The Venture Center’s 2021 Pitch ‘N Pint Contest will host 10 Arkansas-based entrepreneurs competing for cash prizes on Tuesday, June 29.
This year’s competition, which will run from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., is a collaboration between The Venture Center, Venture Noire and the Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center (ASBTDC) that pits entrepreneurs in a real-time, Shark Tank-style pitch competition where winners leave with cash and connections.
The competition offers $31,000 in prizes and is focused on women, people of color and veterans whose Arkansas-based businesses have been negatively impacted by COVID-19 and whose ARR or annual sales is less than $100,000. After the contestants deliver their three-minute elevator pitches to judges and a virtual audience, onlookers will vote for the Audience Choice Award Winner.
The first-place winner will receive a cash prize of $15,000; second place $10,000; third place $5,000; and the audience winner will receive $1,000.
This year’s pitch contestants:
Tasha Teaches Spanish – LaTasha Moore;
Peak Potential – Jolana Botswick;
Williams Professional Coding College – Vickie Williams;
Mr. Davis Pickles – Dedric Davis;
Elite Recruiting – Kissa Kimble;
WoofCat – Nicole Winstead;
femPAQ – April Roy;
Certified Pies – Samantha Stewart;
Arkansas Youth Sports Association – Willie Larry Jr.;
Edamame Films, Ayana Baraka.
Judges are Katherine Andrews of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission, Amber Booth McCoy of The Diversity Booth and Scott Hamilton of Urban League.
Register to watch here.