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Pitch ’25 — Applications Are Now Closed
Check back soon to meet our finalists.
Now in its fifth year, Pitch is your opportunity to secure a trading space at the high-footfall 2025 Arnotts
Christmas Market, benefit from expert retail mentorship, and compete for a prize package worth €70,000.
Whether you’re scaling an established brand or launching something new, Pitch is designed to support
ambitious entrepreneurs ready to grow in a competitive retail environment.
What is Pitch ’25?
Pitch is a business accelerator initiative from Brown Thomas Arnotts, created to empower innovative start-ups
and entrepreneurs based in Ireland or Northern Ireland, regardless of nationality.
Following the success of Pitch ’24, we’re proud to return for a fifth year. Finalists will receive hands-on
mentorship from industry leaders in brand development, retail strategy, and customer engagement. Each will earn
a place at the 2025 Arnotts Christmas Market, with the overall winner awarded a prize package worth
€70,000.
Consisting of a €10,000 business development fund from Brown Thomas Arnotts, financial advice from Pitch sponsor
BKK Financial advisors, PLUS a media campaign fund courtesy of The Business Post, Newstalk, and PML
Group.
Whether you're a founder with years of experience or just beginning your journey, Pitch ’25 offers the tools and
exposure to elevate your business.
Meet The Pitch '24 Winner
Wink with Mink
Winner of Pitch ’24, Wink with Mink Lashes, founded by lash artist Shona Mahon, introduced an innovative at-home lash system that is cruelty-free, reusable, and biodegradable. During the Christmas period, the brand secured over 400 customer bookings at the Wink with Mink Lash Bar in Arnotts is still successfully trading in Planet Beauty.
Shona shared: "I am over the moon to be the winner of Pitch ’24 and to be the first stand-alone lash brand to be stocked in Dublin's iconic department store. The support from Arnotts, BKK, and Eversheds Sutherland has been incredible. As a small business, launching into retail can be a huge task, but Arnotts were there to mentor me and ensure I was ready to launch in-store for Christmas. I am so excited to continue my partnership with Arnotts and grow together. Pitch ’24 has been my highlight of 2024 without a doubt—it has rapidly expanded my business in ways I could have never imagined!"
