The fourth annual StartUp MHK business-pitch competition will conclude this weekend.
Eight local entrepreneurs will present their business ideas to a panel of judges Saturday for the chance to win part of the $20,000 that is up for grabs.
$8,000 will go to the winner of the Technical category, $8,000 will go to the winner of the Non-Technical category and $4,000 will go to the winner of the People’s Choice award.
This year’s judges include Mary Vanier, president of Grande Mere Development and Spark MHK board member, Dawn Deeter, K-State professor and director of the KSU Strategic Selling Center, Enrique Garibay, 2019 StartUp MHK winner in the non-tech category and owner of Great Paper Straws, Daryn Soldan, director of economic development for the Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce, and Shawn White, owner of Kestrel Drone and Mapping Solutions.
According to Angie Moss, JNT Company public relations specialist. a few changes have been made to the competition this year due to the pandemic.
She says that while the competitors will give their pitches in person, judges and spectators will view the event virtually.
“We spent a large portion of (Friday) afternoon sanitizing the entire conference room that the pitches will be in and making sure that everyone is spaced out.” Moss said. “We’re also having everyone wear a mask. We’re trying to really adhere to the state guidelines to keep everyone safe and healthy.”
Moss says the goal of the event is to deepen the entrepreneurship in Manhattan.
“Theoretically, these businesses that compete in our competition would be contributing to the economic and entrepreneurial scene in Manhattan,” Moss said. “I know throughout the course of this competition, we’ve come into contact with over 70 different businesses.”
The 2020 StartUp MHK competition really got going in October, when 26 entrepreneurs submitted videos of their pitches to a panel of judges.
The eight competitors that were selected can be viewed at startupmhk.com.
It’s on this website that people can also vote on who they think should receive the People’s Choice award, view a live stream of the competition and find more information on the rules of the event.
Voting for the People’s Choice award will conclude Saturday at 11 a.m.
Peoples State Bank on Highway 24 is hosting and sponsoring the event.
