10/16/2019- Small business and start-up owners, warm up that elevator speech: it could earn you some extra cash for your venture. inVenture North is partnering with New North, Incorporated and the BrightStar Foundation to bring the Invent Your North Pitch Competition to entrepreneurs in Marinette, Oconto, and Florence Counties November 14th. It’s described as the popular television show Shark Tank on a slightly smaller scale, with the first-place presenter winning $2000 for their business and $1000 going to second place. Roberta Davis with inVenture North says the competition is aimed at helping these businesses overcome some of the major hurdles standing between them and growth.
“Finances is number one: how do I get financed? How do I build my business? How do I get exposure? And this satisfies all of those things. You get exposure. You get a prize if you win and that’s your marketing to start up. And, so, if you have a great idea, if you have an invention that you just haven’t brought to the table yet, get it out there. This is your opportunity to do it.”
And while it may be called “small business,” there are some big things happening in our region. Robert Pontius with inVenture says this competition shines a light on the diversity of these start-ups and the regional, even global impact, they have.
“There’s a diversity of small business, things you wouldn’t think about. We had a tenant, for example, involved in block-chain technology, cryptocurrency, and the programming necessary to transact those currencies in the market. And there’s also a company doing 3-D printing in the area, a graduate of NWTC’s prototyping program.”
The local Pitch Competition will be held at the Maritime Center of Excellence in Marinette from 6 until 8 p.m. The top two winners will then advance to the regional contest where they’ll compete for additional funding for their business ideas. Those interested in making their pitch can apply through November 1st by visiting thestartuphub.org/pitch.