April 10, 2019 (Hyannis & Falmouth, MA) – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
In the past month, EforAll Cape Cod held two separate Pitch Contests showcasing ideas from all aspects of business on Cape Cod. Eighteen different entrepreneurs showed off their businesses, ranging from an innovative idea to raise awareness of the academic and medical contributions of the horseshoe crab to a summer camp to help children dealing with death and grief. A total of $4,250 was awarded to local entrepreneurs to encourage them to continue developing their ideas.
The first contest, the “Fresh Ideas” Pitch Contest was held March 21st at the Cultural Center of Cape Cod in Yarmouth. The contest, held in partnership with Love Live Local and Buy Fresh Buy Local, was themed around agricultural, aquacultural, food culture and “green” business ideas. Judges listening to each pitch, scored based on the clarity of the idea and presentation of the entrepreneur. The presenters were asked to focus on the following questions: what is the opportunity that led to the idea, who is the customer/market, how will it be sustainable as a business or non-profit, and how will the prize money be used. The judges included Rooster Fricke of Nobska Farms, Brian Junkins of Friends Marketplace, Catherine Bieri of three fins coffee roasters, Kim Shkapich of Lola’s Local Food Lab and Lori Flanagan of Ring Bros. Marketplace.
- The grand prize of $1,000 was awarded to Christopher George of The Feisty Crab for his proposal to remove the invasive green crab from the waste stream and turn it into a revenue-producing delicacy.
- Michelle Bennett of Healing Tree Edibles CBD who is working to manufacture and sell CBD infused local foods, walked home with the $750 Second Place prize.
- The Third place award of $500 went to Jeff Kaeli of Cape Cod Orienteering which encourages people to enjoy the natural environment of Cape Cod and enjoy screen-free time with adult scavenger hunts which teach the skill of navigating using a compass and paper map.
- The audience declared Christopher George of The Feisty Crab their favorite and he also went home with the $500 fan favorite prize.
The second contest, the “All Ideas Mini” Pitch Contest was held on April 4th at Bucatino’s Restaurant and Wine Bar in North Falmouth. The contest, held in partnership with the Cape Cod Young Professionals, was part of the CCYP After Hours Connect following the 2019 Shape Your Cape Summit. The judges included Jim Towey of Onset Computer Corporation, Cynthia Furtado of Salt Pond Realty Group, Michael Kasparian of the Falmouth Chamber of Commerce and Eileen Miskell, recently retired from the Wood Lumber Company.
- The Judge’s Choice prize of $1,000 went to Anna Meade of Cannabis: A Big Sisters’ Guide. The project is a beginners guide to the therapeutic potential of modern cannabis.
- The audience awarded the Fan Favorite prize of $500 to Leslie Cozza of TapTastings Craft Brew Excursions which is launching “brew bus” experiences to craft beer destinations in 2019.
About EforAll Cape Cod: EforAll is a nonprofit dedicated to helping aspiring business owners and startups plan, test, launch & accelerate their ventures. EforAll will be hosting more Pitch Contests, networking events & also offers a Business Accelerator Program twice a year. Finalists that apply to the program receive three months of intensive twice weekly workshops, matchup with a team of mentors, access to technical experts and the opportunity to compete for cash prizes to launch their business. Entrepreneurs also receive an additional nine months of support after the intensive period of the accelerator. For more info, visit EforAll.org.
