IL SBDC for the Metro East at SIUE Strengthens Operation Ten City: St. Louis
The Illinois Small Business Development Center (SBDC) for the Metro East at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is proud to partner with colleagues at the Illinois SBDC International Trade Center (ITC) Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) at the Joseph Center to support Operation Ten City Tour: St. Louis.
“We are excited to partner with the SBDC for the Metro East at SIUE in this venture,” said Director of the Illinois SBDC-ITC-PTAC at the Joseph Center Andy Pham. “Operation Ten City features a pitch competition, business opportunity expo, career fair, leading-edge business workshops, and more. We are inspiring people to seek true economic prosperity and self-sufficiency through business ownership. This is a great opportunity for businesses to participate in the marketplace.”
Operation Ten City: St. Louis is a transformational event to empower next generation leaders, entrepreneurs, business owners and anyone seeking and pursuing their full potential. . The tour kicks off with an in-person event in St. Louis on Friday-Saturday, June 17-18.
The goal is to promote economic stimulation for communities by providing leading-edge business workshops, main tent speakers, expungement events to aid in re-entry, a pitch competition giving entrepreneurs a chance to win capital for their businesses, an opportunity for youth and young adults to gather, and free food giveaways to help those in need.
The pitch competition provides an opportunity for entrepreneurs to showcase their businesses, products, and services that have a measurable impact, the potential for commercialization and scalability, and to fill a need that solves real problems in the marketplace. It will be held at the Gateway Convention Center.
Cash prizes will be awarded to the three highest-rated finalists of the competition, with a first-place prize of $10,000.
“I am excited to work with the Illinois SBDC at the Joseph Center to bring this amazing program to the Metro East,” said Director of the Illinois SBDC for the Metro East at SIUE Jo Ann Di Maggio May. “I am extremely thankful for the collaboration and the opportunity to help entrepreneurs and startup businesses as they establish and grow their ventures”.
Register here for Operation Ten City: St. Louis.
The Illinois SBDC for the Metro East assists start-up ventures and existing businesses headquartered in the nine-county region of Calhoun, Jersey, Madison, Bond, Clinton, St. Clair, Washington Monroe, and Randolph. It is funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration, Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, and SIUE as a service to Illinois small businesses.
By aiding entrepreneurs and companies in defining their path to success, the SBDC network positively impacts the Metro East by strengthening the business community, creating, and retaining new jobs, and encouraging new investment. It enhances the region’s economic interests by providing one-stop assistance to individuals by means of counseling, training, research, and advocacy for new ventures and existing small businesses. When appropriate, the SBDC strives to affiliate its ties to the region to support the goals and objectives of both the SIUE School of Business and the University at large.
To learn about the SBDC, contact the IL SBDC for the Metro East at SIUE at 618-650-2929.
