Chamber names Shark Tank Competition finalists: Summer camp, tech company among those facing off
The stage is just about set as the Butler County Chamber of Commerce has narrowed down its finalists for the Butler County Emerging Entrepreneurs Shark Tank Competition.
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,” was the inspiration for the competition which is set to take place 5 to 9 p.m. on April 28 at the RLA Learning and Conference Center in Cranberry Township.
The chamber introduced the six sharks participating in the pitch event back in January, with the majority of them being what chamber president Jordan Grady called “qualified investors” who have a history of taking equity stakes in businesses.
Five entrepreneurs will pitch their business in the Emerging Adult Category and three Slippery Rock University students will pitch in the Student Category.
Two grants are up for grabs in the competition in the adult category. One will be awarded by the sharks and another to be awarded by the audienc, which will vote on their favorite in the adult category. Scholarships will be awarded to winners of the student category.
In the adult category, Melissa McCaslin will be representing Camp Club Fun, a summer camp for 5 to 12-year-olds.
Angela Foglia will be representing technology company called Secure-Transmit, while Ethan Kinsey will be presenting his marketing solutions business, JEMxAI.
Matthew Heath will be pitching his software platform Nvexus, then Andrew Beers of Dream Invent Inspire will pitch his product, the Forge of Creation, a new hydroponic growing system.
In the student category, Daniel Spiker will pitch his energy solutions business called Flexible Demand.
Kasaundra Harvey will pitch her dancewear brand, Kind Kare Dancewear, while Melaine Thaddeus Stanek will represent video game platform, Game Rogue.
The sharks for the event include 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.
