WDMCC: 10 Pitch Competition Winners Receive Collective $42,000 In Winnings

West Des Moines IA

29 April, 2022

1:28 PM

Description

Press release from the West Des Moines Chamber of Commerce: April 28, 2022 Last week's second annual Athene Black & Brown Business Summit presented by Wells Fargo saw two days of packed programming, all aimed at assisting minority business owners and entrepreneurs in building a legacy of wealth. Programming on Thursday was highlighted by a pitch competition, supported by Exclusive Pitch Competition Partner Bank of America. Ten businesses competed at the end of the day for a share of the $42,000 grand prize. Lumena Energy Inc. won first place and $12,000. Autistic & Loved, LLC won second place and $10,000. Stagerie, Inc. won third place and $6,000. Additional participants each won $2,000: A Little Buzzed, Dae-licious Delights, Dupee Consulting Group LLC, Evry Intention LLC, Iowa Media Co., Light Pong and Mountain High Jz Coffee LLC. "Lumena Energy extends its heartfelt appreciation to the people of West Des Moines, the West Des Moines Chamber of Commerce, Athene, Bank of America, our co-competitors, and all of the supporting community partners for facilitating the Athene Black & Brown Business Summit Pitch Competition," said David Jones, CEO, Lumena Energy. "We are eternally grateful for being selected as the winner of the competition and humbly accept the award. We will use this platform and the winnings to further the advancement and accelerated adoption of renewable energy throughout the world." This year's pitch competition saw 45 applicants, which doubled what the competition saw in the year prior. While only the top ten were invited to compete, all submissions, both from 2022 and 2021, were invited to attend a day of panels and workshops designed to help them refine their business pitches and position themselves for success, free of charge. "Supporting new entrepreneurship in Iowa is at the core of Bank of America's mission, which is why we have once again partnered with the West Des Moines Chamber of Commerce to bring our community this important event focused on propelling minority-owned businesses to success," said Annie Brandt, market executive, Bank of America Iowa. "Events like these are essential to connection building, programming, promotion, training, and to providing resources to help businesses grow and prosper." Information will soon be shared regarding the 2023 Athene Black & Brown Business Summit, as well as the pitch competition. Check the West Des Moines Chamber of Commerce website for updates. This press release was produced by the West Des Moines Chamber of Commerce. The views expressed here are the author's own.