By SARA GIBONEY
UNK Communications
KEARNEY – Area entrepreneurs are encouraged to pitch their ideas to win cash to grow their business.
Big Idea Kearney is open to anyone with a new business concept. The business idea does not have to be a complete business model, just a description of the product or service, what need it serves, who the customers might be and how it would be made available to those customers.
To enter, upload a two-minute video pitching a new business idea onto YouTube, then submit the URL to www.unk.edu/bigideakearney. The deadline to enter is 4 p.m. Oct. 31. Contestants must be age 13 or older.
The purpose of the event is to support a culture of entrepreneurship in the area by providing those entering with invaluable feedback through networking with other entrepreneurs and community leaders.
The top 10 participants will be invited to present their ideas Nov. 16 at Cunningham’s Journal in downtown Kearney. The first-place winner receives $1,000, the second-place winner receives $500 and third place receives $250.
Big Idea Kearney is sponsored by the Economic Development Council of Buffalo County, Invest Nebraska Corp. and Center for Rural Research and Development in the University of Nebraska at Kearney College of Business and Technology.
More information on where and how to submit the video is available on the CRRD website at www.unk.edu/crrd.
Past winners of the contest included business models for an oculus rift video game, double-sided peanut butter jar, automatic irrigation shutoff, hazelnut industry for food and biodiesel production, and hay bale mover.
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Writer: Sara Giboney, 308.865.8529, giboneys2@unk.edu
Source: Lisa Tschauner, 308.865.8135, tschaunerle@unk.edu
