Georgetown Pivot Program Hosts 2026 Pitch Competition

Posted in News | Tagged Cohort 8, Pivot Program

The Pivot Program’s annual Pitch Competition returned on Wednesday, May 6, and the fellows did not disappoint! Fellows from the current cohort presented their business concepts to a panel of Georgetown faculty, alumni, and entrepreneurs from across the District. After a full afternoon of pitches, three ventures rose to the top.

Pictured from left to right: Earnest Hanible, Celeste Santifer, and Leon Richardson

Earnest Hanible took first place with Good Works Grooming Co., his beard care and maintenance brand. What sets Earnest’s venture apart is its social impact mission. He believes that grooming is closely tied to confidence and self-esteem, and donates 15% of his profits to fund hygiene kits for men in shelters. Look Good. Feel Good. Do Good.

Second place went to Celeste Santifer and Culture Lab, her human resources consulting practice. Santifer brought real-world experience to the stage, speaking directly to what organizations struggle with when it comes to workplace culture. Her business focuses on providing affordable, enterprise-level HR consulting services to small and mid-sized companies that would otherwise not have access to that level of expertise.

Leon Richardson’s Capital Space Landscaping earned third place. Richardson’s company specializes in landscape design for homeowners in urban areas with limited outdoor space, including patios and townhouse gardens, helping clients make the most of what they have.

Justin Moore discusses his business venture.

The judges also handed out honorable mentions to five fellows: Diego Cunningham of Endure, Melvin McLean of McFairson Delivery Enterprise, LLC, Bryan Burwell of Clean Roads DC, Justin Moore of MetroHome, and DeAnthony Campbell of Good Day Solutions.

The pitch competition is one of the signature events of the Pivot Program year. After months of preparation, the fellows applied what they learned to formulate pitches that covered the ins and outs of their ventures, including target audience, competitive advantage, budgeting, and much more.

‘Watching the presenters command the room and field questions from the panel was a genuine reflection of how far they have come since the program began. They were confident and persuasive,’ said Alyssa Lovegrove, Pivot Program Executive Director.

We are proud of every fellow who stepped up and competed, and we look forward to seeing what this cohort builds next.