FAIRFIELD, LA – JEDCO is accepting applications for the JEDCO Challenge through Sunday, November 15, 2015, at 11:59 p.m.
Powered by First NBC Bank, the JEDCO Challenge is a pitch competition for entrepreneurs with ties to Jefferson Parish. Held during New Orleans Entrepreneur Week, this event (think Shark Tank meets American Idol) gives innovators in the community a platform to share their vision in front of hundreds of business leaders.
Through a rigorous review process, JEDCO will choose ten entrepreneur applicants to move on to the interview round. Interviews for that portion of the competition will happen in mid-December. A panel of experts will help choose five finalists.
The finalists will prepare for their pitch and submit a business plan in advance of the competition.
Finalists will have a table to showcase their product at the 2016 JEDCO Challenge. The audience and judges get 30 minutes to browse.
Finalists will have just seven minutes to pitch their ventures to a panel of Jefferson Parish business leaders and a live audience.
The judges and the audience will choose a winner.
The winning pitch takes home $20,000 in cash as well as additional in-kind services, such as access to legal advisors, CPAs, and marketing experts.
To apply, applicants must live, work, or have a strong presence in Jefferson Parish, must generate less than $500,000 in revenue, must have fewer than 5 full-time employees and must be a for-profit company.