Submissions are accepted until Sept. 22 for the 5th Annual StartUp Lehigh Valley Pitch Competition for Entrepreneurs.

StartUp Lehigh Valley (SULV) is 6:30 - 8 p.m. Oct. 25, Factory, 315 Columbia St., Bethlehem, and will be broadcast and livestreamed on 69 WFMZ-TV.

Over the past five years the program has attracted hundreds of submissions and through the community’s support has helped entrepreneurs grow successful businesses.

In a Shark Tank-style event designed to showcase startup companies in the Lehigh Valley community, throughout Pennsylvania and beyond, seven finalists will pitch their products and businesses to a panel of judges in front of a live and virtual audience. More than $30,000 in prize money is up for grabs, along with essential resources for startup businesses.

“The StartUp Lehigh Valley pitch competition is designed to help grow and showcase the entrepreneurship that’s already happening in the Valley and getting the community excited about supporting these startups,” said Richard Thompson, Founder of Factory.

“Entrepreneurs are people who through vision and hard work help to make the future. As part of our strategic plan, ‘Inspiring the Future Makers,’ Lehigh seeks to support innovation and entrepreneurship in the Lehigh Valley and beyond. This work is highly aligned with our missions in research and education,” said Nathan Urban, Ph.D., Lehigh University Provost, and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs.

“As a founding member of Start-Up Lehigh Valley, we are pleased to partner with Lehigh to offer an event that spotlights entrepreneurs in the Lehigh Valley. These individuals continue to fuel the Commonwealth’s economy and most importantly our job market,” said Cindy Evans, Interim Director of Lehigh Valley Launchbox.

In addition to Lehigh University and Factory LLC, Penn State Lehigh Valley, a founding partner, is showing its support this year.

Other sponsors include Ben Franklin Technology Partners, J.P Morgan Chase & Co., Lehigh Valley Health Network, WFMZ, HNL Lab Medicine, J.G Petrucci, The Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce, Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corp., City Center Group, and United Way.

Media sponsors include Adams Outdoor, WFMZ, 99.9 WODE The Hawk, WLVR, Bethlehem Press, The Brown and White, and Lehigh Valley News.com.