This event is open to the public and free of charge. However, seating is limited and first come, first served.

The Scheinfeld Center New Venture Challenge is a two-tiered pitch competition honoring the business concepts of local college and high school students. $15,000 in cash awards for the collegiate winners is generously supported by the Spirit of Entrepreneurship Foundation, Montecito Bank & Trust and lynda.com. The Bank of Santa Barbara has sponsored a $25,000 rolling scholarship fund for the high school winners.

The collegiate finalists will present between 2:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. and include SBCC students Ty Blunt for NAKTM, Mats Myhre for AquaTreeTM, Anna Rowland for The Vintage ParlorTM, Brian Rossini for Storefront Development GroupTM, Lynn Hartell for Remedy FitnessTM, Laura Goe for G.O.E. SwimwearTM, Jarid Buck for SB Wireless MedicsTM, Matthew Shellnut for The AdderTM, Ricardo Haynes and Alfred Pacheco for CraigFetchTM, Cindy Gitierrez for EmbraceTM, and Allan Hancock College student Tomas Paulo for Fertile GroundsTM.

The high school finalists are scheduled to present between 5:00 pm and 6:30 pm and include Lompoc High School students Kevin Yepez and Vanesssa Gutierrez for Computer CityTM, Sergio Nava and Jose Sotelo for The Soccer SpotTM, Karla De La Cueva and Rudy Zazueta for Karla’s Rudyiculous CoffeehouseTM, from Dos Pueblos High School William Bermant for SeCureTM, and from Santa Ynez High School, Izack Romero for iGotIt RepairsTM.

Student winners will be announced following each tier, and they will receive their awards at the Spirit of Entrepreneurship Awards banquet the following week on May 10 at Fess Parker’s

DoubleTree Resort. The awards banquet serves as a fundraiser for next year’s awards, and the attendance of the student winners and their guests are generously sponsored by the Spirit of Entrepreneurship Foundation.

The Scheinfeld Center New Venture Challenge is co-sponsored by the Santa Barbara County Small Business Development Center (SBDC), a public service offering no-cost one-on-one counseling and coaching to small business owners. For more information please visit the Scheinfeld Center website.

###

About Santa Barbara City College:

Founded in 1909, Santa Barbara City College currently serves more than 20,000 credit and 13,000 non-credit students annually. In 2013, SBCC was named national co-winner of the prestigious Aspen Institute Prize for Community College Excellence. The college was recognized for its quality and focus in four areas: facilitating underrepresented and minority student success, student learning outcomes, degree completion and transfer rates, and labor market success in securing good jobs after college.

Login

Please note this login is to submit events or press releases. Use this page here to login for your Independent subscription

Not a member? Sign up here.