BROWNSVILLE, TEXAS – On the border, by the Sea, …and Beyond? The added ending to the otherwise official slogan for the city of Brownsville, rings true today as the Brownsville Community Improvement Corporation (BCIC) is set to host the inaugural StartUp Texas Pitch Summit this Wednesday, July 8th 2020 via livestream from the Brownsville Performing Arts Academy. The event seeks to showcase early stage companies presenting their product or service to a judging panel of industry experts, venture capitalists, and high profile media for a chance to win a share of $100,000.
The seed fund program is part of BCIC’s ongoing efforts to cultivate a culture and ecosystem of entrepreneurship in Brownsville and the greater Rio Grande Valley. “Our main goal at BCIC is to invest in the Human Capital of our Community. That involves finding the people who are already doing amazing things in our City or attracting unique entrepreneurs to our Community that are on the verge of expansion, as well as supporting them,” says Nathan Burkhart, Director of Marketing & Small Business Development. “We want to support entrepreneurs in our community by proactively creating new ecosystems that assist in making change happen faster.”
The inaugural event will consist of 10 interactive technology and manufacturing companies from different categories competing to win over both judges and the livestream audience alike. The community is invited to participate in the judging process, weighing in via text message to vote for whom they think should win the ‘Community Choice’ award, making the Pitch Summit as dynamic as possible in a time where social distancing measures are in full effect.
“This project intends to nurture the entrepreneurial spirit within our community and promote the creation of innovative businesses in Brownsville and the greater Rio Grande Valley” says Burkhart. “There’s no reason we cannot be fast tracking the evolution of industry wide change in South Texas, all the components to make anything happen are here.”
The 5 judges are active leaders in the state and community, and are eligible to provide investment opportunities for the Pitch Finalists outside of what is being offered through StartUp Texas. The event showcases what the future economy of Brownsville and the Rio Grande Valley could look like.
“BCIC wants to be at the forefront when it comes to investing in visionary founders and transformational technologies for the new economy.” says Michael Limas, Chair of the Board for BCIC. “With StartUp Texas, we are mobilizing the next generation of entrepreneurs and equipping them with the skills and resources they need to create jobs, access capital, and scale commercially – right here in Brownsville.”
The StartUp Texas Pitch Summit will be livestreamed from the Brownsville Performing Arts Academy online at StartUpTexas.com/LIVE and on BCIC social media channels on Wednesday, July 8, 2020 at 5:30 PM. For more information regarding the event or programs, please contact Nathan Burkhart at (956) 459-2123 or by email at nburkhart@bcic.us.
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