Craig Woodall Reaches 18-Person Startup Final as North Carolina Showdown Offers $60,000
Updated
Updated · WCTI12.com · Jul 23
Craig Woodall Reaches 18-Person Startup Final as North Carolina Showdown Offers $60,000
1 articles · Updated · WCTI12.com · Jul 23
Summary
Craig Woodall, a Tarboro entrepreneur and Air Force veteran, was selected as one of 18 finalists from 316 applicants in North Carolina's inaugural Startup Showdown.
The statewide competition will put finalists through an eight-week Pitch It! program, where they refine business plans and presentation skills before pitching to judges in August.
Woodall has kept his invention undisclosed ahead of the contest, saying preparation and a stronger business plan will be critical to advancing.
Sept. 17 is the awards date, when the Small Business Center Network's new contest will announce winners and distribute $60,000 in unrestricted startup funding.
Did this high-stakes pitch competition truly transform rural North Carolina's startup scene, or did the massive economic promises ultimately fall short?
What groundbreaking secret business idea propelled this rural Air Force veteran past hundreds of competitors for a shot at startup funding?
Are elite pitch competitions rewarding actual business viability, or do they simply fund the founders who deliver the most theatrical presentations?