BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//ChamberMaster//Event Calendar 2.0//EN METHOD:PUBLISH X-PUBLISHED-TTL:P3D REFRESH-INTERVAL:P3D CALSCALE:GREGORIAN BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART:20250218T170000Z DTEND:20250319T210000Z X-MICROSOFT-CDO-ALLDAYEVENT:FALSE SUMMARY:Center Street Pitch Competition 2025 DESCRIPTION:Local entrepreneurs are invited to pitch their next big idea for a chance to win up to $10\,000 in prizes! \n\nCenter Street Pitch Competition will award prizes to a Center of the Universe Business\, a Hanover and Beyond Business\, and an Agriculture & Forestry Business in our local community. Each winner will walk away with up to $10\,000 cash and free membership to Dominion Energy Innovation Center or Downtown Ashland Association for a year. Over $35K will be awarded in total!\n\n \n\nCenter Street Pitch Competition is sponsored by partners DEIC and Downtown Ashland Association to encourage entrepreneurship in our local community. Our organizations support small business owners year-round with mentorship\, networking\, and education. Learn more about entrepreneurship initiatives at Downtown Ashland Association.\n\n\n\n\n\nWho Can Compete?\n\nCenter of the Universe*\n\nAre you an Ashland Main Street business looking to secure the capital you need to take your business to the next level? This pitch competition is your chance to showcase your vision and win funding to grow your enterprise. All industries and business models are welcome to apply\, but your business must be located within the Ashland Main Street District to qualify. Three entrepreneurs will be selected to pitch their business plans in a five-minute presentation during the showcase on April 10th\, 2025. An expert panel will evaluate the pitches and entrepreneurs will compete for $17\,500 distributed as $10\,000 for first place\, $5\,000 for second\, and $2\,500 for third. The first-place winner will also receive a complimentary Downtown Ashland Association (DAA) membership\, providing further support and resources for their business.\n\n \n\nHanover and Beyond*\n\nHave you been thinking about starting a business? Recently launched and need a boost? Or are you an established business owner with a great idea that needs funding? This is your chance to make it happen! All industries and business models are welcome to apply but the business must be located in the Town of Ashland\, Hanover County or greater Richmond Region. Three entrepreneurs will be selected to pitch their business plans in a five-minute presentation during the showcase on April 10th. An expert panel will evaluate the pitches and award prizes totaling $9\,000 as follows: $5\,000 for first place\, $2\,500 for second and $1\,500 for third. The first place winner will also win a DEIC membership.\n\n \n\n\n\nAgriculture & Forestry\n\nStarting or expanding a farm or forestry business? Innovating with food or fiber? Share your idea to win seed funding for entrepreneurship. Farm and forestry businesses in Hanover County or the greater Richmond MSA are invited to apply. Three entrepreneurs will be selected to present their agricultural or forestry business plan in a five-minute pitch during the showcase on April 10th. An expert panel will evaluate the pitches and award prizes totaling $9\,000 as follows: $5\,000 for first place\, $2\,500 for second and $1\,500 for third. The first place winner will also win a DEIC membership.\n\n\n\n \n\n\n*All entrepreneurs in all industries are welcome to apply. Selection of presenters in these categories will favor SWaM Businesses.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n \n\n\n\n\n\nApplication and Event Details\n\nEntering the Competition is easy\, simply complete the few questions at the link below to the best of your ability\; keeping in mind that judges in this year's competition will be looking for depth of business understanding\, existing market traction\, and uniqueness of idea. \n\n \n\nIn the last section of the application\, you will be asked to complete an executive summary for your business. A template for the executive summary is available here. In order to add in your own information\, you will have to make a copy or download the document to Word. Please save your executive summary as a pdf and upload it to the final section of this application. \n\nApplications are due by 5pm on March 19\, 2025.\n\nCenter Street Pitch Competition will be held on April 10th\, 2025 at the historic Ashland Theatre from 6pm 8pm. \n\n\n\n\n\n Doors will open to the public at 5:30pm. \n\nQuestions? Email centerstreet@dominnovation.com\n\n \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nApply X-ALT-DESC;FMTTYPE=text/html:
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Local entrepreneurs are invited to pitch their next big idea for a chance to win up to $10\,000 in prizes! \; \;

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Center Street Pitch Competition will award prizes to a Center of the Universe Business\, a Hanover and Beyond Business\, and an Agriculture &\; Forestry Business in our local community. Each winner will walk away with up to $10\,000 cash and free membership to Dominion Energy Innovation Center or Downtown Ashland Association for a year. \; \;Over $35K will be awarded in total!
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Center Street Pitch Competition is sponsored by partners DEIC and \;Downtown Ashland Association \;to encourage entrepreneurship in our local community. Our organizations support small business owners year-round with mentorship\, networking\, and education. \; \;Learn more \;about entrepreneurship initiatives at Downtown Ashland Association.
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Who \;Can Compete?

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Center of the Universe*

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Are you an Ashland Main Street business looking to secure the capital you need to take your business to the next level? This pitch competition is your chance to showcase your vision and win funding to grow your enterprise. \; \;All industries and business models are welcome to apply\, but your business must be located within the \;Ashland Main Street District \;to qualify. Three entrepreneurs will be selected to pitch their business plans in a five-minute presentation during the showcase on \;April 10th\, 2025. \;An expert panel will evaluate the pitches and entrepreneurs will compete for \;$17\,500&mdash\;distributed as $10\,000 for first place\, $5\,000 for second\, and $2\,500 for third. The first-place winner will also receive a complimentary \;Downtown Ashland Association (DAA) membership\, providing further support and resources for their business.
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Hanover and Beyond*

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Have you been thinking about starting a business? Recently launched and need a boost? Or are you an established business owner with a great idea that needs funding? This is your chance to make it happen! All industries and business models are welcome to apply but the business must be located in the Town of Ashland\, Hanover County or greater Richmond Region. \; \;Three entrepreneurs will be selected to pitch their business plans in a five-minute presentation during the showcase on April 10th. An expert panel will evaluate the pitches and award prizes \;totaling $9\,000 \;as follows: $5\,000 for first place\, $2\,500 for second and $1\,500 for third. \; The first place winner will also win a DEIC membership.
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Agriculture &\; Forestry

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Starting or expanding a farm or forestry business? Innovating with food or fiber? Share your idea to win seed funding for entrepreneurship. Farm and forestry businesses in Hanover County or the greater Richmond MSA are invited to apply. \; \;Three entrepreneurs will be selected to present their agricultural or forestry business plan in a five-minute pitch during the showcase on April 10th. \;  \; \;An expert panel will evaluate the pitches and award prizes \;totaling $9\,000 \;as follows: $5\,000 for first place\, $2\,500 for second and $1\,500 for third. \; The first place winner will also win a DEIC membership.
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*All entrepreneurs in all industries are welcome to apply. Selection of presenters in these categories will favor SWaM Businesses.

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Application and Event Details

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Entering the Competition is easy\, simply complete the few questions at the link below to the best of your ability\; keeping in mind that judges in this year&rsquo\;s competition will be looking for depth of business understanding\, existing market traction\, and uniqueness of idea. \; \;
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In the last section of the application\, you will be asked to complete an executive summary for your business. \; A template for the executive summary is available \;here. In order to add in your own information\, you will have to make a copy or download the document to Word. \; Please save your executive summary as a pdf and upload it to the final section of this application. \;
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Applications are due by 5pm on March 19\, 2025.

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Center Street Pitch Competition will be held on April 10th\, 2025 at the historic \;Ashland Theatre \;from 6pm &ndash\; 8pm. \; \;

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 \;Doors will open to the public at 5:30pm. \;

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Questions? \; Email \;centerstreet@dominnovation.com

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Apply
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\n LOCATION: UID:e.9156.3513 SEQUENCE:3 DTSTAMP:20260427T213854Z URL:http://thembl.memberzone.com/events/details/center-street-pitch-competition-2025-3513 END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR