West Des Moines Chamber of Commerce Opens Pitch Applications for Athene Beyond Boundaries Business Summit

WEST DES MOINES, Iowa (Jan. 8, 2026) – The West Des Moines Chamber of Commerce is accepting applications for the 2026 Athene Beyond Boundaries Business Summit Pitch Competition. The awards for this year’s pitch competition are sponsored by Bank of America. The application submission deadline is Monday, Feb. 9, 2026, by 5 p.m. 

“Entrepreneurs are the driving force behind strong, thriving communities,” said Annie Brandt, senior vice president and market executive for Bank of America Iowa. “Our continued support of this competition reflects our commitment to fostering innovation and helping local business owners succeed. We’re proud to partner with the West Des Moines Chamber of Commerce to elevate the Athene Beyond Boundaries Business Summit and support the impactful work happening across our region.”

“We are proud to support the Athene Beyond Boundaries Business Summit and the small business owners who take part in it,” said Kristi Kaye Burma, executive vice president and chief human resources officer at Athene. “The summit creates space for entrepreneurs to share their ideas, learn from experienced leaders and pursue opportunities that can help move their businesses forward.”

All pitch competition applicants are invited to the Athene Beyond Boundaries Business Summit, presented by Chase, April 14-15, 2026, at the Sheraton West Des Moines Hotel. On April 14, seven top applicants and one randomly selected participant will pitch their business ideas to a panel of judges for a chance to win thousands in prizes. To qualify, participants must attend the full day of networking and experiences on April 14, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with the pitches starting at 2 p.m. The celebration of pitch winners occurs on April 15 from 1:30 to 3 p.m. Over the past five years, winners have received a combined $200,000 in prizes.

Eligibility Requirements 

• Must be a small business. (Organizations – whether product or service businesses – are defined as more than two years in business, under 50 employees and under $2.5 million annual revenue.)

• This pitch is for-profit businesses only. No nonprofit pitches.

• Business does not have to be located in West Des Moines.

• If you have received funds from the past three years at the Athene Beyond Boundaries Business Summit, and to make room for new applicants, you are not able to apply for the 2026 event unless you were a randomly selected participant from a previous year.

In 2025, all eight finalists in the pitch competition received cash prizes. Winners included MinkeeBlue (Philadelphia); Sensiil Studios (Des Moines, Iowa); Spoonful Wellness (Brooklyn, N.Y.); West X East (Brooklyn, N.Y.); Do The Math 247 (Waukee, Iowa); Real Estate Investor Goddesses (Los Angeles); Regeily LLC (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.); and Relationship Wealth Enterprises (Waukee, Iowa).

“I’m incredibly grateful to be the winner of the 2025 Pitch Competition,” said Sherrill Mosee, founder & CEO of MinkeeBlue and first-place winner of the 2025 Pitch Competition. “Opportunities like this are rare, and this support will go a long way in helping grow my business, and I can’t thank the West Des Moines Chamber of Commerce enough for making this possible. Thank you to Katherine Harrington, the volunteers, and everyone who helped bring this event to life. I truly appreciate all of you.”

If you are interested in applying for the 2026 Pitch Competition or would like to learn more about the Athene Beyond Boundaries Business Summit, please visit bbbsummit.com. A $20 application fee is required at the time of submission.
 

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About the Athene Beyond Boundaries Business Summit
The Athene Beyond Boundaries Business Summit was created by national stakeholders to assist with connection building, programming, promotion, training and provide resources to help businesses grow and prosper. The Summit is owned and operated by the West Des Moines Chamber of Commerce and is supported by several key stakeholders, including Athene, Bank of America, Chase, Principal and more. The West Des Moines Chamber of Commerce created The Summit back in 2021, and Athene became the naming rights sponsor in 2022.

About the WDM Chamber of Commerce
Recognized by ACCE (Association of Chambers of Commerce Executives) as one of the top Chambers in the nation, the West Des Moines Chamber of Commerce, established in 1924, is the largest, most active chamber in the Greater Des Moines region. With a focus on strengthening local businesses, boosting economic development, and attracting a top-tier workforce, the Chamber aims to position WDM as the best suburban city in America. Celebrating over a century of excellence, the Chamber boasts a diverse community of over 1000 members, offering something for everyone. Explore the possibilities, learn more about the chamber, and discover how you can get involved in shaping the future of West Des Moines and our entire region at wdmchamber.org.

About Athene
Athene is the leading retirement services company with $430 billion of total assets as of September 30, 2025, and operations in the United States, Bermuda, Canada, and Japan. Athene is focused on providing financial security to individuals by offering an attractive suite of retirement income and savings products and also serves as a solutions provider to corporations. For more information, please visit www.athene.com.

About Bank of America
Bank of America is one of the world’s leading financial institutions, serving individual consumers, small and middle-market businesses and large corporations with a full range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk management products and services. The company provides unmatched convenience in the United States, serving approximately 69 million consumer and small business clients with approximately 3,700 retail financial centers, approximately 15,000 ATMs (automated teller machines) and award-winning digital banking with approximately 58 million verified digital users. Bank of America is a global leader in wealth management, corporate and investment banking and trading across a broad range of asset classes, serving corporations, governments, institutions and individuals around the world. Bank of America offers industry-leading support to approximately 4 million small business households through a suite of innovative, easy-to-use online products and services. The company serves clients through operations across the United States, its territories and more than 35 countries. Bank of America Corporation stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: BAC).