Students at last year's Monster Pitch await their opportunity to make their business pitch.

You may not know much about them now, but student-run startups Brock Delivery, Cross Border Housing, Handy Hand and Imagio could just be the next big entrepreneurial success story.

The four student-launched startups will compete on March 31 at Monster Pitch, an event hosted by Brock University’s Goodman School of Business. The Brock students will pitch their business ideas to a panel of successful entrepreneurs and small business advocates including: John Lettieri, Founder of Hero Certified Burgers; Jeff Brown, vice-president of Small Business at Meridian Credit Union; Spara Capital President Jason Sparaga (BBA ’93); and Deborah Rosati (BAdmin ’84), corporate director and co-founder of Women Get On Board. The guest speaker at the event will be entrepreneur Mohamad Fakih, founder of Paramount Fine Foods, a successful Ontario-based franchise with 10 locations.

The annual event is organized by the Brock U Entrepreneurship Club in partnership with the Goodman School of Business.

This year’s winning pitch will earn the young entrepreneurs a grant of $2,000 to put toward their business idea plus a prize package that includes mentoring and business services. For the first time, audience members will be able to vote for their favourite student entrepreneur, who will win an additional prize of $500.

Don Cyr, Dean of the Goodman School of Business, says that Monster Pitch is an important part of Goodman’s strategy to develop the talents of young entrepreneurs.

“I don’t think it is a coincidence that these startups were all part of Kick-Starting Entrepreneurship, our business incubator BioLinc’s youth development program,” says Cyr. “It takes hard work to start a new business and the four startups competing in Monster Pitch have demonstrated the tenacity, creativity and business knowledge needed to craft successful pitches to this exceptional panel of judges.”

The student-run event is supported by title sponsor Meridian Credit Union, founding sponsor Spara Capital and additional sponsors Paramount Fine Foods, Chartered Professional Accountants Ontario, Soundbox Niagara, Brock Business Students’ Association, Critelli’s Furniture and Top Hat Monocle.

Monster Pitch will be held Tuesday, March 31 from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at Amici’s Banquet Centre on Merrittville Hwy. in Thorold, just down the road from Brock University.

Tickets for Monster Pitch are $10 and can be purchased online or in person at the Monster Pitch table in Mackenzie Chown A Block on Monday, between 10 a.m.  to 2 p.m.