Skip to main content

On Wednesday, April 9, United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, with the support of our Centennial Innovation sponsor, Goldman Sachs, celebrated the power of social innovation at The Pitch delivered by Amazon, an unforgettable evening of impact and inspiration. 

Five innovative social entrepreneurs from our Social Innovation Accelerator pitched their bold ideas for improving access to education, income and health in our community, and we awarded a total of $295,000 in prize funding.  

Read on to discover this year’s big winners and learn more about this one-of-a-kind social innovation competition. 

THIS YEAR’S WINNERS

The top overall pitch score as determined by our panel of judges

The finalist with the highest percentage of votes from our audience members

The organization with the highest sustainability score as determined by our judges

The organization with the greatest potential impact as determined by our judges

Voted on by Social Innovation Accelerator Committee

The organization with the highest presentation score

WATCH THE VIDEOS

The Pitch 2025 Kickoff Video

Housing Connector

La Tiendita

The GEMS Camp

CardiacFITT

The Learning Bridge

THIS YEAR’S FINALISTS

Crystal Dobson

CardiacFITT
An innovative healthcare management platform focused on cardiovascular wellness that primarily serves underserved communities through tailored fitness, nutrition, chronic condition health coaching, medication management and education

Jason Hernandez

La Tiendita
A nonprofit grocery store that is also a resource and empowerment center, connecting at-risk Latino students with internships and wrap-around services that support their ability to graduate from high school

Saki Milton

The GEMS Camp
Provides equitable access to quality STEM education, mentorship and support for underrepresented racially minoritized girls in North Texas through programs that include university sleepaway camps, after-school clubs and enrichment experiences

Laura Hayes

The Learning Bridge
Seeks to build learning success stories one participant at a time through products and services. The latest product is a video game called ADMITnGO that teaches students how to play the college access game and navigate their road to college.

Vangelic Parker

Housing Connector
Works with property owners and managers to negotiate a reduction in criteria for housing applications, with a goal of enabling more people to apply for and be approved for homes that they would otherwise be denied access to

Crystal Dobson

CardiacFITT

An innovative healthcare management platform focused on cardiovascular wellness that primarily serves underserved communities through tailored fitness, nutrition, chronic condition health coaching, medication management and education

Jason Hernandez

La Tiendita

A nonprofit grocery store that is also a resource and empowerment center, connecting at-risk Latino students with internships and wrap-around services that support their ability to graduate from high school

Saki Milton

The GEMS Camp

Provides equitable access to quality STEM education, mentorship and support for underrepresented racially minoritized girls in North Texas through programs that include university sleepaway camps, after-school clubs and enrichment experiences

Laura Hayes

The Learning Bridge

Seeks to build learning success stories one participant at a time through products and services. The latest product is a video game called ADMITnGO that teaches students how to play the college access game and navigate their road to college.

Vangelic Parker

Housing Connector

Works with property owners and managers to negotiate a reduction in criteria for housing applications, with a goal of enabling more people to apply for and be approved for homes that they would otherwise be denied access to

SHOW YOUR LOVE OF DALLAS

WITH AN INVESTMENT IN  SOCIAL INNOVATION

For more than 10 years, we’ve driven significant impact through social innovation, expanding the reach of local entrepreneurs with bold ideas for improving access to education, income and health in our community.

By investing in social innovation at United Way, you’ll fuel real change that our neighbors will see and feel every day. Together, we can ensure all North Texans have the opportunity to thrive.

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS

SOCIAL INNOVATION DRIVES GRASSROOTS CHANGE

For 100 years, social innovation has been part of everything we do to improve access to education, income and health—the building blocks of opportunity.

Since we launched our first official social innovation program in 2013, we have discovered, funded and nurtured social entrepreneurs with promising initiatives. And the results have been astonishing.

Through the Social Innovation Accelerator and Incubator, we have empowered 155 social entrepreneurs to refine and scale their ventures. Our alumni have gone on to change the lives of more than 500,000 North Texans and raise $76 million to accelerate their impact

As we embark on our second century driving social innovation in education, income and health, we’re working toward even greater outcomes and impact. Together with change-makers like you, we will make North Texas the best place to live, work and raise a family—for all.

THE JUDGES

Tavia Hunt

Director, Kansas City Chiefs Women’s Organization (CWO)
View bio

Mike & Kass Lazerow

Co-founders, Golf.com and Buddy Media; Founders and Partners, Velvet Sea Ventures
View bio

Vipin Nambiar

Founder and Managing Partner, HN Capital Partners
View bio

Jamie O’Banion

Founder and CEO, BeautyBio
View bio

Megha Tolia

Board Member and Co-founding Director, Spears Institute for Entrepreneurship 
View bio

THE PITCH 2025 PRIZES

$60,000

SOCIAL INNOVATOR OF THE YEAR

Delivered by Amazon
The top overall pitch score as determined by our panel of judges

$30,000

AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARD

Sponsored by Sara and Gary Ahr
The finalist with the highest percentage of votes from our audience members

$25,000

ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT AWARD

Sponsored by Satori Capital
The organization with the highest sustainability score as determined by our judges

$20,000

IMPACT AWARD

Sponsored by Toyota
The organization with the greatest potential impact as determined by our judges

$20,000

INNOVATION AWARD

Sponsored by Vistra Corp.
Voted on by Social Innovation Accelerator Committee

$15,000

PRESENTATION PRIZE

Sponsored by Accenture
The organization with the highest presentation score

$25,000

ACCELERATOR PRIZE

Sponsored by March Tocqueville Fellows
Awarded to each Pitch finalist to accelerate their organization’s impact

SOCIAL INNOVATION FUELS OUR COMMUNITY WIDE GOALS

The Pitch is the exciting culmination of our Social Innovation Accelerator program, which encourages the creation of new solutions to improve education, income and health right here at home.

What is Social Innovation?

Social innovation is the practice of finding new and innovative solutions for long-standing community problems that are more effective, efficient, sustainable or just than current solutions.

Who competes in The Pitch?

Through programs like our Social Innovation Accelerator, we amplify the work of local social entrepreneurs and implement creative, strategic solutions to longstanding community challenges. Every spring, we celebrate the power of social innovation at The Pitch, where finalists from the latest Accelerator class share their innovative solutions for improving access to education, income and health in our community.

Why social innovation?

Social innovation is one technique driving us toward our Aspire United 2030 community goals, which include:

  • Increase by 50% the number of local students reading on grade level by third grade
  • Increase by 20% the number of young adults earning a living wage, adding nearly $800M in wages per year to the North Texas economy
  • Increase to 96% the percentage of our neighbors with access to affordable health care insurance