About l Application Process l Criteria l Timeline l FAQ l History l

About


The Empact Showcase is a platform highlighting the power of America's top young entrepreneurs (35 and under) and the important role that they play in society. The Showcase...

  • Highlights & celebrates the impact entrepreneurs make on the global economy.
  • Dispels myths about who entrepreneurs are & entrepreneurship as a career option.
  • Motivates aspiring entrepreneurs & connects them to role models.

The official Empact100 List recognizes the top 100 of the companies within the Empact Showcase and is determined by the Empact Academy.

Application Process

To submit your application now, visit http://www.empactshowcase.com/application. Here is how the process will work:

  1. Fill out the Empact Showcase Application.  Make sure your contribution as a young entrepreneur is included & recognized!  By filling out page 2 of the application, your company is also in the running for top category recognition (see more information below).  
     
  2. Register for Empact Showcase Legacy Event.  Join your fellow entrepreneurs for 2 days of celebration, networking and legacy building sessions.  Registration will open in Fall 2014
     
  3. Announcement of Category Honorees.  The Empact100 list will be made public according to the timeline below.  Other Showcase Category honorees will be announced during the October Empact Legacy Event. 
     
  4. Attend Empact Legacy Event.  In October, all entrepreneurs in the Showcase arrive in New York for 2 days of networking, celebration and legacy building. All Showcase honorees will be recognized on the stage; not just the top 100.


Criteria

  • Founder(s) must be 35 years or younger as of July 15, 2014
  • Business must be located or doing business in the United States.
  • Business must have $100,000 in annual revenue or funding raised (or $100,000 annual operating budget for non-profits)
  • Public companies are not eligible.

All applicants may be asked to verify the above criteria once an application has been submitted.

Companies not meeting the above revenue criteria may apply instead as a "Company To Watch". Although they will not officially be part of the Showcase, there will be a special award for this category. To participate as a Company to Watch, the business must be incorporated and make the case for why it should be considered (signing big clients, filing patents, overcoming an extraordinary obstacle, forming strong partnerships and having a A+ team).

If you do not meet the criteria at this time but would like to be involved with Empact in the future, please fill out the form here.


Timeline

Applications Close July 31, 2014
Empact100 Announced September 15, 2014
People's Choice Voting Ends October 3, 2014
Empact Legacy Event October 29-30, 2014

FAQs


How much does it cost to apply?

The cost to submit an application to the Empact Showcase is $99. This fee covers the cost of doing a nationwide search, recruiting an Academy of the country's top entrepreneurs, and facilitating the judging process. The full amount is set aside as a deposit to attend the Empact Showcase Legacy Event should you choose to attend. 

I started my company in 2014.  Can I still apply?

The 2014 Empact Showcase features companies that meet the revenue criteria by December 31, 2013.  If you started your business in 2014, we look forward to you participating in the 2015 Showcase!

How are Showcase Category Honorees selected and when are they determined?

Top category honorees (including the Official Empact100 List) are determined by the Empact Academy.

The Official Empact100 List recognizes the top 100 companies within the Empact Showcase and is judged primarily by revenue, with additional factors such as number of employees, social impact, growth over the past year, and innovativeness taken into account.

Any company or entrepreneur in the Showcase who completes the full application is eligible for one or more of the following distinctions:

  • Empact100
  • Founder's Story
  • Innovative
  • Social Impact
  • Female Founder
  • Tech Company
  • Most Disruptive
  • Largest Potential
  • Ad & Marketing Company

* Final categories are subject to change

How the People's Choice Winner is Determined

All Showcase members are encouraged to have their network vote for their company using the public profiles generated from their applications. The top 5 Empact Showcase applicants with the most votes will be recognized as the People's Choice Winners during the Empact Legacy event.  Voting ends October 3, 2014. 

 

History
 

The Empact Showcase was started in 2011. Since then, recognition events have been held at the United Nations, United States Chamber of Commerce, and the White House. In 2011 and 2012, each Empact100 honoree received a letter from President Barack Obama, congratulating them for their success and honoring them for their achievements. In 2011, the event was livestreamed on whitehouse.gov.