Disability-Owned Businesses to Compete as Finalists in Disability:IN’s Virtual Pitch Perfect Challenge

Winners receive up to $10K, in-kind prizes and access to corporate supplier opportunities as part of Disability:IN’s global Supplier Diversity program

Disability:IN, the global organization driving disability inclusion and equality in business, has chosen three Disability-Owned Business Enterprises (DOBE) to compete as finalists on October 21 in the 10th Pitch Perfect Challenge as part of Disability:IN’s Supplier Diversity program that certifies disabled-owned businesses.

“We’re excited to prepare these incredible entrepreneurs to pitch and communicate their value to companies that are actively looking for unique products and services. By expanding their supplier diversity portfolio commitments, these companies will open doors for disabled entrepreneurs and provide resources and tools to succeed faster”

The finalists are:

• Black Box Safety, a safety products and training company
• Dusty Studio, a boutique animation design and production house
• 2axend, a strategic consulting and training firm, and ‘people’s choice’ as determined by social media voting

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On October 21 at 1:00 pm EDT, the owners of the companies—chosen from 28 total applicants—will give their final virtual pitches “Shark Tank” style to a panel of corporate experts. Winners will be announced at the end of the challenge, with $10,000 in cash for the first-place winner, $7,500 in cash for the second-place winner, and $500 for the third-place winner.

Additionally, all three winners will receive a scholarship to attend a one-week Executive Education program at Dartmouth College’s Tuck Business School that focuses on building or growing diverse businesses, sponsored by Bristol Myers Squibb. Winners also will have the opportunity to meet with executives at several companies that are looking to provide contracting and subcontracting opportunities to disability-owned businesses.

The Pitch Perfect Challenge is part of a Disability:IN program that certifies Disability-Owned Business Enterprises (DOBE®s), Veteran Disability-Owned Business Enterprises (V-DOBE™s) and Service-Disabled Veteran Disability-Owned Business Enterprises (SDV-DOBE™s). program. Disability:IN is the leading third-party certifier of DOBEs. To qualify, an enterprise must be a for-profit business that is at least 51% owned, managed and controlled by a person with a disability. The DOBE program grew 40% to 250 businesses in 2020.

“Disability inclusion is not just about hiring. Supplier diversity has become a more critical part of ESG and companies’ sustainability efforts. Our data shows disability-owned businesses are 6 to 7 times as likely to employ other people with disabilities. During Disability Employment Awareness Month, we want to elevate these businesses alongside the hundreds of companies we partner with that engage in supplier diversity programs and build economic opportunities for people with disabilities,” said Jill Houghton, President and CEO, Disability:IN.

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Approximately 700,000 workers with disabilities are self-employed, according to the latest U.S. Census. People with disabilities, by definition, often need to find new and less traditional paths to success to meet their physical needs. Under the DOBE program, disabled entrepreneurs develop their skills and get direct access to companies that contract with minority business owners.

“We’re excited to prepare these incredible entrepreneurs to pitch and communicate their value to companies that are actively looking for unique products and services. By expanding their supplier diversity portfolio commitments, these companies will open doors for disabled entrepreneurs and provide resources and tools to succeed faster,” said Jennifer McNeil, executive director of indirect strategic sourcing at Cox Communications, one of three Pitch Perfect Challenge judges along with supplier diversity executives from MGM Resorts and Royal Bank of Canada/City National.