HBCU Founders Initiative - Pitch Competition

The Delaware Technical Innovation Program provides transition grants to companies that have progressed through Phase I and applied for Phase II of the federal Small Business Innovation Research or Small Business Technology Transfer programs. The maximum grant amount is $50,000 and can be put toward scientific research, market research, product planning and development, and more.

The Non-Trade Apprenticeship Expansion Grant Program was created to support the expansion of Non-Trade/Non-Traditional Registered Apprenticeship Programs. The program helps organizations pay for the design and development of new and innovative apprenticeship tracks by providing reimbursement for eligible planning activities and costs up to $25,000.

The Build with Gemini XPRIZE is a 90-day hackathon that awards $2 million in total prize money across 25 winners to entrepreneurs, teams, and small organizations who build a real AI-powered business during the competition window. Sponsored by XPRIZE and powered by Google, with administrative support from Devpost, the competition was launched at Google I/O and challenges entrants to pick a problem worth solving, launch a real business, acquire real users, and generate real revenue within a 90-day window, all while running their business operations through AI. Submissions must fall within one of five categories: Education and Human Potential, Entrepreneurship and Job Creation, Small Business Services, Money and Financial Access, and Professional Services Access. Each project must use at least one Google Cloud product, and any project incorporating large language model functionality must use the Gemini API for at least one LLM call in the deployed application. The prize pool is structured into a 1st place award of $500,000, a 2nd place award of $200,000, three awards of $100,000 each for 3rd through 5th place, fifteen Runner-Up awards of $50,000 each, and five Category Prizes of $50,000 each (one per category). The competition is open to individuals who are at least the age of majority where they reside, teams of eligible individuals, and small organizations with fewer than 25 employees (including corporations, nonprofits, LLCs, and partnerships). Residents of countries restricted by U.S. law (including Russia, Crimea, Cuba, Iran, and North Korea) are not eligible. Submissions are judged on three equally weighted criteria: business viability (actual revenue achieved during the 90-day window and the sustainability of the business model), AI-native operations (the extent to which AI is live in production running key business decisions), and category impact (whether the project meaningfully moves the needle in its chosen category).

The DC Restaurant & Retail Stabilization Grant provides up to $50,000 in financial assistance to small restaurant and retail businesses in Washington, DC that experienced a revenue decline in 2025. Funded by the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED) and administered by Capital Impact Partners — a local nonprofit community development financial institution — the program is a $3.875 million initiative designed to help brick-and-mortar businesses remain operational and support long-term sustainability. Grant funds may be used to cover occupancy costs and payroll over a six-month grant period. Preference is given to businesses that lost more than 10% of gross revenue in 2025, did not receive prior DMPED funding in 2023–2025, have a positive impact on the local community, and purchase goods or services from the DC, Maryland, or Virginia economy.

Now in its third year, this grant program will award 40 small businesses $5,000 each and two Grand Prize winners $20,000, fueling expansion, innovation, and long-term success across Nassau and Suffolk Counties. Small businesses with locations in Nassau or Suffolk Counties and 10 or fewer employees can apply.