This article has been updated to reflect that the deadline to apply for Get Started has been extended from May 31 to June 15.
Get Started Rhode Island, now in its eighth year, has opened applications for its annual pitch competition.
Contestants will have an opportunity to win a total of $50,000 in prizes in the competition, which is a local version of Atlanta-based Cox Business's pitch events across the country.
Like pretty much everything in our new pandemic world, things will be a little different this year: Get Started will be held virtually for the first time. Entrepreneurs have until June 15 to submit their ideas to Get Started. In July, if selected, those entrepreneurs will attend a pitch workshop online. Six finalists will ultimately be chosen.
Those finalists will have the opportunity to share their company and vision to a panel of judges during the main event, which will take place virtually on September 30. Winners will receive a prize package worth more than $50,000, with $25,000 in cash. There’s also a chance for companies to win an Audience Choice prize of $5,000.
"As we enter into our eighth season of Get Started Rhode Island, we felt it was more important than ever to still have the event and continue to show our commitment to supporting the entrepreneur community," Ross. L Nelson, vice president at Cox Business, said in an email to Rhode Island Inno. "We’re excited to connect with everyone in this new format and showcase the best of what Rhode Island has to offer."
Past winners of Get Started include companies like Crave Food Systems (the parent company of farmer's market delivery startup WhatsGood), The Read Read and Medley Genomics.
Last year, Retail MarketPoint went home the champion, and Uproot snagged the Audience Choice award.
Disclosure: Cox Business is a founding partner of Rhode Island Inno.
