Do you have the next “Big Idea” to win the Valley Ventures Entrepreneur Café competition to be held in Lewisburg on June 2? If your idea involves launching a new business with a product or service or growing your business with a new feature, check out www.gvecafe.com to apply to be considered as one of the five contestants. The deadline for application is May 7. Valley Ventures Entrepreneur Café is presented through a regional partnership with Greenbrier Valley Economic Development (GVEDC), New River Gorge Regional Development Authority (NRGRDA) and New River Community and Technical College (NRCTC). A new feature of this Café will have Greg Carter of WVVA serve as moderator for the event to be held at the New River Campus. Seed Funding Investors for the June 2 event include GVEDC, BB&T and the Greater Greenbrier Valley Community Foundation. Attendees enjoying a delicious supper provided by Shoney’s will add crowd-funding to the winnings for a total well over $800. Potential contestants must apply online at www.gvecafe.com to be considered to compete with a 5-minute “pitch” presentation about their need for funding to grow their business. A 3-minute question and answer period follows so attendees are well informed to evaluate contestants on a point system to select the winning entrepreneur. Local partners for the Valley Ventures Café are the Region 1 Workforce Investment Board, Generation West Virginia and Beckley-Raleigh, Greater Bluefield, Greater Greenbrier, Fayette, Princeton-Mercer, Summersville and Pocahontas Chambers of Commerce. For more information, please call 304-667-7027.
