Official Rules

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. The 2025 USC X CBN Business Pitch Competition begins on Thursday, May 6th, 2025, at 12:00 am ET and ends May 31, 2025, at 11:59 pm ET.

EACH ENTRANT HEREBY REPRESENTS AND WARRANTS THAT SUCH ENTRANT IS AN OWNER OF A CARIBBEAN-OWNED BUSINESS AND AT LEAST 18 YEARS OF AGE AND THAT SUCH ENTRANT HAS READ THESE OFFICIAL RULES AND IS FAMILIAR WITH AND AGREES TO ITS CONTENTS.

ELIGIBILITY: The Competition is open to Caribbean-owned businesses located in the United States that submit a Competition application during the period of Thursday, May 6th, 2025, at 12:00 am ET and May 31, 2025, at 11:59 pm ET. Employees of USC or CBN, their immediate families (parent, child, sibling and spouse and their respective spouses, regardless of where they reside) and persons living in the same households as such individuals (whether related or not) are not eligible to participate in the Competition. By participating, you agree to these Official Rules and to the decisions of the Sponsor, which are final and binding in all respects. Void where prohibited by law, and subject to all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations.

HOW TO ENTER THE COMPETITION: To enter the Competition, you must submit the official online application from Thursday, May 6th, 2025, at 12:00 am ET to May 31, 2025, at 11:59 pm ET.  Five (5) selected applicants will be required to perform a live three-minute business pitch on Sunday, June 22, 2025.

LIMIT ONE ENTRY PER COMPANY:  Limit one (1) entry per person and per company for the duration of the Competition Period. Entries generated by a script, macro or other automated means are void. Entries that are mutilated, altered, incomplete, mechanically reproduced, tampered with, illegible, inaccurate, forged, irregular in any way, or otherwise not in compliance with these Official Rules are also void. All entries become the property of the Sponsor and will not be returned to the entrant.  Sponsor and those working on its behalf will not be responsible for lost, late, misdirected or damaged mail or email, or for Internet, network, computer hardware and software, phone or other technical errors, malfunctions and delays that may occur. 

CABIN GIVEAWAY TERMS AND CONDITIONS: The grand prize winner will be selected based on judging by a three-member panel of the Pitch Competition. Travel to the port of disembarcation (Miami, FL) , alcohol and taxes on the cabin are the sole responsibility of the winner. Grand prize includes one (1) Balcony Cabin for 2. ⁠⁠Offer only valid in respect of new reservations. Offer includes accommodations on ship, access to all land and ship events, food (excluding Specialty restaurants) and gratuities. Offer DOES NOT include Govt taxes and port fees and expenses ($489 pp). Offer DOES NOT include the Unlimited Beverage Package ($700pp). Offer DOES NOT include flights, hotel accommodation, travel insurance or transportation to/from hotel/port. ⁠Offer subject to availability.

FINALIST NOTIFICATION: Five Finalists will be announced on June 9th and notified about moving forward in the competition.

PUBLICITY RELEASE: Except where prohibited or restricted by law and notwithstanding the fact that the winner may be required to sign a separate Liability/Publicity Release, winner's acceptance of Prize constitutes winner's agreement and consent for Sponsor to use and/or publish the winner's full name, city and state of residence, Competition entry, and/or statements made by winner regarding the Competition, winner's voice, photographs and other likeness, worldwide and in perpetuity for any and all purposes, including, but not limited to, advertising, trade and/or Competition on behalf of Sponsor, in any and all forms of media, now known or hereafter devised, including, but not limited to, print, TV, radio, electronic, cable or World Wide Web, without further limitation, restriction, compensation, notice, review or approval.

PRIVACY: Any company or personal information collected will be used for administration of the Competition and awarding of any Award. In addition, by entering, entrants agree to Sponsor's use of entrant's personal information as described in its Privacy Policy on the website: https://www.caribbiznetwork.com/privacy-policy . Please refer to CBN’s privacy policy for important information regarding the collection, use and disclosure of personal information.

RELEASE: BY ENTERING THE COMPETITION, ENTRANTS AGREE TO RELEASE, INDEMNIFY AND HOLD HARMLESS COMPETITION PARTIES AND EACH OF THEIR RESPECTIVE PARENT, SUBSIDIARY AND AFFILIATED ENTITIES AS WELL AS THE SUCCESSORS, ASSIGNS AND LICENSEES OF EACH AND THE RESPECTIVE OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, AGENTS, EMPLOYEES, SHAREHOLDERS, CONTRACTORS AND REPRESENTATIVE OF EACH, FROM ANY AND ALL CLAIMS, EXPENSES, DAMAGES, (INCLUDING REASONABLE ATTORNEYS FEES), OR LIABILITY FOR ANY INJURY, LOSS, OR DAMAGE OF ANY KIND TO PERSONS (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, DEATH), AND PROPERTY, WHETHER DIRECT OR INDIRECT, WHICH MAY BE DUE TO OR ARISE OUT OF PARTICIPATION IN THE COMPETITION OR ANY PORTION THEREOF; A BREACH OR ALLEGATION WHICH IF TRUE WOULD CONSTITUTE A BREACH OF ANY OF ENTRANT’S REPRESENTATIONS, WARRANTIES OR OBLIGATIONS HEREIN; OR THE ACCEPTANCE, USE/MISUSE OR POSSESSION OF AWARD(S), OR ANY AWARD-RELATED ACTIVITY. ENTRANTS WAIVE ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

DISCLAIMER: Competition Parties are not responsible for computer, mobile, mechanical, technical, electronic, network or other errors or problems, including any errors or problems that may occur in connection with the administration of the Competition, the processing of entries, or in any other Competition-related materials. The Competition Parties may stop you from participating in this Competition if you violate Official Rules or act, in sole discretion: (a) in a manner USC X CBN determines to be not fair; (b) with an intent to annoy, threaten or harass any other entrant, winner or the Sponsor; or (c) in any other disruptive manner.