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West Virginia Hive Hosting August 6 Coffee Talks Session in Lewisburg
The West Virginia Hive is teaming up with Ascend WV Greenbrier Valley to host its next Coffee Talks networking session.
Beckley, W.Va. (Sept. 14, 2022) – After several impressive presentations, three Southern West Virginia entrepreneurs offered winning pitches of their business plans for start-up or expansion and were rewarded with cash prizes and the knowledge their ideas may be worthy to implement.
Winners selected by the judges and audience included:
Hills to Hills Shuttles & Tours
Adena Joy, Fayette County
1st Place – $2,000
Sponsored by United BankMountain Mama Stitchery
Ruschelle Khanna, Raleigh County
2nd Place – $1,000
Sponsored by NRGRDABotany Tropicals
Jordan Casey, Summers County
3rd Place – $500
Sponsored by NRGRDA
Also winner of Best STEM Related Idea -$750, plus STEM-focused technical assistance provided by the WV Hive
Each awardee also received a gift card from Domino’s of Beckley, Daniels and Fayetteville. Funding support for the event was provided by the U.S. Economic Development Administration and the U.S. Small Business Administration Growth Accelerator Fund Competition.
“All of our entrepreneurs were impressive tonight,” said Diana Woods, director of the WVU Tech Launch Lab and coordinator of the event. “The judges had really difficult decisions to make.”
Judy Moore, deputy director at the New River Gorge Regional Development Authority (NRGRDA) and executive director of the WV Hive, joined WVU Tech president Carolyn Long in welcoming the presenters as well as the panel of judges representing serial entrepreneurs, investors, representatives from lending institutions, legal advisors and educators.
Judges for the event were:
The West Virginia Hive, in partnership with the WVU Tech Launch Lab, hosted the in-person Pitch Southern West Virginia competition after a two-year hiatus due to Covid-19.
Moore said the business idea competition was open to entrepreneurs of new start-ups and businesses in operation for less than three years. Eligibility was limited to residents or businesses located in Raleigh, Fayette, Nicholas, Summers, Braxton, Webster, Pocahontas, Greenbrier, Monroe, Mercer, Wyoming, and McDowell Counties, along with WVU Tech students.
The West Virginia Hive is teaming up with Ascend WV Greenbrier Valley to host its next Coffee Talks networking session.
The West Virginia Hive is conducting a community conversation on inclusive capital access from 1-2:30 p.m. June 25, at The Loft, 1123 Mercer Street in Princeton, W.Va. The event is free to those who register.
The West Virginia Hive Network is hosting its 2nd Annual Network and Resource Fair, set for Thursday, June 27, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Historic Black Knight Conference Center, 2400 South Kanawha Street, Beckley, W.Va.
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