Circle and SeedInvest Kick-Off Community Pitch Competition for Underrepresented Founders

Top 3 winning startups to receive cash awards and access to investment and startup education, mentorship, networking and growth opportunities

BOSTON, April 26, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- In celebration of the ten year anniversary of the JOBS Act this month, Circle and SeedInvest today announced the launch of the Community Pitch Competition designed to provide access to capital, networking and business building tools to historically underrepresented founders interested in growing their businesses. SeedInvest, a leading startup fundraising platform and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Circle Internet Financial, LLC, was instrumental in the passage of the JOBS Act in 2012. The historical legislation enabled startups to raise funds online from retail investors and has helped promote financial inclusion and access to previously untapped markets.

The competition is free to enter, and all applicants are subject to the eligibility requirements outlined at http://seedinvest.com/pitch-competition. Once founders make it through the competition, 6 finalists take the virtual stage to compete on June 1, 2022. A lineup of powerhouse judges will have the job of culling the startups to the top 3 winners. The winners will receive equity-free cash prizes of $25,000, $10,000, and $5,000 for first, second, and third place, respectively, along with the option to raise on SeedInvest with $10,000 in fees waived. The winners may also be eligible to receive bonus prizes from Ramp, Braze, and EY to help grow their business, provided that the winners also meet the additional outlined prize partner qualifications.

"SeedInvest looks forward to memorializing the JOBS Act 10-year milestone by providing a platform to showcase the very best underrepresented founders and help fuel their growth," said Ryan Feit, CEO and Co-Founder of SeedInvest. "Over the past decade, our industry has proven that online platforms fund a much greater percentage of women and minority founders than traditional fundraising."

"Underrepresented founders still do not have the same access to capital and economic opportunity, especially at the critical early stages of a startup," said Rod McLeod, VP of Social Impact at Braze. "Braze helps businesses at any stage grow, and we're looking forward to shaping a more equitable future through SeedInvest's Community Pitch Competition."

Judges include Jesse Draper, General Partner at Halogen Ventures, Tasha Youngblood Brown, Managing Director at EY, Ryan Feit, CEO and Co-Founder at SeedInvest, and Sherice Torres, Chief Marketing Officer at Circle.

"I'm thrilled to partner with SeedInvest for the Community Pitch Competition, elevating and celebrating diverse founders. Creating a more inclusive VC ecosystem isn't just the right thing to do, it's smart investing and paramount for growth," said Jesse Draper, General Partner at Halogen Ventures.

Those interested and eligible to participate in the Community Pitch Competition can apply online now through May 20, 2022. For more information on the competition, including the Terms and Conditions and Official Rules, eligibility requirements, prizes, and how to apply, please visit the competition website http://seedinvest.com/pitch-competition

About SeedInvest
SeedInvest is a leading startup fundraising platform that provides investors access to highly-vetted investment opportunities and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Circle Internet Financial, LLC. SeedInvest's platform empowers a rapidly growing network of investors to access investments in private startups while making the online fundraising process simpler for founders. Committed to providing opportunities to access the financial system, SeedInvest was instrumental in the passage of the JOBS Act in 2012, making it possible for startups to raise funds from retail investors online. To learn more about SeedInvest, visit https://www.seedinvest.com/.

All securities-related activity is conducted by SI Securities, LLC ("SI Securities"), an affiliate of SeedInvest, and a registered broker-dealer, and member FINRA/SIPC, located at 135 Madison Avenue, 5th Floor, New York, NY 10016

About Circle
Circle is a global financial technology firm that enables businesses of all sizes to harness the power of digital currencies and public blockchains for payments, commerce and financial applications worldwide. Circle is the issuer of USD Coin (USDC), one of the fastest growing dollar digital currencies powering always-on internet-native commerce and payments. Today, Circle's transactional services, business accounts, and platform APIs are giving rise to a new generation of financial services and commerce applications that hold the promise of raising global economic prosperity for all through the frictionless exchange of financial value. Additionally, Circle operates SeedInvest, a leading startup fundraising platform in the U.S. Learn more at https://circle.com.

SOURCE Circle Internet Financial, LLC