EngenuitySC’s $5,000 Ignite! 2014 Ideas Contest Calls for Innovative Ideas for the Midlands
September 23, 2014
COLUMBIA, SC – EngenuitySC and Wells Fargo Bank announce the $5,000 Ignite! 2014 Ideas Contest, a public competition open to individuals and organizations with ideas for starting something new in the Greater Columbia, S.C. area. Deadline for entry is Oct. 24, 2014 at http://engenuitysc.com/ignite/ignite-ideas-contest.
Any and all small business owners, social entrepreneurs, savvy students, big thinkers and go-getters are encouraged to enter for a chance to win the $5,000 prize from Wells Fargo Bank. Ideas should be well-thought out, exciting and represent a chance to use $5,000 to start something innovative. Ignite! is EngenuitySC’s annual celebration of innovation, entrepreneurship and economic competitiveness in the Midlands.
Finalists in the Ignite! 2014 Ideas Contest will present live on stage at the Ignite! event on Nov. 19, 2014 at The Zone, in front of 500+ business and community leaders, including EngenuitySC Executive Committee Co-Chairs Steve Benjamin, Mayor of Columbia, S.C., and Dr. Harris Pastides, President of the University of South Carolina.
“The Ideas Contest really embodies the entrepreneurial spirit of EngenuitySC and our region,” notes Meghan Hughes, Executive Director at EngenuitySC. “It’s so inspiring to see what creative minds in the Midlands can dream up and imagine. We can’t wait to see all of this year’s entries and award $5000 to the winner at Ignite!”
To enter the contest, individuals and organizations should submit a short, informal video clip on EngenuitySC website describing contestants’ well thought out, innovative and exciting concepts. Ideas should look to use the $5,000 prize to create a new product or solve a problem through a novel business solution.
Contestants should submit a two-minute video, and then fill out the short entry form at http://engenuitysc.com/ignite/ignite-ideas-contest. Video production quality can range from camera phone to HD; the quality of the idea is what matters. Submissions close at 11:19 p.m. on Oct. 24, 2014.
Ignite! 2013 Ideas Contest winner Brandon Gantt used the $5,000 to jumpstart My LearningBlock, Gantt’s educational social network which features best practices and methods from educators to teach parents how to help teach their children. By mobilizing the classroom, My LearningBlock empowers students by equipping parents with high quality, active, digital content through multiple mediums. Learn more at https://www.facebook.com/mylearningblock.
Who can enter?
Must live in the South Carolina Midlands (which includes Calhoun, Fairfield, Kershaw, Lexington, Orangeburg, Richland, Sumter and Saluda Counties)
Individuals
Organizations (if entering on behalf of an organization, be sure to list your pitch person as the main contact)
Students (including those who are entering the USC Proving Ground competition, which is limited to the USC community)
Sorry! Past Ignite! Ideas Contest winners are not eligible to enter.
To learn more about Ignite!, visit http://www.engenuitysc.com/ignite and follow the #IgniteCAE hashtag and @EngenuitySC on Twitter or via Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/engenuitysc.
About EngenuitySC
Headquartered in Columbia, S.C., EngenuitySC is a public-private partnership focused on enhancing our region’s economic competitiveness and prosperity. Through collaboration with business, government, higher education and community leaders, EngenuitySC builds partnerships and measures success around five indicators of competitive communities: innovative capacity, talent, entrepreneurial/business environment, livability and strong industry clusters. Through our innovative process, unique vision and ability to create a plan and deliver results, EngenuitySC is working to build a more competitive and prosperous Midlands region. For more information, visit http://www.engenuitysc.com.
