HOLLAND – A popular pitch competition pioneered by Rick DeVos, the founder of Grand Rapids Start Garden, has now been adopted by Holland and could help one entrepreneur each month fund his or her business idea.
Anyone with a business idea who could use $5,000 to advance it is encouraged to enter the competition online at www.5x5night.com. The sooner the better, as public voting is open concurrently with idea submission. People vote for the ideas they would like to see presented at the 5×5 Night event on July 21 at CityVu Events, where five entrepreneurs pitch for five minutes to five judges, with the winner taking home $5,000. Voting and idea submission are open now through July 14.
Holland resident Elsa Vogel, founder of Pieces of Me, a company that uses an individual’s personality traits to create custom wearable merchandise unique to every person, won a 5×5 Night event in August 2015. Her idea gained traction through a collegiate entrepreneurial program, but proof of concept is important to receive investor funding. As a recent graduate, Elsa felt stuck and was unsure of how to get started.
Vogel is scheduled to speak at the Holland 5×5 Night event. The Michigan Economic Development Corporation is the Premiere Sponsor, and Varnum Law is the Title Sponsor of the event.
The Holland SmartZone, in partnership with the West Coast Chamber, is also building an Entrepreneurial Support Network to pair entrepreneurs with service providers, specifically in the areas of web development, marketing, finance/accounting, human resources, legal/IP and business plan development. Early contributors of this program will receive special recognition at the 5×5 Night event. Organizations interested in being part of the ESN can apply at www.hollandsmartzone.com.
The Holland SmartZone will support high-tech, high-growth entrepreneurs, and plans to preview programming that will be offered at the 5×5 Night event, including the ESN.
Start Garden is the administrator of the Grand Rapids SmartZone and the facilitator of 5X5 Night. Lakeshore Advantage is a non-profit economic development organization that catalyzes resources to drive economic growth in West Michigan, and the administrator of the Holland SmartZone.
