WASHINGTON, July 30, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced the five finalists advancing to the grand finale of the SBA Freedom 250 Patriot Pitch Competition. As part of the nation’s Freedom 250 celebrations, the competition spotlights the small businesses who leveraged SBA capital products to innovate, scale operations, and strengthen the American economy. These five finalists will make their pitch live before a panel of celebrity judges and a live audience in Washington, D.C. on September 18th to compete for a $1 million cash prize pool funded by Clover Network, Inc. (Clover).
“The SBA is thrilled to advance the top five Patriot Pitch Competition Finalists, who represent the best of American ingenuity, know-how, and grit while representing the vital contributions of small businesses in local communities across America’s industrial base,” said SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler. “With the stage now set, we look forward to hosting our finalists in Washington, D.C. as they showcase their acumen and the transformative impact they have as job creators, producers, and innovators across American main streets. As we mark 250 years of free enterprise, these small businesses will remind our nation why our builders and entrepreneurs will always be among America’s greatest assets.”
The following five finalists will advance to the finale:
- Compotech, Inc. — Brewer, Maine
- Plas-Tech Tooling — Garner, Iowa
- Red River — Gillette, Wyoming
- VetPowered LLC — San Diego, California
- Winton Machine — Suwanee, Georgia
Throughout the competition, contestants were evaluated on their ability to strengthen American competitiveness, demonstrate strong small business performance and innovation, create economic impact and quality jobs, and show sound business fundamentals and execution readiness. At the live competition, finalists will compete for five prizes totaling $1 million: $400,000 for first place, $250,000 for second, $150,000 for third, $125,000 for fourth, and $75,000 for fifth.
More information about the competition, including full terms and conditions, is available at SBA.gov/freedom250.
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About the U.S. Small Business Administration
The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of entrepreneurship. As the leading voice for small businesses within the federal government, the SBA empowers job creators with the resources and support they need to start, grow, and expand their businesses or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.
SBA HQ Press Team U.S. Small Business Administration press_office@sba.gov