News Archives

Pitch shows haul money to smaller businesses

Four minutes.

That’s how long the 25-year-old owners of FluxTeq were given to pitch their startup business to judges during the Virginia Velocity Tour last month.

FluxTeq produces heat flux sensors, something that’s hard to describe in just a sentence or two. Four minutes is not much time for anyone to learn the real value of a growing business, but in a pitch competition a few minutes is usually all you get.

 

After the hit show “Shark Tank” premiered on ABC in 2009, business pitch competitions have cropped up all over the U.S. Many took the model of the show: Business leaders and potential investors hear quick-hit pitches from a startup or small business seeking investment. Participants get feedback, advice and, if the pitch goes well, money for their business.

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Local entrepreneurs pitch to big investors as Star Tank returns to Roanoke

Local entrepreneurs will have a chance to get their new ideas in front of big investors Tuesday as Star Tank returns for its third year in Roanoke.

Modeled after the hit show Shark Tank, Star Tank is an opportunity for entrepreneurs to potentially receive funding from investors. It’s also meant to build excitement around investing in local businesses. A group of 12 entrepreneurs were chosen to pitch their ideas in front of 20 investors this year.

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Entrepreneurs hope for big break at second annual Star Tank

The Roanoke Valley has seen some job losses in the last year. But investors are looking for the next big business to bring jobs back to the area. It’s not easy to ask for money.

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Local entrepreneurs compete in Roanoke ‘Star Tank’

Just like the show “Shark Tank”, Roanoke’s version “Star Tank” is connecting people who have ideas with investors who want to help them get off the ground.

Jonathan Preedom of Christiansburg is one of those entrepreneurs. He presented for now what is known as the “archery project” which will help bow hunters more easily find deer that have been hit.

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Desimone: Reigniting the region, Star Tank pairs entrepreneurs and investors

There’s no doubt about it; it’s been a challenging year for business in Roanoke. It began only weeks into 2015 with Norfolk Southern’s intention to relocate and streamline its operations. By summer, we learned of Advance Auto Parts’ decision to eliminate more than 50 positions locally, and just last week a Roanoke Times article touted the opportunity of open commercial space such as Norfolk Southern’s downtown digs and Shenandoah Life’s historic office headquarters… there has never been a better time or opportunity for the entrepreneurial light bulb to illuminate Southwest Virginia.

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Roanoke Star Tank adds May event

“We’ve experienced a lot of marketing success through Star Tank and are very excited to host a second one because this is exactly what’s going on in Roanoke,” said Ariel Lev, the director of the Grandin CoLab which hosts Star Tank. “If we can collect it all in one space and show people that there are real entrepreneurs here and people who do want to invest, then Roanoke is a better place to live.”

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