The Brandery and UpTech are seeking dynamic local innovators as they bring a nation-wide contest home to #StartupCincy.
InnovateHER, a U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) initiative, is a cross-cutting women’s business challenge to unearth innovative products and services that help impact and empower the lives of women and families.
“Our workforce has changed in the last 50 years,” says Amanda Greenwell, Program Director for UpTech. “Women now make up nearly half of the labor force and, as the demands on women and families grow, so does a need for products and services that are designed specifically for women.”
To enter, local startups must submit an application between now and March 5. Judges, made up of members of The Brandery, UpTech, Bad Girl Ventures and other business leaders, will then select up to 10 startups to pitch their idea at a live event from 7 to 8:30 p.m. March 9 at The Brandery, 1411 Vine Street. The winner of the live pitch event will then represent Cincinnati in the SBA’s national pitch competition.
“We’re excited to have support from the Small Business Administration in the region,” says General Manager Mike Bott. “We hope to have an awesome company come out of Cincinnati and represent us well in Washington, D.C.”
If selected as one of 10 finalists, the startups will travel to Washington D.C. during National Small Business Week May 4-8, 2015, where they’ll compete for top three awards and prize money totaling $30K.
For more information about InnovateHER, visit sba.gov. Tickets for InnovateHER: Cincinnati are available at https://innovateher-cincy.eventbrite.com.
For any questions about the March 9 live pitch event, e-mail abby@uptechideas.org