Beckley, W.Va. (Jan. 30, 2023) – The West Virginia Hive, in partnership with the West Virginia University Institute of Technology (WVU Tech) Launch Lab, will host a new Pitch Southern West Virginia business idea competition round on March 30 on the WVU Tech campus. Applications to pitch business ideas are due at 8 a.m. Monday, Feb. 27.

Diana Woods, director of the WVU Tech Launch Lab who is serving as coordinator of the event, said a panel of judges will select three top entries, with the first-place winner earning a $2,000 prize. The three top business presenters will receive awards in the competition, with an additional prize awarded to the best presentation by a WVU Tech student or team of students.

“We hope entrepreneurs will get as excited about these competitions as we do and take advantage of this great opportunity,” said Judy Moore, executive director of the WV Hive and deputy director of the New River Gorge Regional Development Authority. “The cash prizes aren’t the only benefit of participating. Entrepreneurs who participate gain tremendous experience through the entire process of applying, preparing the pitch presentation, and pitching in front of an audience. And, there is also a ton of feedback provided during the process from our panel of expert judges, which includes successful entrepreneurs, business professionals, educators, and investors.”

Those eligible to participate include WVU Tech students, faculty and staff, and entrepreneurs and businesses of the southern West Virginia counties of Raleigh, Fayette, Nicholas, Summers, Webster, Pocahontas, Greenbrier, Monroe, Mercer, Wyoming, McDowell, Logan and Mingo.

The business idea competition is limited to entrepreneurs of new start-ups and businesses in operation for less than three years. The best proposals submitted will be invited to give five-minute, in-person pitches of their business ideas before the reviewers. The reviewers will engage in a question-and-answer session with each presenter.

The deadline to submit an application is 8 a.m., Monday, Feb. 27. Proposals for business pitches and questions about the competition should be emailed to Diana Woods at [email protected].

The WV Hive is the entrepreneurship program of the New River Gorge Regional Development Authority and the administrator of the Country Roads Angel Network. Its 13-county service area includes Raleigh, Fayette, Summers, Nicholas, Webster, Greenbrier, Pocahontas, Monroe, Mercer, McDowell, Wyoming, Logan and Mingo counties. More information about the WV Hive can be found at wvhive.com.

Country Roads Angel Network, administered by the New River Gorge Regional Development Authority’s WV Hive, is a non-profit corporation based in Beckley and serving all 55 counties of the Mountain State. CRAN offers emerging businesses early stage, seed funding to bring their creations to market. CRAN has recruited qualified investors to evaluate, invest in, and mentor individual startup businesses and completes the NRGRDA ecosystem of innovation and health, attracting a new economy to a region of boundless natural beauty and possibilities. wvcran.com

For more than 120 years, WVU Tech has been building a powerful reputation for academic rigor and for producing graduates with real-world skills. While our faculty enjoy an environment that encourages research and professional development, our primary focus is on classroom instruction and ushering our students into successful careers. More information is available at wvutech.edu.