Rapper Nicki Minaj and actor Dean Cain are reportedly set to take prominent roles in a “Shark Tank”-style competition organized by the Small Business Administration, where five entrepreneurs will compete for a share of $1 million in prize money.
The SBA announced this week that Minaj will serve on an “all-star judging panel” for the agency’s “Million Dollar Pitch Competition,” scheduled to take place Sept. 18.
Minaj, known for hits including “Starships,” has described herself as likely being President Donald Trump’s “No. 1 fan.”
The rapper will be joined on the judging panel by Airbnb co-founder Joe Gebbia and investor Grant Cardone. Together, they will evaluate pitches from five national finalists seeking money to grow their small businesses.
Cain will host the live event in Washington. The actor is best known for portraying the Man of Steel in the 1990s television series “Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman.”
The competition will feature five successful entrepreneur finalists presenting their businesses to the panel. Each will have an opportunity to secure part of a $1 million cash-prize pool funded by Clover Network, Inc., according to the SBA.
The five finalists are Compotech Inc., Winton Machine, Plas-Tech Tooling, Red River and VetPowered.
Every finalist is set to receive a cash prize, with the award amounts determined by their finishing positions. The fifth-place contestant will receive $75,000, while the first-place winner will walk away with $400,000. The remaining prize money will be distributed among those finishing in second, third and fourth places.
SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler celebrated the upcoming competition and its celebrity-filled roster, saying Minaj, Cain and the other participants would help bring additional attention to the event.
Loeffler described the competition as a historic celebration of free enterprise and said the involvement of the entertainers and business leaders would increase the excitement surrounding it.
“Their presence will be invaluable in highlighting the unique and inspiring stories of the five finalists competing for $1 million in growth capital, and the importance of Main Street businesses in powering American strength,” Loeffler said in a statement.
The SBA created the “Million Dollar Pitch Competition” as part of Freedom 250, a public-private initiative launched by the Trump administration in 2025.
Freedom 250 was established to commemorate the United States’ semiquincentennial birthday this year.
The Sept. 18 event will combine business pitches with a judging panel featuring figures from the worlds of entertainment, technology and investing. Minaj, Gebbia and Cardone will assess the presentations, while Cain will oversee the event as host.
The five finalists will compete for awards ranging from $75,000 to $400,000, with each business guaranteed a portion of the privately funded prize pool.
According to Loeffler, the event is intended not only to provide the competing entrepreneurs with growth capital but also to showcase the stories behind their companies and emphasize the role that Main Street businesses play in contributing to American strength.
