College of Charleston students with a business idea, side hustle or bold concept are encouraged to apply for the Catalyst by Beemok pitch competition, which is offering $2 million in investment funding to support emerging entrepreneurs and innovative business concepts. Applications close Monday, Aug. 31, 2026.
In 2025, School of Business students Will Sadowski and Owen Smith ’26 advanced to the final three in Catalyst’s student competition, securing a $25,000 investment for their startup, Clarity. Clarity uses research-backed behavioral science to identify and prevent student setbacks before academic advisors ever need to intervene. Since competing in Catalyst, the startup has also been accepted into the Harbor Entrepreneur Center’s 2026 Startup Accelerator.
Now in its second year, Catalyst by Beemok is one of the the largest pitch competitions in the Southeast by investment dollars, giving student founders and early-stage businesses with roots in Berkeley, Charleston or Dorchester counties the opportunity to secure funding, gain exposure and build meaningful industry connections.
After the Aug. 31 student application deadline, selected finalists will advance to the live Catalyst event on Nov. 12, 2026, where they will pitch in front of a panel of investors and a live audience for a shot at real funding.
Key dates for this year’s competition:
- Aug. 31: Professional and student applications close.
- Nov. 12: Finalists pitch for investment at the live Catalyst event.
Preparing for the Pitch
This year’s competition is organized in part by Billy Barlia ’24, who now works as an analyst at Beemok Capital, the host of Catalyst.
To help College of Charleston students put their best pitch forward, Barlia is visiting campus this month for a series of appearances aimed at demystifying the application process and encouraging students to submit before the deadline.
While a student at the College of Charleston, Barlia co-founded the CofC Founders Club and interned with Beemok Capital from January to April 2024. He was a member of the Schottland Scholars Class of 2024 and currently serves on the board of the School of Business Young Alumni Council. Barlia minored in French and Francophone studies and studied abroad at EDHEC Business School’s Nice campus in France.
Barlia, who has been developing a personal entrepreneurship story to share with students, will draw on his own experience to offer insider tips on what makes a pitch stand out and to answer student questions in person.
Barlia will make three stops:
- Monday, Aug. 24 – Barlia opens the week with a talk to the College’s Founders Club, walking members through the competition’s structure, prize tiers and tips for a compelling submission.
- Tuesday, Aug. 25 – Barlia joins the HONS 265 Intentional AI and Storytelling course for a more intimate session, sharing the story behind his own entrepreneurial path as a case study in how founders communicate their vision: a skill directly applicable to crafting a standout pitch.
- Thursday, Aug. 27 – Barlia will address nearly 150 students across the College’s combined ENTR 200 sections, briefing them on how and why to apply. His remarks will immediately precede a guest talk from entrepreneur Ryan Eleuteri ’02, giving students a full afternoon of entrepreneurial insight.
With $2 million on the line and the deadline just around the corner, students from across the College – not just business or entrepreneurship majors – are encouraged to attend one of these sessions, ask questions and get their applications in before Aug. 31.
Full eligibility requirements, submission guidelines and the application itself are available at catalystbybeemok.com.
Learn more about the College of Charleston's Entrepreneurship major, which launched this fall.
Watch a Catalyst pitch by (l to r) Owen Smith '26 and student Will Sadowski, who presented at the 2025 Catalyst by Beemok pitch competition, where they were awarded $25,000 for their app, Clarity.