Are you ready to bring your business dreams to life?

The Wayne Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) is excited to announce the launch of its sixth annual Pitch Competition, a dynamic initiative designed to spark entrepreneurship and fuel new business ventures right here in Wayne County. This is your chance to transform your innovative ideas into reality, with a grand prize of $20,000 to KickStart your new business! A $5,000 award is also offered for businesses that need a smaller financial boost.

This competition is open to all Wayne County residents who have a business less than three years old or are in the concept stage of developing one. Your journey begins with submitting an executive summary of your business plan and financial projections for the next three years. Additional application information, eligibility and guidelines can be found at www.wedcny.com. To help prepare participants, WEDC has partnered with SCORE, a nonprofit organization and resource partner of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), to offer a series of free entrepreneurial workshops. These workshops, covering essential topics for starting and running a successful business, will be held at the Macedon Public Library on September 7th and September 14th. Applicants must attend at least one session and register in advance to attend. Those unable to attend can arrange alternatives by contacting WEDC directly.

Brian Pincelli, Executive Director of the WEDC said, “Every year I am impressed with the ingenuity and creative vision our local entrepreneurs bring to the competition. Getting those County residents to the table to explore opportunities, help them prepare as entrepreneurs, and facilitate economic growth is what the competition is all about. Our staff does a great job every year and we couldn’t be more excited to see the fresh ideas brought to the table this year!”

With a proven history of empowering entrepreneurs, the Pitch Competition has witnessed remarkable achievements by previous winners, including Michael Bailey with Maintenance Mike Handyman Service in 2023, The Fairville Baker in 2022, Sodus Bay Outfitters in 2021, Agri-trak in 2020, and Load Alone in 2019. Seize the chance to win this year’s grand prize and apply to bring your business dreams to life with the support of the Wayne Economic Development Corporation. The deadline for applications is September 27th, 2024.

For more information and to access the registration form, interested individuals can visit the Wayne Economic Development Corporation website at www.WEDCny.com and navigate to the Annual Pitch Competition section. For direct inquiries, please contact Katie Bronson at 315-946-5920 or email at KRBronson@co.wayne.ny.us.