Minority Business Assistance Center to Host Pitch Night

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – The Minority Business Assistance Center at the Youngstown Business Incubator will host a pitch night for 24 minority and female entrepreneurs.

Entrepreneurs currently enrolled in the MBAC Launch program will compete for a $5,000 grant award at the event, scheduled from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Sept. 6 at Brite Energy Innovators in Warren.

Each presentation will include the entrepreneur’s business plan and the course material they’ve learned throughout the program, giving the grant winner a chance to launch their product into the marketplace.

Tanisha Wheeler, regional director of MBAC at the YBI, said she is “very excited to hear the pitches” from the entrepreneurs.

“This five-week class has allowed businesses to truly launch into the next level from procurement, contracts, certifications and funding – truly understanding the next steps for their businesses,” she said. “We have seen businesses come in and completely transform in a small amount of time through the educational resources we are providing.”

The MBAC Launch program primarily focuses on those who have started their own business but need assistance launching their product into the market and gaining greater access to government and state institutional contracts. Participants in the program learn about marketing tools and strategies, partnerships, accessing capital and certifying their business in Ohio as a Minority Business Enterprise. 

Michael Miller, founder of SpinCycle Solutions and one of the pitch night competitors, said the program has been helpful.

“The MBAC Launch class has been instrumental and inspirational in my professional growth, providing tailored mentorship and resources that will significantly boost my entrepreneurial skills and confidence,” he said. “Through its guidance, I will now be able to successfully navigate challenges, refine my business strategy, and form valuable connections within the Mahoning Valley.”

Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.