Connectors Platform · Flagship Event
Friday 2 October 2026 · London
Pitch.
Be funded. Be mentored.
Be sent.
A full-day curated pitch competition for Christian women building businesses in the UK. Make the final 10 and receive six weeks of pre-event mentorship backed by Oxford business school connections. Three winners share up to £15,000 in funding on pitch day.
Members only. Connect & Pitch applications are reserved for Connectors Platform members. Join Membership → · £149.99 / year founding rate
The Opportunity
Make the final 10. Get six weeks of mentorship.
The path to the cheque runs through six weeks of pre-event mentorship. Three winners are announced on pitch day — one from each sector.
Finalists receive six weeks of structured pre-event mentorship from August, backed by Oxford business school connections
Winners on pitch day — one each from Manufacturing, Services, and Technology sectors
Total prize fund · potential to grow to £30k subject to sponsor confirmation
The pathway
Now
Join Connectors Platform Membership
Only members can apply. £149.99/year founding rate — locks in your access for Year One.
OPEN
By 30 Jun 2026
Submit your application
Business plan or pitch deck via the Connect & Pitch form. Applications close once 40 are received.
OPEN
Mid-Jul 2026
Shortlist announced
Bolaji and the judging panel shortlist applicants down to 10 finalists. Notification by email.
UPCOMING
Aug–Sep 2026
Six-week finalist mentorship
The final 10 receive six weeks of structured pre-event mentorship — pitch coaching, business review, live practice, and access to Bolaji's Oxford business school network of mentors.
UPCOMING
2 Oct 2026
Connect & Pitch Day
Full-day flagship event in London. Live pitches. Three winners announced — one each from Manufacturing, Services, and Technology. Prize funding awarded on the day.
UPCOMING
The prize
£5,000
per winner · awarded on pitch day
The pathway is the gift. Make the final 10 and you receive six weeks of structured pre-event mentorship — pitch coaching, business review, live practice, and introductions through Bolaji's Oxford business school network.
Three winners on pitch day. One each from Manufacturing, Services, and Technology. Cash prize awarded at the event, with optional case-study development to follow.
Who can apply
Eligibility & criteria.
Connect & Pitch is reserved for Connectors Platform members. The fit matters more than the size of the business.
You can apply if
- You're a current Connectors Platform member
- You're a Christian woman in business or aspiring entrepreneur
- Your business is 0–24 months from founding
- You operate in Manufacturing, Services, or Technology
- Your business is registered or operating in the United Kingdom
- You have a business plan or pitch deck ready
You can't apply yet if
- You haven't joined Connectors Membership
- Your business has been operating more than 24 months
- Your business isn't UK-based
- You operate outside the three focus sectors this year
- You don't yet have a written plan or pitch
- Applications open
Ready to put your name in?
The application is short. Tell us about your business, your founder story, and how you'd use the funding. Bolaji and the panel will review within ten working days of submission.
Applications close once 40 are received. Members will be notified by email when the form closes.
Frequently Asked
Common questions.
Yes. Connect & Pitch applications are reserved for Connectors Platform members. Membership is £149.99 for the founding year and includes priority access to all our events, the Rooted Programme, and members-only resources.
For 2026, the three sectors are fixed. We'll be reviewing sector coverage for 2027 cohorts. Sign up for the mailing list to be notified when new sectors open.
Each of the three winners receives up to £5,000, awarded on pitch day. Whether the cheque is paid as a lump sum or in agreed milestone tranches will be confirmed in the winner's letter — the structure is being finalised with Bolaji and the sponsorship team.
If you make the final 10 (shortlist announced mid-July), you begin six weeks of structured pre-event mentorship from August. This includes pitch coaching, business review, live pitch practice, and introductions through Bolaji's Oxford business school network of mentors. The mentorship runs until pitch day on 2 October.
You'll still attend Connect & Pitch Day as a Connectors member, with full access to the venue, speakers, networking, and lunch. Many of our past attendees have found partners, mentors, and customers in the room.
Once we receive 40 applications, the form will close automatically — we cap entries so our judging panel can give every applicant a fair, thorough review and get the shortlist of 10 ready in time for the six-week mentorship before 2 October. Apply early.