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[Audio] Murray State Hosts Entrepreneurship Pitching Competition

Delta Entrepreneurship Network

Local entrepreneurs will have their shot at success next month as part of the Delta Entrepreneurship Network’s annual pitch competition. Held October 6 at Murray State University, the Delta Regional Authority-operated event gives area businesspeople a chance to present their ideas to a panel of judges, similar to the network television program, “Shark Tank.”

The competition has two categories, one for those pitching concepts and the other for entrepreneurs with pre-existing businesses at least 36 months old. A panel of judges will review the three-minute presentations and narrow the applicant pool down to two or three.

That group, along with others chosen from similar events throughout the Delta Region, will receive a DEN technical assistance and training fellowship. They’ll also participate in a special finalists’ event in New Orleans that includes workshops with mentoring from panelists and other industry experts.

Chris Wooldridge with the Murray State University Small Business Development Center says the Kentucky Innovation Network holds similar events to help foster business in the region.

“I think that success helped draw some attention to Kentucky as an area to really focus on for pitch contests, for small business development, business plan presentations and the chance to really showcase entrepreneurship,” Wooldridge said.

This is the first year Murray State has hosted a DEN event. Wooldridge says the Delta Regional Authority approached MSU with the idea.

“Murray State’s footprint, the 18 counties (that it roughly services), mirrors the counties that the Delta Regional Authority services. And so it’s just a great natural fit for us and we’re real excited about the event,” Wooldridge said.

The winner of last year’s KIN Murray regional pitch competition received state funds to open a Graves County health foods shop that specializes in catching and processing Asian carp.

“A fine example of how these kinds of contests open doors,” Wooldridge said.

Wooldridge says about six entrepreneurs have signed up so far. The DRA will still applications through September 29. Visit the Delta Entrepreneurship Network's page for more information or an application.

Chad Lampe, a Poplar Bluff, Missouri native, was raised on radio. He credits his father, a broadcast engineer, for his technical knowledge, and his mother for the gift of gab. At ten years old he broke all bonds of the FCC and built his own one watt pirate radio station. His childhood afternoons were spent playing music and interviewing classmates for all his friends to hear. At fourteen he began working for the local radio stations, until he graduated high school. He earned an undergraduate degree in Psychology at Murray State, and a Masters Degree in Mass Communication. In November, 2011, Chad was named Station Manager in 2016.
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