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Writer's pictureNeela Cole

IDEA Bank competition

Students have a chance to turn their dreams into reality


Troy University IDEA Bank will hold its annual Business IDEA Competition, an outlet for students who are interested in turning their entrepreneurial skills into reality.


This competition is open to students campus-wide. Students interested in participating will need to complete an online form on the Troy University IDEA Bank social media.


“The competition is an essential part of providing a pathway for students to reach their dreams and enable their business ideas,” said IDEA Bank Program Coordinator Mauree McCall. “Not only does the competition provide essential start-up funding, a component that we often see college students lack, but it also provides tactical business planning support for aspiring student entrepreneurs.”


Once applied, applicants will complete an eight-week, hands-on training program. This program will help students gain specialized business coaching.


The training program will focus on a range of areas related to business planning and entrepreneurship, including visionary planning, market trends and analytics, strategic business execution tactics, persuasive pitching and more.


“Our hope is that whether or not students win funding, they will complete the program with a well-rounded business plan ready for implementation,” McCall said.


At the conclusion of the program, participants will pitch their business ideas to a panel of judges in early December for the opportunity to win a share of $3,000-plus in business start-up funding.


This event will be put on by the Sorrell College of Business’ IDEA Bank and Sorrell 360 Center. The Troy Student Business Idea Competition is also an extension of theTROY Starters program, powered by Regions Foundation.


Last year's Troy Student competition winner, Alden Barentine, provided an update on the allocation of his funding and its impact on his entrepreneurial journey.


"I was able to purchase a roaster to start roasting coffee on a small scale,” Barentine said. “With the roaster, I will be able to learn the ins and outs of roasting and gain some valuable experience before going commercial."


Qualified applicants will be notified following the closing of the application, which will be Sept. 13. These individuals will then be provided with detailed information regarding the program training schedule.


“We have seen success in previous competitions such as our JUST START High School Entrepreneurship Competition and last year's Troy Student Business Pitch Competition,” McCall said.


For any questions, or to gain an overview of the competition details, application information, program and more, email ideabank@troy.edu.

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