by Salina Area Chamber of Commerce
StartUp Salina is saying that functions at the moment are open for the 2nd Annual Charlie Walker Pitch Challenge to be held Friday, March 24, 2023 at Kansas Wesleyan University. The Challenge is open to start-up businesses in addition to younger businesses who’ve been working for three years or much less and presents a possibility to win up to $7,500 in money prizes.
Last 12 months’s occasion gave out $16,000 in prizes to three high place finishers. The 2022 high prize winner, Joyful Noise Studios, has utilized their funding to assist proceed to develop their enterprise and hunt down a bigger location in Salina.
“This competitors is a tremendous alternative. Preparing the supplies taught us a lot about our personal enterprise, that even when we had not received, it could have been definitely worth the time,” Melissa Burrows, proprietor of Joyful Noise Studios, stated, “We additionally cherished making connections with different businesses in addition to enterprise leaders locally. The cash we had been awarded has been used to assist develop our enterprise choices and we’ve nice plans for the longer term.”
This 12 months’s occasion is once more offered by Bennington State Bank and JRI Hospitality and presents money prizes for the highest 5 finishers: $7,500 for 1st place, $4,500 for 2nd place, $3,000 for third place, $2,000 for 4th place, and $1,000 for fifth place. Other sponsors embody Network Kansas and VentureDash.
Initial utility consists of submitting a marketing strategy in addition to a brief 2-3 minute video introducing the enterprise concept. Deadline to submit is March 10, 2023 at 11:59pm. There is not any cost to apply, and consists of residents of Saline county, in addition to Dickinson, Ellsworth, McPherson, and Ottawa counties.
All functions will then be scored, and ten (10) candidates will likely be chosen to transfer on to the in-person occasion and pitch competitors.
The pitch competitors will happen on Friday, March 24, 2023 at KWU’s Peters Science Hall. Competitors will likely be given 5 (5) minutes to pitch their marketing strategy to a gaggle of judges, comparable to what’s seen on standard reveals like ‘Shark Tank.’ The judges will then have a while to ask questions, and can rating the businesses. At the tip of the evening, scores will likely be tabulated and the highest 5 finishers will likely be introduced.
The Entrepreneurial Challenge is called in honor of the long-lasting Salina businessman, Charlie Walker, who based quite a few firms, largest amongst them Salina-based Blue Beacon International (identified for its truck and RV washes), and the Rolling Hills Zoo close to Hedville. Walker died in 2012, however his household has continued his dedication by spearheading quite a few civic causes within the Salina group.
“We have some beneficiant enterprise homeowners on this group who’re keen and concerned with supporting the subsequent era of small enterprise for the realm,” Renee Duxler, Interim CEO & President of the Salina Area Chamber of Commerce stated, “This occasion has advanced from a gaggle of them, to embody the Walker Family, wanting to encourage entrepreneurship in a very enjoyable and academic means. This pitchcompetition actually does obtain that.”
StartUp Salina will likely be providing a coaching on how to pitch a enterprise in February for any rivals which are . More data will likely be out there on the appliance web site when that class date is about.
To discover out extra data and to apply for the problem, go to goventuredash.com/competitions/416.
You also can get extra data by emailing Renee Duxler at [email protected]
