams.
How will each team's slides be judged?
Each slide deck will be judged on the company and industry overview, the investment thesis, the risk and ESG analysis, the valuation, and the overall presentation of the slide deck.
How will the top three teams' presentations be judged?
Further details will be provided to the selected teams.
What are the prizes?
Each of the three teams who are invited to present will receive one of three monetary prizes. First place will receive $750, second place will receive $500, and third place will receive $250. Monetary awards will be paid to the universities sponsoring the teams.
WiIl I receive feedback?
Yes! As students ourselves, we greatly value feedback. It is our goal to provide feedback to every team competing in this competition, this will be delivered by email.
How will the winner be announced?
The winner will be announced over Zoom after the judges deliberate.
Why should I join the competition Zoom call if my team was not chosen to present?
We are providing an incentive to every non-presenting participant who joins the Zoom call. Not only is it a great learning opportunity, but each person in attendance who is not presenting will be entered into a raffle to win a gift card!
Past Winners:
2024
1st Place: Whitworth University (RPRX)
2nd Place: Loras College (CVS)
3rd Place: East Tennessee State University (SKX)
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdGoztmzVx74XyQD1EBE4uQaBgXyflV0PGoJS7acHOXuIlxcQ/viewform