Northern Michigan University’s College of Business will hold “The Big Pitch,” the new culminating event for its annual New Business Venture Competition for students from any academic major. This "Shark Tank"-style activity will feature four student teams pitching their business ideas to a panel of "celebrity" judges. It begins at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 29, in Forest Roberts Theatre. Tickets for this free event are available at Universe.com/NMUBigPitch. A free pizza reception will follow the event.

The student teams are competing for cash and consulting packages to pursue their business plans. At "The Big Pitch" closing event, they will have five minutes to present their ideas, followed by five minutes of questions from the judges. The winners of the competition will be announced afterward.  

The New Business Venture Competition is open to NMU students and high school students. Students working individually, or in teams up to five, can submit a plan to start a new business. The chosen finalists also participate in a trade fair, where they display informational materials and product prototypes. “The Big Pitch” was added this year as the final activity of the competition.