Halifax startup hub Volta is looking for companies to participate in its next quarterly Pitch Competition.

The competitions offer budding entrepreneurs the chance to practice giving a three-minute pitch to a panel of judges. Winners are chosen based solely on the quality of their pitches — not the quality of their companies.

Winning entrepreneurs receive a $500 Visa gift card and a one-hour consultation with a representative of Calgary's OKR Financial, which specializes in helping companies access funding and is a sponsor of the events.

Volta says on its website that applicants should emphasize the unique elements of their product or business idea in their initial application, with their ideas’ technological elements being of particular importance in determining who is selected to pitch.

The deadline to apply is May 1 at 11:59 p.m. and the competition will be held May 18 at noon. A digital application form and more information can be found here.