It was a high-energy night at the Adrian Armory. The Square One Pitch Competition brought together the community to celebrate the region’s up-and-coming entrepreneurs over some local food and a wide array of beverages from some of Lenawee’s prominent small business owners. Throughout the night, there was a great deal of enthusiasm, as the community socialized over homestyle barbeque and cheered for their favorite contestants.
Pitch ideas ranged from tech start-ups to homemade salsa. When on stage, each contestant was given 5-minutes, to impress three judges, and entertain a room full of spectators. In every presentation, the finalists were all very passionate about creating a better community through their enterprises and found unique ways of sharing their visions on the stage. The different backgrounds and problems these individuals were attempting to solve, provided a unique combination of ideas:
De’Angelo Boone’s mission is to change how food pantries interact with the community. Therefore, he created the Pantry App, an app that allows better connectivity for food pantries and their patrons.
Kathleen Thompson created My Constellation to be simultaneously a new kind of resume and a tool for self-discovery. This digital platform would give employees and students a clearer trajectory while saving time for potential employers.
Tyler Scott aims to increase the independence of the visually impaired. His concept, Vision Buddy, is a pair of smart eyeglasses that use an HD camera to detect objects, faces, and text, and provides the user with audio output in a connected earpiece
Ryan Waggoner of Salsa Bliss provides small-batched, locally produced salsa flavors without sweeteners or artificial preservatives.
Cohl Beaubien conceptualized the DIY garage to deliver a space for individuals of all demographics to work on their cars without the expense of a garage or tools.
Chris Hays envisioned Helios Motors to restore, and sell vintage and contemporary motorcycles, as well as become a staple in the community by hosting large charity events such as group rides, raffles, and giveaways.
It was a very hard deliberation on the part of the judges, but this year’s Idea Genius Award was presented to De’Angelo Boone, to continue developing the Pantry App.
There was a lot of enthusiasm shown among the spectators when voting for the Audience Choice Award, which was determined by the amount of cheering the audience made when a given contestant’s name was put on the screen. When the applause had subsided, Ryan Waggoner was determined the winner, with his novel blends of salsa.
The night had been an eye-opening experience for contestants and an enjoyable experience for the audience. Following the competition, each aspiring entrepreneur has the opportunity to work with Lenawee Now to obtain guidance and resources to bring their passion to fruition.
If you are looking to start a business, access our entrepreneurial resources.
