Accelerate: Citizens Make Change 2026

Accelerate, emceed by Danita Harris and sponsored by Citizens, is a high-energy annual civic pitch competition. This Shark Tank-style event gives individuals across Northeast Ohio a chance to win seed money to help launch their idea to make the region a better place.
Event Details
Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland
(300 Lakeside Ave E)

• 4:00 p.m. Doors open
• 4:30 p.m. Category pitches (Round 1)
• 5:45 p.m. Category pitches (Round 2)
• 7:15 p.m. Finalist competition + awards

Networking opportunities throughout the evening. Past Accelerate winners will be onsite to share their progress.

Walk-in tickets
$40 General Admission (Early Bird through Jan 31)
$25 Students
All ticket levels provide access to the full event. Come for all, or just for part.

GET EVENT DETAILS>  |  GET TICKETS > 

How it works
Prior to the event
Individuals apply to pitch at the event and a panel of community experts select the ideas be pitched at the event.

At the event

• Core Accelerate: Presenters pitch to a judge panel of community leaders in their category rooms. The judges select one pitch from each of the five categories to proceed to the Finals. The five finalists pitch on the main stage to hundreds of audience members who vote for the winner. The winner takes home $5,000 and the four runners-up each receive $2,000.

• Teen Accelerate: Ten presenters pitch to the Teen Accelerate judge panel who selects the winner ($1,000) and runner-up ($500). The remaining eight presenters each receive $250. The winner and runner-up presenters are announced on the main stage after the five Core Accelerate Finalists pitch. Applications for Teen Accelerate are open through January 5, 2026. LEARN MORE & APPLY >
  

• Technovation Accelerate: Five presenter pitch to the Technovation judge panel who selects the $3,500 winner who is announced on the main stage after the five Core Accelerate Finalists pitch.

Contact Courtney Chaney with questions at (216) 592-2243.