STartUP Northshore is celebrating one year of supporting local entrepreneurs with their inaugural NSpire Startup Slam, the first ever startup pitch competition on the Northshore.
Entrepreneurs will be competing for a prize package valued at more than $50,000.
The competition will feature a thrilling live battle of innovation, which will be held at the historic Columbia Theatre for the Performing Arts in Downtown Hammond on Friday, November 3rd at 5:30 p.m.
Startups from all industries, backgrounds and locations are invited to apply for the chance to compete in a live, shark-tank style pitch competition until Friday, September 22.
A maximum of four finalists will be selected to pitch their business for a prize package complete with $25,000 in cash funding matched by high-quality in-kind services, mentorship opportunities and access to a network of investors and industry professionals. This prize package is valued at over $30,000.
This annual event provides rising entrepreneurs with a platform to showcase their ideas, celebrate creativity, connect with industry leaders and receive the necessary support and resources to transform their visions into thriving businesses.
By hosting this prestigious competition, STartUP Northshore fuels the entrepreneurial spirit, attracts investment to the region and positions the Northshore as a hub of innovation in the Gulf South.
In order to qualify to compete in the NSpire Startup Slam, businesses must be located on the Northshore (St. Tammany, Tangipahoa or Washington Parish) or be willing to locate their base of operations to the Northshore for at least two years. The businesses must also actively participate in the Northshore entrepreneurial atmosphere, be in business for five years or less or be an existing business creating a new division or establishment. The businesses must have a yearly revenue under $1,000,000, be incorporated as a limited liability company, an S corporation or a C corporation. The organization must also have a scalable, high-growth business model with a strong management team. Nonprofit organizations are not eligible to enter the NSpire Startup Slam.
NSpire Startup Slam applicants are evaluated based on the criteria of concept, business model, market & traction, team and commitment to and potential impact for the Northshore.
Applications are due On September 22, and on September 25 the semifinalists are notified. On October 12 is the semifinal round, and on November 3 is the NSpire Startup Slam finals.
Those interested in applying can find the application on StartUP Northshore's website at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/nspireapp.
"NSpire Startup Slam will bring together everything that makes the Northshore special-- ideas, innovation, and locally-sourced grit. We want this event to be a clarion call to entrepreneurs across the region. Our message is simple: come, showcase your ventures, and attract the game-changing investment and network that could propel your business to new heights," says Chris Masingill CEO St. Tammany Corporation via https://startupnorthshore.com/nspire/.
"Tangipahoa Economic Development is a proud partner of STartUP Northshore, and we welcome the NSpire Startup Slam to downtown Hammond, America, right here in Tangipahoa Parish. The NSpire Startup Slam is set to ignite new opportunities, enrich our business landscape, and strengthen the Northshore's position as an entrepreneurial hub," says Ginger Cangelosi Executive Director of Tangipahoa Economic Development via https://startupnorthshore.com/nspire/.
"Pitch competitions are a great opportunity for exposure for founders to present their startups to potential investors and other stakeholders, making connections and getting invaluable feedback. The fact that Northshore entrepreneurs can complete locally for a prize package of more than $50K while they scale their businesses is a testament to the power of regional thinking and the Gulf South area as a hub for entrepreneurship," says Jon Atkinsons CEO of The Idea Village via https://startupnorthshore.com/nspire/.
STartUP Northshore focuses on building programs that support startups and curate an environment that allows local entrepreneurs to thrive. St. Tammany Corporation leads a 3-year pilot program initiative in partnership with economic development and business stakeholders in Tangipahoa and Washington parishes.
St. Tammany aims to create an atmosphere that raises the local economy to new heights.
According to the organization's website, the capitalized "ST" in the title pays homage to the EDO that brought the initiative to life and the hub that St. Tammany serves as. The uppercase "UP" emphasizes the growth mindset that the organization is infusing into the local web of entrepreneurs. The three spokes, highlighting a tri-parish partnership, speak to the efforts that are shared with local colleagues in Washington and Tangipahoa.
Parish partners of St. Tammany are Ginger Cangelosi the Executive Director of Economic Development from Tangipahoa Parish Government and Ryan Seal the Executive Directors from Washington Economic Development.
Regional Partnerships broaden St. Tammany's network to include world-class connectivity to local and non-local thought leaders. A regional program partner of NSpire Startup Slam is The Idea Village.
St. Tammany Corporation's mission is to create an organization that results in transformational leadership with the outcome of economic prosperity. The organization's vision is to align the economic landscape in St. Tammany to be the destination for skilled talent and business formation, attraction, expansion and retention.
