Entrepreneurs Invited to AI Pitch Competition at UA Little Rock
Arkansas entrepreneurs with innovative ideas for transforming business operations and accelerating growth with artificial intelligence (AI) will have a chance to win up to $50,000 in services at an upcoming pitch competition at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.
Hosted by the Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center (ASBTDC), along with UA Little Rock’s School of Business, Tech Launch, and the Workforce Development Center, the Amazon Web Services (AWS) AI Pitch Competition is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Oct. 15 in the Reynolds Business Center on the UA Little Rock campus.
The public is invited to attend — admission is free — and the competition is open to Arkansans who are in business or have a business idea, across all industries, not limited to AI companies or technology startups.
“AWS and Small Business Development Centers around the country are teaming up with other local partners in 2026 to hold AI pitch contests like this one, where entrepreneurs can pitch an idea to solve an operational challenge, increase revenue, expand market reach, or create scalable efficiencies,” said ASBTDC State Director Laura Fine. “We are excited to build on the success of our first Arkansas competition that took place in the spring.”
Paul Cowart and Ron Merrill of Privagent had the winning pitch in that inaugural event, held in April.
“It was a great experience for us — it helped us refine our message, (as well as) the look and feel of the company — and it gave us confidence,” said Merrill. “It opens doors, and it’s a real prize, too, that can really launch a company.”
Privagent, an organization discovery platform, has worked with multiple “enterprise-level clients,” and part of the confidence to work with such clients is owed to their pitch competition experience, added Merrill. “The opportunity is real — the sponsors are great to work with — (so) swing for the fences.”
The pitch competition was “awesome, a very accepting environment,” said Cowart. “It seems scary, but it really isn’t, (so) just go for it.”
Winning was “validating, (a sign) that we might be onto something, and definitely a confidence boost,” added Cowart. “It showed us we had a good idea, and I recommend (this competition) to anyone.”
To pitch, entrepreneurs must apply for a spot in the competition, and those selected will pitch their concept in front of judges with the chance to win AWS Partner funding allocated toward technical resources, architecture support, and solution development services delivered by nClouds in collaboration with AWS (subject to program eligibility and scope). All competitors will receive expert feedback on how to bring their concepts to life.
“We invite current and future Arkansas entrepreneurs to share your ideas for creatively applying AI in a business setting,” said Fine. “Everyone who is selected to pitch will have a great opportunity to win services to help turn your concept into something real.”
Privagent uses tools, including AI, to build system workflows that enable employees to perform at the highest level, and going through the pitch competition “helped us mature, (because) we took it really seriously,” Merrill said. “We worked very hard to refine our message to be clear and concise.”
Indeed, they crafted a script, rehearsed repeatedly, and timed it to hit the five-minute mark, as recommended, said Cowart, who resides with his wife in Bryant. “We had it pretty dialed in, (so) our presentation was smooth and fluid.”
Merrill and Cowart didn’t have prior pitch experience, so anyone considering pitching in this competition shouldn’t allow inexperience to dissuade them.
“It’s really all about good communication,” Merrill said. They utilized a brief slide deck — “big and bold, like a billboard” — that was also “easy to understand and looked professional.”
Visit luma.com/7as4nooi to get more details, sign up to pitch, or register to attend. For questions about the event, contact ASBTDC’s Laterika Tooks-Staton at 501-804-4530 or lstooks@