FEDCO Launches Inaugeral Youth Pitch Competition

Three area High Schools will be represented at the upcoming “First Pitch by FEDCO” event, where six entrepreneurial entrants will compete for cash prizes sponsored by Fulton County REMC.  Participating schools include Caston, Tippecanoe Valley and Rochester High Schools.

On Thursday, March 12, from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m., at the Rochester Learning Center, the six finalists (2 from each of the above schools) will have five minutes to present their business “pitch” to a panel of three judges.  Each pitch will require student entrepreneurs to:

·         Describe their product/service

·         Prove feasibility of the business and why it will be profitable

·         Clearly define the business model and how it will make money

·         State what their competitive edge will be

·         Explain why the owner/owners are a good fit for this type of business

The judges will then have 6 minutes to ask questions of each participant.

Beginning last Fall, FEDCO, through its BizGro program, has coordinated this Fulton County entrepreneurial opportunity with the school systems. 

Amy Beechy, BizGro Manager, had this to say about the program, “We really wanted to expose the students to the entrepreneurial process, not necessarily with the view that they “have” to start a business from this experience, but that they gained valuable insights about how they could launch a business. The “First Pitch” is that natural progression from their work with the school’s entrepreneurial instruction, into the next phase of a solid business proposal.”  She went on to say that if they desire to launch the business, winners will have access to FEDCO’s business resources such as business planning classes, workshops, low interest loan funds, and business counseling.

Fulton County REMC chose to sponsor this event by offering $1500 in cash prizes to these six finalists as an incentive to do well and as a reward for their work in this program, as opposed to being used for the future of their business.  Prizes will be awarded as follows:

1st Place -             $500

2nd                          $400

3rd                           $300

4th                           $100

5th                           $100

6th                           $100

The business community and general public are encouraged and welcome to attend and support these students as they deliver their pitches.  For more information, contact Amy Beechy at 574-709-7955 or amy@projectmattersllc.com.