Open Opportunity Fund, the venture capital firm, is partnering with Earn Your Leisure (EYL), the cultural force behind Invest Fest, to launch the Open Pitch competition live on stage at Invest Fest 2025 in Atlanta.

The competition offers a $125,000 investment prize and a national platform for early-stage founders building what's next in tech. Applications are open now at www.investfest.com and  www.theopenpitch.com.

Open Pitch is the high-energy startup competition built to discover and support the most promising early-stage companies. With hundreds of applicants, five finalists, and one ultimate winner, the competition delivers more than exposure—it connects founders directly with active investors and business leaders who know what it takes to scale.

Finalists will pitch live on stage at Invest Fest at the Georgia World Congress Center. The top five startups will be selected from 25 semi-finalists and evaluated by a panel of guest investor judges. Finalists receive real-time feedback, strategic connections, and a shot at national visibility—and one will walk away with a $125,000 investment from Open Opportunity Fund.

"Invest Fest has become one of the most powerful platforms for economic empowerment in our culture," said Paul Judge, Managing Partner at Open Opportunity Fund. "Bringing Open Pitch to this audience is about spotlighting world-class founders who are building the future. We're proud to back them with capital and community."

"At Earn Your Leisure, our mission is rooted in ownership, access, and opportunity," said Rashad Bilal, Co-founder of Earn Your Leisure & Invest Fest. "Partnering with Paul and Open Opportunity Fund to launch Open Pitch is a natural evolution of that mission. This is more than a pitch competition—it's a movement to fund the future."

"Over the years, we've hosted pitch competitions that have helped founders get their start—but this is the next generation," added Troy Millings, Co-founder of Earn Your Leisure & Invest Fest. "Now we're not just providing capital—we're surrounding the winning companies with strategic support and value creation after the investment. That's how real growth happens."

Open Pitch is where bold ideas meet real opportunity. As artificial intelligence and cloud technology transform every industry—from finance to healthcare, logistics to education—Open Pitch gives founders a national stage to lead that transformation.

Applications close June 30. For eligibility and competition details, visit www.investfest.com and  www.theopenpitch.com.