Your Amazing Food Idea

Coaching and Pitch Competition

Want to start a food business? Are you a beginner or have you already vetted your idea and have early-stage sales? This is your chance to get one-on-one coaching; and then pitch for startup funding & in-kind services.

The Small Business Development Corporation; The Center for Food Innovation; Burten, Bell, Carr Development Inc.; Lorain County Community College; and GLIDE have joined forces to help more food companies successfully launch in Northeast Ohio.

PROGRAM APPLICATION

APPLY NOW! Up to 30 applicants will be accepted into the program. Application Deadline: Sunday, February 26.

FEE: This is paid only by accepted applicants; $99.00 ($54 discount with code from these partners). Applicant can have multiple partners with no additional cost.

QUESTIONS, call or email (440)366-4370; LorainSBDC@Lorainccc.edu

THERE ARE TWO TRACKS

STARTUP TRACK: 2 years or less in operation. Producing your product(s) and/or testing your product. Preparing to or have preliminary sales. Gross revenue is $50k or less. 

ON-THE-ROAD TRACK: 2 years in operation. Selling your product(s) at one or all of the following: farmer’s markets, retail locations and/or online. You are interested in scaling your product.  Gross revenue is $250k or less. 

QUALIFICATIONS:

  • You have a food business idea – a product or service (early-stage idea that you have some how tested with friends and/or have small sales or already vetted product/service – i.e. have sales/customers)
  • Your idea is uniquely different from what is already in the market (i.e. flavor, quality, design, price, customer focus etc.)
  • You are able to participate in the dates listed below, are committed to truly exploring your business opportunity and willing to actively work the program

WHAT TO EXPECT: APPLY NOW

Monday, February 6, 6:00pm, INFORMATION SESSION: join the zoom to learn all about the program, application qualifications, prizing and more.

Sunday February 26, 11:59pm, APPLICATION DEADLINE

Friday, March 3, PROGRAM ACCEPTANCE NOTICE. Accepted applicants pay $99.00 ($54 discount with code from these partners)

Monday, March 6, 6:00pm, KICK-OFF EVENT for accepted candidates

March 7 – April 14, COACHING SESSIONS. Six-weeks of one-on-one zoom coaching by a member of the Small Business Development Corporations at Lorain County Community College – experts in guiding startup businesses.

Monday April 17, 6:00pm, PITCH COMPETITION. This will be a live pitch event at Lorain County Community College, University Partnership Ridge Campus ADDRESS

PRIZING

There will be a prize for the strongest presentation among the two tracks:


1.ON-THE-ROAD TRACK: $15,000 ($10,000 cash, $5,000 in-kind)


2. STARTUP TRACK: $5,000 ($2,000 cash, $3,000 in-kind)

In-Kind Services

Winners will be awarded in-kind services that meet their most immediate needs, like a consultation with a specialists in food regulations, labeling and manufacturing and/or website development, a social media campaign setup, legal support and more.

BLOG POSTS, CENTER FOR FOOD INNOVATION

Why Should We Keep Food Dollars Local?

In recent years, a movement for “buying local” has resurfaced in the food industry. Farmers markets and farm-to-table restaurants, for instance, have often been heralded as ideal choices over massive supermarkets and chain restaurants, suggesting positive outcomes with local food consumption.…

by Madison Letizia

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Your Amazing Food Idea