Entrepreneurs across the Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon council area are being invited to apply for a pitching competition that could secure up to £6,000 in investment for their business ideas.

Go Succeed: The Ultimate Pitch has returned for a third year. The competition is open to pre-trading ventures and businesses that have been trading for less than two years, across all sectors. Applicants have until 17 August to enter.

Winners of local heats will each receive a £1,000 investment. The overall winner, chosen at a region-wide final, will receive a further £5,000 and a prize package that includes a photography session, a podcast recording, Toastmasters membership and a media training session.

Special awards will also be presented for the best social enterprise, inclusive entrepreneurship, the most inspiring entrepreneur aged 16 to 25, and a public vote for the People’s Choice Award.

The local heat for the Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon area will give participants a chance to present their ideas to a panel of judges drawn from the business and civic community. Date and venue details are yet to be confirmed, but pitching masterclasses will be offered to entrants before the heats.

Councillor Kyle Savage, chair of the council’s Economic Development and Regeneration Committee, said the competition had made a real impact over the past two years, helping entrants build confidence, refine their ideas, strengthen their pitching skills and connect with other entrepreneurs. He encouraged applications from those at any stage of their business journey.

Last year’s local heat winner was Margaret McKee of Humble Bee Therapies, a holistic skincare brand. The overall competition winner was Sander Van Eck from Coleraine, whose waterproof socks company Noord impressed the judges.

The final of Go Succeed: The Ultimate Pitch will take place on 18 November at the Seamus Heaney HomePlace in Bellaghy, coinciding with Global Entrepreneurship Week.

Go Succeed is Northern Ireland’s government-backed business support service, funded by the UK Government and delivered by the region’s 11 councils. It provides mentoring, masterclasses, peer networks, grant funding and business planning support to entrepreneurs and businesses at all stages of growth.