This year’s MIC is bursting with resources for entrepreneurs. So many, we needed to spread out what we’re offering across a couple of days, in a track called Founders and Innovators.
Think of this track as a two-day-long celebration full of blue-sky thinking and opportunities. At Founders & Innovators you’ll have access to mentorship sessions with established innovators; networking events with like-minded founders; and plenty of workshops, panels, and talks led by inspiring presenters…all of which will empower you to supercharge your business.
Perhaps even more exciting are the two pitch competitions happening at this year’s Founders & Innovators:
The Great American Military Entrepreneur Challenge
The StreetShares Foundation is an organization that inspires, educates, and supports military business owners. They will be hosting The Great American Military Entrepreneur Challenge during MIC’s Founders and Innovators track.
Here’s how the competition works. Prior to the conference, qualifying entrepreneurs submit a pitch video and application. StreetShares will then select 32 finalists (16 veterans, 16 military spouses), who will be featured on the StreetShares website. The public votes to determine which entrepreneurs move on to pitch at MIC. And at the conference, the judges will listen carefully to each presenter’s pitch.
The team will award the entrepreneurs that they believe are best poised for success with cash prizes totaling $25,000.
All participants who present at Founders and Innovators will receive a heavily discounted license for Hubspot software. And in addition to the biggest cash prize, the first-place winner will receive a free, six-month subscription to Scale Factor’s Get Started Plan, media interviews, and profiles featured on We Are the Mighty.
The deadline to apply is August 11 at midnight EDT. You can learn more about the competition and application details here:
Great American Military Entrepreneur Challenge
The 7th Annual Veteran Shark Tank – Regional Qualifier
The Veteran Shark Tank is a pitch competition created by the Greater Philadelphia Veterans Network. It began in 2012 with a mission to promote veteran entrepreneurs who are launching or expanding a business.
This year, veteran entrepreneurs will pitch their business ideas in one of four cities before a panel of veteran sharks—successful veterans and military spouses who have made a name for themselves in the military influencer community. The winners in each city will get an all-expenses-paid trip to the Finals in Philadelphia, where they will pitch in front of a second panel of judges—including Curtez Riggs, Mark Rockefeller, Dan Alarik, Justin Constantine, Ericka Webster, and Jerry Flanagan—for a $50,000 prize.
The deadline to apply is August 15th at midnight EDT. You can learn more about the competition and application details here:
Veterans Shark Tank – DC Regional
Founders and Innovators will be an electrifying track, so don’t forget to buy your MIC ticket here to gain access. See you there!
