The Spring 2025 Agora Venture Competition is an opportunity for startups to pitch their ideas in front of top investors, founders, and ecosystem leaders in Washington, DC. The competition offers a $10,000 cash prize to the winner, with additional cash and in-kind prizes available to all applicants. The competition aims to support and promote ventures that demonstrate significant potential for growth and market impact.

Eligibility for the competition requires applicants to self-identify as female or non-binary and be based in Washington, DC, Maryland, or Virginia. Applicants must be founders with at least a 25% equity stake in their company and hold a C-suite executive position. The ventures must be beyond the idea stage, showing evidence of revenue, active users, or other performance metrics that indicate early product-market fit. Additionally, the applicant must be working full-time on their venture, with some exceptions. The company should be capable of venture-scale growth and must be incorporated as a for-profit entity.

The selection process involves an initial review by the Agora team to ensure completeness and eligibility. Eligible applications are then reviewed by at least two members of the investor committee. The most promising companies are discussed by the full investor committee, which selects the finalists. Finalists are required to pitch live at the showcase event in downtown DC to be eligible for the prize. The investor committee will decide the ultimate winner based on these live pitches.

The competition's timeline includes an application period from February 12th to March 7th. Applications will be reviewed throughout March and April, with finalists notified by mid-April. The showcase event, where finalists will pitch their ventures, is scheduled for May 7th.

The winner of the competition will receive a $10,000 non-dilutive grant. This award is intended to support the winning venture's growth and development without requiring equity in return. The competition provides a platform for startups to gain visibility and potentially secure additional investment or partnership opportunities.

For further inquiries or to explore other paths for involvement, especially for businesses that may not meet the venture-ready scale criteria, interested parties are encouraged to reach out to the organizers. Specific contact information, such as email or phone numbers, is not provided in the source text.