WELLSBURG — Quite a few people or groups with concepts for new company ventures will vie for a number of thousands of dollars to enable them make their objectives a reality in a contest to be held Tuesday at Brooke Higher College.

The Ohio Valley Company Alliance Corp. will hold its initially Company Pitch Contest at five:30 p.m. in the school’s auditorium.

Admission is absolutely free for the occasion, which OVBAC member David Klick expects to be really fascinating.

“We have a lot of persons who have place a lot of time and believed into their projects,” mentioned Klick, noting the seven competitors from Brooke and Hancock counties with ambitions for a wide variety of enterprises.

Klick is co-chairing the occasion with Dr. Heather Stone and Joan Simonetti.

He is amongst numerous alliance members with previous ties to the Wellsburg Chamber of Commerce and the former Brooke County Financial Improvement Authority, which had teamed for a number of years to hold company pitch contests.

“This year I’d say we have the most effective applicants because I’ve been involved with the pitch. And it is the most significant pot for the winners,” he mentioned.

Klick mentioned thanks to the generosity of neighborhood enterprises and other organizations, the group will divide $eight,000 amongst the two winners, with the biggest quantity going to the one particular that areas initially.

He noted the prize funds will be disbursed as the two company ideas are created.

Klick mentioned the contest is equivalent in format to television’s “Shark Tank,” with the contestants offered a restricted time to provide their proposals to a panel of 5 judges.

The 5 are: Luke Diserio, chief executive officer of American Muscle Docks and Fabrication Kelly Jeffers, winner of the final company pitch Ingrid Loy, a advertising and marketing instructor at West Liberty University Jay McLaughlin, vice president of accounting and finance at Wheeling-Nippon Steel and Weirton lawyer Michael Simon.

Every of the contestants has been instructed to prepare a presentation that contains estimated charges for their endeavor, their targeted marketplace and their vision for the company in two to 5 years.

“We have a lot of persons who have place a lot of time and believed into their projects,” mentioned Klick.

To enable the contestants prepare, the Ohio Valley Company Alliance has invited them to the West Virginia Tiny Company Improvement Center’s Inspiring You series of seminars and referring them to other sources.

Held at the Brooke County Public Library, the absolutely free seminars present guidance to aspiring and current company owners in subjects ranging from building a company strategy to advertising and marketing their goods and solutions to prospective clients to understanding economic statements.

In addition to the event’s sponsors, Klick expressed thanks to the chambers of commerce of Weirton, Follansbee and Wellsburg, which also have offered help and Brooke County college officials for creating the auditorium out there for the group.

He mentioned the group hopes to spur financial development all through the Northern Panhandle and sees events like the contest as a way to help that.

“We believe this could definitely be adequate to move the needle for a person,” mentioned Klick.

(Scott can be contacted at wscott@heraldstaronline.com.)

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