Brooklyn entrepreneurs will have a chance to compete for $450,000 in growth funding through a new business competition launched by the Social Justice Fund.
The Brooklyn Pitch Competition is open to businesses headquartered or primarily operating in Brooklyn with annual revenue between $1 million and $5 million. Between five and eight finalists will be selected through a competitive screening process. Judges will evaluate applicants based on revenue growth, innovation, job creation potential, economic impact in Brooklyn and their ability to execute expansion plans.
“Through the Brooklyn Pitch Competition, our goal is to elevate entrepreneurs who are actively shaping and strengthening the Brooklyn economy by expanding their access to growth capital,” said Gregg Bishop, executive director of the Social Justice Fund. “This initiative is about more than funding. It's about unlocking opportunity, bettering our neighborhoods and building a more equitable Brooklyn for everyone.”
The top prize winner will receive $150,000, while the remaining finalists will receive awards ranging from $25,000 to $75,000. The funding is intended to help businesses expand operations, hire employees and enter new markets.
Finalists also will receive support beyond grant funding, including introductions to investors, capital-matching opportunities, strategic advisory sessions and connections to procurement networks.
The competition expands the Social Justice Fund's ongoing efforts to increase access to capital for Brooklyn businesses. The organization has previously supported entrepreneurs through loan, equity and grant programs designed to make financing more accessible for growing companies.
By pairing direct funding with long-term business support, the initiative aims to help local companies scale while strengthening neighborhood economies across the borough. Organizers are targeting businesses that have already demonstrated growth and are positioned to create jobs and generate broader economic benefits in Brooklyn.
Applications opened June 1 and will be accepted through Sept. 4. Selected finalists will compete for funding and business development opportunities during the November event at Barclays Center.
