Baker Hill Launches $10,000 Battle of OKC Pitch Competition for Veteran Entrepreneurs

2026-11-11 · Oklahoma City

The Verge

Hosted at The Verge on Veterans Day, the Battle of OKC pits ten veteran founders against each other for a ten-thousand-dollar grand prize.

Battle of OKC is a business pitch competition for Oklahoma veteran entrepreneurs, culminating in a live final event on Veterans Day where 10 finalists compete for a $10,000 grand prize. The competition is organized by Baker Hill in collaboration with The Verge OKC, IVMF, Gradient, and Oklahoma SBDC to support veteran-owned businesses.

Founder brief

Who should attend

Oklahoma-based veteran entrepreneurs whose companies have been operational for at least one year and remain majority veteran-owned will find this competition relevant. Because the showcase is sector-agnostic and open to any business stage, founders across industries meet the criteria.

What happens

Ten selected finalists present live on stage before a panel of judges, contending directly for the single cash award. The gathering serves as the culminating event for the competition, organized collaboratively by Baker Hill, The Verge OKC, IVMF, Gradient, and Oklahoma SBDC.

Who's in the room

Attendees will encounter leadership from the host organizations, including Andy Ivankovich of Baker Hill, Kristin Garcia from The Verge OKC, Barbara E. Carson of IVMF, and Dr. Michele Hockersmith from Oklahoma SBDC, alongside participating veteran finalists.

How to prepare

Contestants should refine a live stage presentation that builds clearly on their initial three-minute video entry. Practice delivering key operational metrics, growth traction, and the exact business impact the grand prize funding will deliver to satisfy the judging panel.

Organizer: Baker Hill

Register

At a glance

Tickets
Free
Format
Applicants submit a three-minute video pitch. 10 finalists advance to pitch live before a panel of judges.
Who can apply
Veteran entrepreneurs whose business is majority veteran-owned, has operated for at least one year, and is registered in Oklahoma.
Prizes
$10,000 grand prize
Stage
Any
Sectors
Agnostic

Speakers, judges and hosts

  • Andy Ivankovich — Chairman and CEO, Baker Hill (Host)
  • Barbara E. Carson — Managing Director, Programs and Policy, D'Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families (Host)
  • Dr. Michele Hockersmith — State Director, Oklahoma SBDC (Host)
  • Kristin Garcia — Executive Director, The Verge OKC (Host)

Sponsors and partners

More events in Oklahoma City