PitchBR, a leading pitch competition in Baton Rouge, is back, this time with a focus on food innovation. PitchBR: Food Innovation Edition will take place July 28 at the Kean Miller Conference Center.
The event offers a chance for participating entrepreneurs to win a cash prize from Innovation Catalyst, a Baton Rouge-based venue organization.
PitchBR organizers have announced that the winners will be invited to pitch again at a November finale, where Innovation Catalyst will help choose the best pitch. Innovation Catalyst will advance this winner to a private due-diligence phase, where they may receive up to $250,000 in investment from the Catalyst Fund.
Judges for PitchBR include:
- Magpie Cafe owner James Jacobs Jr. — Once a best-kept-secret coffee house, James’ cafe has become an icon of the Southdowns area and is opening a second location downtown. At PitchBR, James will be looking for ideas with strong grassroots marketability.
- Walk-ons Founder Brandon Landry — Walk-On’s is an exemplary southern success story. After all, ESPN awarded the concept #1 Sports Bar in America. Now, Brandon will be evaluating pitchers based on their potential for large-scale success.
- Hanley Dressings Founder, Richard Hanley — Richard’s “Made With Love in Lousiana” salad dressings are all-natural, sensational, and now available in 300 retail stores. Richard knows the food retail, and will be looking for products and services that consumers will love.
Applications are currently open to present at PitchBR. Participants will receive exposure and publicity, a practice opportunity for selling your concept, coaching from business consultants and successful entrepreneurs, feedback from the audience, and connections to non-funding resources.
“By attending PitchBR, you’ll join a group of business leaders, creatives, entrepreneurs, and all-of-the-aboves, who are making entrepreneurship more accessible to everyone, regardless of status or circumstance,” explains organizers.