Delta Entrepreneurs Prep For New Orleans ‘Pitch’ Contest In Late March
by March 6, 2015 10:36 am 132 views
Thirty one entrepreneurs and support organizations from across the South will pitch their business ideas entrepreneurial festival in New Orleans later this month as part the Delta Regional Authority’s recently announced fellowship program, officials at the federally-authorized eight-state regional economic development group announced Thursday.
The pitch contest will be held during the festive New Orleans’ Entrepreneur Week on March 25-27 in the Crescent City, where more than 10,000 attendees are expected to participate in more than 100 events aimed at promoting entrepreneurial activity across the Mississippi Delta region.
Last week, the 16 winning entrepreneurs across the Delta region were selected by panels of judges at a series of four pitch competitions throughout the region over the past week. In addition, 15 entrepreneurship support groups were identified through an application and interview process with regional experts and practitioners in entrepreneurship.
During one of the events held in Jonesboro last week, ten different groups presented ideas during the 1st annual Delta Challenge at the Arkansas State University Delta Center for Economic Development in Jonesboro. That event was sponsored by the DRA’s recently launched Delta Entrepreneurship Network Fellowship program.
Judges at the event selected three winners – Flowood, Miss.-based WiFi Streaming Network, Memphis-based Bluff City BBQ Supply, Jonesboro-based Evest Web and one alternate, Little Rock-based MakePaper – to pitch their business ideas at the New Orleans festival.
Winners who successfully pitch their ideas will receive a $1,500 Delta Entrepreneurship Network Fellowship, DRA officials said. All the “fellows” attending the week-long conference will get to showcase their ideas to investors, connect with fellow entrepreneurs, industry experts and mentors, and get to participate in workshops.
“The Delta Entrepreneurship Network seeks to identify entrepreneurs and organizations with the passion, creativity, and business mind to transform his or her idea into a successful business that will grow, create jobs for Delta residents, and help drive local economies,” DFA Chairman Masingill said. “Congratulations to all. We look forward to working with these entrepreneurs and support organizations in the coming months.”
This weekend, the entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship support organizations will meet in Memphis to prep for New Orleans contest and participate in a pitch boot camp held by Julie Kirk, director of the U.S. Economic Development Administration’s Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
Joining the fellows will be representatives from the DRA’s regional coordinating committee are Arkansas Regional Innovation Hub, and other similarly-focus organizations across the Delta.
Learn more here about the DRA’s entrepreneurial network and programs. Go here to learn more about the New Orleans Entrepreneur Week, which will be held March 20-27.