Blab Business
Seton Hall University Announces 12th Annual Pirates Pitch Competition for High-School Students
Seton Hall University is calling on the next generation of entrepreneurs to showcase their ideas in its 12th‑year Pirates Pitch Competition. The event, modeled after “Shark Tank,” invites high‑school sophomores, juniors and seniors with a 3.0 GPA or higher to pitch a new business concept.
The competition will unfold on Friday, November 20 2026, from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Eastern Time in Jubilee Hall on the South Orange campus. For those who cannot attend in person, the full session will be streamed online.
Applicants may enter by submitting a written business proposal of 350 words or less, or by uploading a three‑minute video pitch to YouTube. The application deadline is Tuesday, October 20 2026; registration opened on Monday, August 31. A panel of Stillman School faculty and alumni entrepreneurs will sift through all entries and handpick ten finalists.
Each finalist will deliver a five‑minute presentation followed by a five‑minute Q&A with the judges. The prizes blend cash and scholarship support: first place receives $2,500 in cash and a $10,000 scholarship to Seton Hall; second place earns $1,000 cash and a $6,000 scholarship. Remaining finalists each receive a $4,000 scholarship, paid in $1,000 annual installments. An Audience Choice Award, worth $300, will be awarded to the finalist selected by audience votes from family, teachers and classmates.
Since its launch in 2015, the competition has grown steadily. The 2025 edition attracted more than 200 submissions from across the United States and abroad, and winners were announced in April 2025. Samantha Farrugia of Saint John Vianney High School won first place for Shield Her; Justin Deng of High Technology High School took second place for Thermo Track. Anna Lau of Staten Island Technical High School earned the Audience Choice Award for Snugshi, while Monica Raina of Jericho High School received an honorable mention for RateRight.
Other 2025 finalists included Hans Patel (TickerSphere), Logan Roskow (MoveMate), Morgan McNabb (Safeguard Band), Aarush Bolla (Upryt), Jacob Organ (Dry Socks), and Lucia Montoya‑Leyva (NeuroNav). The event is promoted as a platform for students to practice complex problem‑solving, critical thinking and emotional intelligence—skills highlighted by the World Economic Forum as essential for future success.
The competition is hosted by the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship within the Stillman School and is linked to the Buccino Leadership Institute’s Center for Leadership Development. It also serves as a recruiting and outreach tool for the Stillman School of Business, which is AACSB‑accredited and the only business school in northern New Jersey to hold accreditation for both accounting and business.
Prospective participants can find more information and submit their entries on the competition’s website at https://www.shu.edu/undergraduate-admissions/pirates-pitch-competition.html. For questions, contact Susan Scherreik Hynes at (973) 275‑2251 or Susan.Scherreik‑Hynes@shu.edu.
The 2026 Pirates Pitch Competition offers high‑school students a rare opportunity to gain real‑world entrepreneurial experience, network with business leaders, and potentially secure scholarships that could fund their college education. Registration remains open until the October 20 deadline, and the event will be broadcast live on November 20 for those who cannot attend in person.
The competition will unfold on Friday, November 20 2026, from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Eastern Time in Jubilee Hall on the South Orange campus. For those who cannot attend in person, the full session will be streamed online.
Applicants may enter by submitting a written business proposal of 350 words or less, or by uploading a three‑minute video pitch to YouTube. The application deadline is Tuesday, October 20 2026; registration opened on Monday, August 31. A panel of Stillman School faculty and alumni entrepreneurs will sift through all entries and handpick ten finalists.
Each finalist will deliver a five‑minute presentation followed by a five‑minute Q&A with the judges. The prizes blend cash and scholarship support: first place receives $2,500 in cash and a $10,000 scholarship to Seton Hall; second place earns $1,000 cash and a $6,000 scholarship. Remaining finalists each receive a $4,000 scholarship, paid in $1,000 annual installments. An Audience Choice Award, worth $300, will be awarded to the finalist selected by audience votes from family, teachers and classmates.
Since its launch in 2015, the competition has grown steadily. The 2025 edition attracted more than 200 submissions from across the United States and abroad, and winners were announced in April 2025. Samantha Farrugia of Saint John Vianney High School won first place for Shield Her; Justin Deng of High Technology High School took second place for Thermo Track. Anna Lau of Staten Island Technical High School earned the Audience Choice Award for Snugshi, while Monica Raina of Jericho High School received an honorable mention for RateRight.
Other 2025 finalists included Hans Patel (TickerSphere), Logan Roskow (MoveMate), Morgan McNabb (Safeguard Band), Aarush Bolla (Upryt), Jacob Organ (Dry Socks), and Lucia Montoya‑Leyva (NeuroNav). The event is promoted as a platform for students to practice complex problem‑solving, critical thinking and emotional intelligence—skills highlighted by the World Economic Forum as essential for future success.
The competition is hosted by the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship within the Stillman School and is linked to the Buccino Leadership Institute’s Center for Leadership Development. It also serves as a recruiting and outreach tool for the Stillman School of Business, which is AACSB‑accredited and the only business school in northern New Jersey to hold accreditation for both accounting and business.
Prospective participants can find more information and submit their entries on the competition’s website at https://www.shu.edu/undergraduate-admissions/pirates-pitch-competition.html. For questions, contact Susan Scherreik Hynes at (973) 275‑2251 or Susan.Scherreik‑Hynes@shu.edu.
The 2026 Pirates Pitch Competition offers high‑school students a rare opportunity to gain real‑world entrepreneurial experience, network with business leaders, and potentially secure scholarships that could fund their college education. Registration remains open until the October 20 deadline, and the event will be broadcast live on November 20 for those who cannot attend in person.
