(SBA) - People from across Northwest Iowa gathered in Le Mars, Iowa at the Wells Visitor Center & Ice Cream Parlor on November 21st to attend The BIG Challenge pitch competition and determine the recipients of $10,000 in grant funds to support entrepreneurs and small businesses throughout the region.
Organizers of the competition are pleased to announce Abby and Cooper Carter with CA Performance Horses & Marketing from Alvord, IA as the first-place winner and recipient of $5,000. Trevor Wheelock and Santos Campos Gonzalez with Sizzle & Syrup from Sioux City were awarded second place and $3,000, while AJ Vander waal with Gabbrr from Rock Valley was awarded third place and $2,000.
Becca Heissel with Business Owners Advocate, LLC. from Onawa was also a finalist in the competition. These funds are provided to the business owners to help expand their businesses in northwest Iowa.
The BIG Challenge is a program for entrepreneurs and small business owners to earn grant funds to start or grow their business. To participate, owners upload their entrepreneurial expansion or startup ideas during an online portion of the program. Entrants then encourage friends, family and customers to vote for them online to advance to the pitch off event.
The BIG Challenge is organized and sponsored by the economic development organizations that are a part of Iowa’s West Coast Initiative, Northwest Iowa Development and Siouxland Economic Development Corporation.
