The Dominion Energy Innovation Center (DEIC), in partnership with Randolph-Macon College (RMC), will welcome emerging technology and sustainability-focused startups to apply for its 2020 Pitch Competition. The competition will take place on Thursday, February 20, 2020, at Birdsong Hall, a cutting-edge facility on the campus of RMC. The event will commence with a networking hour at 5:30 p.m.
“With this focus on emerging technology and sustainability-focused startups, we are excited about the third annual DEIC pitch competition at Randolph-Macon,” said Carrie Roth, President of the Board of DEIC, and President and CEO of Activation Capital. “Babylon Farms and TraceRX have both had tremendous successes since winning two years ago and last year, respectively, and we can’t wait to see who will win this year.”
This competition will feature local companies in varying stages of growth vying for two prizes worth a combined $15,000, a one year membership to DEIC, and a free branding package courtesy of Creative Marketing Group. The finalists selected will be given 5 minutes to pitch in front of a panel of judges, followed by live Q&A. Also participating will be three student teams representing RMC, who will pitch for a separate $5,000 cash prize and co-working space at DEIC.
“Dominion Energy is proud to help advance the entrepreneurship ecosystem in central Virginia through our partnership with the Dominion Energy Innovation Center,” said Mark Webb, Senior Vice President and Chief Innovation Officer for Dominion Energy. “The energy or sustainability-specific prize as part of the 2020 Pitch Competition provides a unique opportunity to support local companies that provide sustainable products and services. We are looking forward to engaging with the startups and their innovative solutions.”
Randolph-Macon College, located just around the corner from DEIC, will serve as host to the competition in February. Recognized as one of the top liberal arts schools in Virginia, the college has a rich history of innovation and entrepreneurship, producing a number of notable alumni entrepreneurs over the years. RMC continues to foster this innovative mindset, and in recent years, has built out a significant foundational program through the EDGE Career Development Program to support the growing entrepreneurial activity taking place across the student body.
“The continued partnership with the DEIC has been nothing but amazing. It has exposed our student population to an entrepreneur eco-system that will fundamentally shape our region, and more importantly, our world. Together, we will continue to inspire the growth mindset as the standard of excellence – that aligns with our mission of developing the minds and the character of our R-MC students,” said Dontrese Brown, Executive Director of R-MC’s EDGE Center for Career Development.
Previous winners of the pitch competition include Babylon Farms and TraceRX, both of which have gone on to raise additional funding and land notable pilot projects. Finalists will be selected from an open application process, which is now live. Companies interested in applying can visit http://www.dominnovation.com/ to learn more. Applications will close by midnight on January 24th, 2020.
About the Dominion Energy Innovation Center
The Dominion Energy Innovation Center, located in Ashland, is an affiliated innovation center of Activation Capital that supports early-stage advanced technology companies by providing them with the collaborative space, guidance, and resources needed to accelerate their growth.
Founded in November 2009, the Dominion Energy Innovation Center supports great ideas across a wide spectrum of industry sectors in addition to its focus on building the alternative, renewable energy sector in Central Virginia. Founding partners of this program include the signature sponsor, Dominion Energy, as well as Activation Capital, the Town of Ashland and Hanover County.
About The Edge Center for Entrepreneurship at Randolph-Macon College
The EDGE Center for Entrepreneurship is about building an innovative mindset and finding creative solutions to solve problems. The two-semester plus J-Term program uses industry leaders and peer-to-peer learning opportunities for students who are interested in exploring entrepreneurship, innovation and social change. Students in the program are empowered to design and launch their own venture or seek pathways to impact communities or organizations as intrapreneurs, activists, researchers, organizers, or artists.
