Wisconsin’s entrepreneurial spirit will again be on display this spring as the “Project Pitch It” TV show, similar to ABC’s “Shark Tank,” returns for its seventh season on March 18.
Once again, 24 entrepreneurs (including some middle and high school students) will pitch their business on “Project Pitch It” to a group of moguls to earn both funding and mentorship opportunities. Each episode will feature three entrepreneurs.
WEC Energy Group Executive Chairman Gale Klappa, attorney David Gruber, former owner of Empire Level Manufacturing Peggy Ann and host Jerry Jendusa will all return as moguls for season seven.
There will be two guest moguls this season, both of which have been part of the show in the past. Dr. Deborah Allen, president and chief executive officer of DNA Network LLC, was a Project Pitch It mogul for seasons 2, 3 and 4. Jamie Andrzejewski, a past participant on season five of “Project Pitch It,” will also be a guest mogul for season seven. Andrzejewski is the founder and owner of Nourish Natural Products, a Milwaukee-based wellness brand of products.
Each “Project Pitch It” contestant receives some sort of award for participating. This season’s awards include:
- Project Pitch It Cash Award
A $10,000 cash award for startups looking to scale.
- The Jendusa/UWM Lubar Entrepreneurship Center Award
Offers workshops, programming and support services including investment guidance and mentoring from UW-Milwaukee’s Lubar Entrepreneurship Center and “BreakthruU,” plus $5,000. The Lubar Entrepreneurship Center is the title sponsor of “Project Pitch It.”
- We Energies/DNA Award
The We Energies/DNA Award will include $1,500 and at least one session of mentoring in the area of marketing from a company leader.
“Project Pitch It” airs Saturdays beginning March 18 at 10:30 p.m. Reruns will air Sundays beginning March 19 at 11:30 a.m. The show airs on WISN-TV Channel 12 in Milwaukee, WBAY-TV Channel 2 (Green Bay), WKOW-TV Channel 27 (Madison), WKBT-TV Channel 8 (La Crosse) and WSAW-TV Channel 7 (Wausau).
Season 7 of Project Pitch It was shot in a new studio designed, owned and operated by the show’s director and editor, Jason Ruck and Derek Degenhardt, who own Menomonee Falls-based My People Creative, LLC production company.
BizTimes Milwaukee is a media partner for Project Pitch It. UW-Milwaukee’s Lubar Entrepreneurship Center is the title sponsor for season 7 of Project Pitch It.
