Former “dragon” and author of The Wealthy Barber series David Chilton will join the panel of judges at Brock University's “Monster Pitch” competition in 2018.
Monster Pitch is an entrepreneurial pitch competition for Brock students, inspired the the hit TV show Dragons’ Den.
Chilton will join returning judges Bruce Croxon (another former “dragon” and co-host of BNN’s The Disruptors and CEO of Round13), Deborah Rosati (corporate director and co-founder of Women Get On Board) and Jason Sparaga (co-founder, co-CEO of Spark Power Corp. and founder of Spara Capital Partners).
Chilton is a frequent guest on national TV and radio shows and is passionate about the field of personal finance. His books, The Wealthy Barber and The Wealthy Barber Returns, mix humour and common sense to help people handle their money more wisely. He has also published a number of bestselling cookbooks.
The Monster Pitch competition, run by Brock University’s Goodman School of Business students and the Brock Innovation Group student club, will see four student teams present their business ideas to the judging panel for a chance to win a prize package worth more than $12,500 in cash and startup support services.
“This is an important event for our school,” said Andrew Gaudes, dean of Goodman School of Business, in a Monday release.
“The strength of the judges shows their interest in working with our faculty, staff and students in a successful event like Monster Pitch … It demonstrates the strength of our students and their ability to get in front of people and show the richness of their ideas and entrepreneurial experience.”
The finalists will share the Monster Pitch stage with two prominent entrepreneurs, Steeped Tea founder Tonia Jahshan and Welland native Anthony Lacavera, founder and chairman of Globalive Capital and founder of Wind Mobile, Canada’s fourth-largest wireless carrier.
Jahshan will share her experience on Dragons’ Den in 2012, when she received investment from judges Chilton and Jim Treliving after successfully pitching her business plan.
Josiah Dueck, a fourth-year business student at Brock and president of Brock Innovation Group, said, in a release, that the planning for Monster Pitch is extensive but “it’s all worth it.”
“Monster Pitch is a unique opportunity for students to pitch and get feedback from celebrity judges and industry professionals, and to get that experience in order to move forward with their businesses,” said Dueck.
The competition is in its seventh year and takes place at 1:30 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 8 at the FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre.
The event is open to everyone and tickets are now on sale for $5.