Tuesday night Southwest Indiana showcased area entrepreneurs and startups through a pitch competition at Current Blend in Huntingburg.
Individuals and teams shared their business, innovation, or entrepreneurial idea before a panel of judges in hopes of earning prize money to invest in their startup.
This competition, sponsored by Current Blend and Elevate Southwest Indiana, a partnership between Elevate Ventures and the Economic Development Coalition of Southwest Indiana, was organized to kickstart the entrepreneurial community of Southwest Indiana and the ideas it contains.
The competition allowed nine local entrepreneurs five minutes to pitch their idea and four minutes to answer questions.
Judges which included Brew co-owner Josh Premuda, German American Bancorp President and CEO Mark Schroeder, Matrix Integrations CEO Brenda Stallings and Elevate Ventures Entrepreneur-in-Residence Jacob Schpok scored companies based on team, market fit, product/solution, customer traction or roadmap and their overall presentations.
Parasite ID was the startup that earned first place receiving a $4,000 prize, which was pitched by Robert Gold of Evansville.
Second place, and a $2,000 prize, went to an idea for a multi-spectral camera for medical diagnostics, which was pitched by Ben Potter of Jasper.
Basket Case Brewing and Hydro Grow tied for third, both taking home $1,000.
Elevate Ventures is a private venture development organization that nurtures and develops emerging and existing high-potential businesses into high-performing, Indiana-based companies.
Elevate Ventures accomplishes this by providing access to capital, rigorous business analysis and robust advisory services that connect companies with the right mix of resources businesses need to succeed long term. To learn more about Elevate Ventures, visit elevateventures.com.
Current Blend strengthens the community by sparking new ideas and providing access to resources to develop businesses.
They are a non-profit group that created Dubois County’s first co-working space, hosts events, and provides services to instill an environment that stimulates ideas, collaboration, and business.
For more information, visit currentblend.com.
