All the entrepreneurs in the class participated in an elimination round pitch competition to determine five finalists which included:
- The Laundry Basket | 1st Place | $2,000 | Personal services
- Tutoring with a Twist | 2nd Place | $1,000 | Professional services
- Tidy Milso | 3rd Place | $500 | Professional services
- Candelicioso | Retail
- The Lotus Legacy | Financial services
During the past 10 weeks, entrepreneurs followed a curriculum curated by M&T Bank, the region’s top small-business lender. The curriculum included lessons from a diverse set of presenters on legal formation, business planning, obtaining certifications, managing business and personal finances, sourcing capital, pricing strategies, risk management and business insurance, marketing strategies and more.
“The Howard County Economic Development Authority and the Maryland Innovation Center is once again proud to partner with M&T Bank and the County Executive Calvin Ball to support the HoCo Higher program that offers tools and techniques for entrepreneurs to accelerate their business.” said HCEDA CEO Lawrence Twele. “This along with a variety of other programs at the Innovation Center (#BRITE) are available to help current and prospective entrepreneurs grow or start a business and provide opportunities for our community.”
“This cohort of HoCo Higher entrepreneurs has elevated our program to new heights, and we eagerly anticipate leveraging the knowledge gained from this group to enhance the program even further for the next cohort of business owners,” said Jim Peterson, M&T Bank’s Vice President and Small Business Ambassador. “We firmly believe that the insights gleaned from the accelerator program will serve as a powerful catalyst, propelling the growth of businesses particularly those owned by minorities, women, and people of color. By nurturing these entrepreneurs, we are not only contributing to the prosperity of their families and the accumulation of generational wealth, but also igniting economic activity across Howard County.”
Based in New York, Stephen Freeman is a Senior Editor at Trending Insurance News. Previously he has worked for Forbes and The Huffington Post. Steven is a graduate of Risk Management at the University of New York.