Butler County entrepreneurs make a splash at Shark Tank event
CRANBERRY TWP — Butler County’s budding entrepreneurs took center stage Tuesday, April 28, as the Butler County Chamber of Commerce hosted its take on a longstanding reality TV show, turning quick-fire business pitches into a chance at real funding.
It all came to a head at the RLA Learning and Conference Center as the chamber hosted its first ever Butler County Emerging Entrepreneurs Shark Tank Competition event, bringing together local startups and small-business owners to present their ideas before a panel of judges, or sharks, all competing for microgrants rather than investment deals.
The competition is based on the ABC television show “Shark Tank,” a business reality series where entrepreneurs pitch their startups to a panel of wealthy investors, or “sharks.”
Five entrepreneurs pitched their business in the Emerging Adult Category and two Slippery Rock University students pitched in the Student Category.
Four total microgrants were up for grabs during the competition, with two grants awarded to students and two in the adult category.
Each participant walked away with at least $500 cash for taking part in the event according to chamber president Jordan Grady. The sharks deliberated and decided a winner for each category, while the audience did the same to award the four grants.
The chamber took inspiration for the event from the Youngstown Business Incubator in Youngstown, Ohio, which helps startups and entrepreneurs launch and grow by providing essential resources.
The Youngstown Business Incubator has been hosting its own shark tank competition for the past couple years.
“We have brought the belief back that we can build something truly special that people want to come to no matter where they are located geographically to build, start, scale their business, raise a family and ultimately thrive,” Grady said.
The chamber introduced the six sharks participating in the pitch event in January, with some of them being what Grady called “qualified investors” who have a history of taking equity stakes in businesses.
The sharks included Adam Whitaker, vice president and SBA business development officer at First National Bank; Kenny Bonus, founder of Bonus Accounting in Butler; Christey Browne, vice president and team lead of business banking at Key Bank; Eric Cunningham, CEO and founder of Green Cabbage; Brian Hess, CEO and founder of 1Team Media; and Nick Molea, vice president and senior business lending specialist at Huntington Bank.
The event was lead by emcee Robby Incmikoski, who has spent years in sports broadcasting, including 16 seasons as a field reporter and host covering Major League Baseball with the Minnesota Twins, Pittsburgh Pirates and Texas Rangers.
The SRU students were first into the tank, lead by Daniel Spiker and his business Mine A Way, that monetizes off-peak, low-cost electricity by consuming power during periods when supply exceeds demand.
Spiker said by using power only during these low-demand windows, the business helps improve plant utilization and generate additional revenue for power producers without competing with household consumption or increasing local electricity rates.
“In exchange for space and electrical hookup, power plants would be able to offload that off-peak electricity to me and I would buy it at a fixed rate and increase their revenue,” Spiker said.
Spiker was selected by the sharks as their student category winner, taking home a $4,000 grant for his business, as well as the initial $500 cash.
SRU student Kasaundra Harvey then pitched her dancewear brand, Kind Kare Dancewear, which is a brand focused on making dancewear simple, accessible and affordable.
“Customers ultimately have no options for affordable and stylish leotards,” Harvey said. “My solution is to take what dancewear leotards are now and make them what they could be.”
Harvey was selected by the audience as its student category winner, taking home a $3,500 grant plus the $500 cash.
Out of the adult category, Angela Foglia kicked things off presenting her technology company Secure-Transmit, that provides small businesses with a way to send sensitive files securely without the complexity of portals, accounts, or long-term storage.
Next was Andrew Beers, who pitched his agricultural technology company Dream Invent Inspire. More specifically, Beers showed the sharks his hydroponic growing system he created called The Forge of Creation, that he has spent years developing in his Evans City home.
The system is designed for individuals, families, educators and communities, helping both experienced growers and beginners grow fresh produce indoors — especially in areas with limited access to fresh food or short growing seasons.
“Our mission is simple,” Beers said. “We want to bring affordable and powerful growing back to the people.”
Beers was the adult category winner for the sharks and the audience, taking home $3,750 in grants and the $500 in cash.
Julien Curnutt was next into the tank, showcasing his marketing solutions business JEMxAI, that aims to be a one-stop solution for small business marketing, social media management and lead tracking that combines AI technology with a deep understanding of small business challenges.
“All of this can be done just by asking our system,” Curnutt said. “We know there is a market for this because with over 33 million small businesses in the United States, 12 million are looking at how they can integrate technological AI solutions into their workflow.”
While Curnutt was not selected as a winner, he was given a $5,000 capital infusion from Cunningham and Hess at the end of the event.
Melissa McCaslin then presented Camp Fun Club, a summer camp for 5- to 12-year-olds, that utilizes indoor sports facilities during daytime hours when they typically sit unused.
The business leverages existing infrastructure such as courts, turf fields, restrooms and parking.
Last into the tank was Matthew Heath with his software platform Nvexus that aims to help manufacturers and distributors improve how they plan, purchase and manage inventory.
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Christy Browne fist bumps Adam Whitaker during the Butler County Emerging Entrepreneurs Shark Tank Competition at the RLA Learning Center on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Matthew Heath with Nvexus makes his pitch during the Butler County Emerging Entrepreneurs Shark Tank Competition at the RLA Learning Center on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Guests attend the Butler County Emerging Entrepreneurs Shark Tank Competition at the RLA Learning Center on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Shark Christey Browne with KeyBank asks questions during the Butler County Emerging Entrepreneurs Shark Tank Competition at the RLA Learning Center on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Slippery Rock Student Kasaundra Harvey with Kind Kare Dancewear makes her pitch during the Butler County Emerging Entrepreneurs Shark Tank Competition at the RLA Learning Center on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Butler County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Jordan Grady delivers opening remarks during the Butler County Emerging Entrepreneurs Shark Tank Competition at the RLA Learning Center on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Eric Cunningham with Green Cabbage participates as one of the Sharks during the Butler County Emerging Entrepreneurs Shark Tank Competition at the RLA Learning Center on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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The Sharks wait for the audience voting to conclude the during the Butler County Emerging Entrepreneurs Shark Tank Competition at the RLA Learning Center on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Melissa McCaslin with Camp Fun Club makes her pitch during the Butler County Emerging Entrepreneurs Shark Tank Competition at the RLA Learning Center on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Melissa McCaslin with Camp Fun Club speaks with Shark Nick Molea after her pitch during the Butler County Emerging Entrepreneurs Shark Tank Competition at the RLA Learning Center on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Sharks Brian Hess, left, and Christey Browne take the stage during the Butler County Emerging Entrepreneurs Shark Tank Competition at the RLA Learning Center on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Brian Hess, center, acts as one of the Sharks during the Butler County Emerging Entrepreneurs Shark Tank Competition at the RLA Learning Center on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Eric Cunningham, left, fist bumps Brian Hess during the Butler County Emerging Entrepreneurs Shark Tank Competition at the RLA Learning Center on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Slippery Rock Student Kasaundra Harvey with Kind Kare Dancewear makes her pitch during the Butler County Emerging Entrepreneurs Shark Tank Competition at the RLA Learning Center on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Sharks Christey Browne, Adam Whitaker, Kenny Bonus and Nick Molea take the stage during the Butler County Emerging Entrepreneurs Shark Tank Competition at the RLA Learning Center on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Angela Foglia with Secure-Transmit makes her pitch during the Butler County Emerging Entrepreneurs Shark Tank Competition at the RLA Learning Center on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Adam Whitaker introduces himself as one of the Sharks during the Butler County Emerging Entrepreneurs Shark Tank Competition at the RLA Learning Center on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Slippery Rock Student Kasaundra Harvey with Kind Kare Dancewear makes her pitch during the Butler County Emerging Entrepreneurs Shark Tank Competition at the RLA Learning Center on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Julien Curnutt with JeMxAI makes his pitch during the Butler County Emerging Entrepreneurs Shark Tank Competition at the RLA Learning Center on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Robby Incmikoski introduces Angela Foglia with Secure-Transmit during the Butler County Emerging Entrepreneurs Shark Tank Competition at the RLA Learning Center on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Kylee Baker speaks during the Butler County Emerging Entrepreneurs Shark Tank Competition at the RLA Learning Center on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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during the Butler County Emerging Entrepreneurs Shark Tank Competition at the RLA Learning Center on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Guests get food from the buffet during the Butler County Emerging Entrepreneurs Shark Tank Competition at the RLA Learning Center on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Robby Incmikoski emcee's during the Butler County Emerging Entrepreneurs Shark Tank Competition at the RLA Learning Center on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Slippery Rock Student Daniel Spiker with Mine A Way makes his pitch during the Butler County Emerging Entrepreneurs Shark Tank Competition at the RLA Learning Center on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
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Matthew Heath with Nvexus makes his pitch during the Butler County Emerging Entrepreneurs Shark Tank Competition at the RLA Learning Center on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle
