Winner of main pitch competition will vie for an additional $50,000 on Bloomberg Television Network’s 2 Minute Drill

BOISE, Idaho; Aug. 19, 2021 –– Boise Entrepreneur Week is inviting Treasure Valley entrepreneurs to register for its annual pitch competitions, taking place in Boise from Oct. 18-22, 2021.

Now in its sixth year, Boise Entrepreneur Week has provided more than $166,000 of funding to Idaho entrepreneurs. This year’s event will be held in a hybrid virtual and in-person format and past local winners include Boise-based Lumineye, which created a radar device to help first responders identify people and threats through walls.

“Winning the pitch competition positioned our company to succeed,” said Megan Lacy, co-founder and CEO of Lumineye. “The funding allowed us to build our first portable prototype, paving the way to win the Army’s xTechSearch 2.0 competition and join the Y-Combinator’s Summer 2019 batch. Without Boise Entrepreneur Week, Lumineye would not be where it is today!”

Boise Entrepreneur Week’s main pitch competition allows early-stage entrepreneurs to compete for a chance at winning $20,000 in prize money, with $5,000 going to the runner-up. Additionally, this year’s winner will automatically be qualified to participate in the third season finals of 2 Minute Drill.

Hosted by investor David Meltzer, 2 Minute Drill features five contestants who have two minutes to make a successful pitch to a panel of judges, with $50,000 being awarded to the winner. In tribute to the show, Boise Entrepreneur Week participants will also deliver a two-minute pitch.

Applications for the main pitch competition are being accepted online at VentureCapital.org or boiseentrepreneurweek.org until Sept. 7, 2021. The screening process will result in up to 10 finalists who will be paired with industry mentors to prepare for their final pitch.  

Boise Entrepreneur Week also hosts the Trailmix pitch competition to help food and beverage startups take their products from the farmers market to the supermarket. Applicants compete for a chance at winning $20,000 in prize money and shelf space at Albertsons, with $5,000 going to the runner-up.  

Judging criteria includes innovation, market traction, taste, shelf readiness for large retail, ingredients and the unique value proposition of the food product. For applicants to be considered for the event, they cannot be a current vendor or be in the process of becoming a vendor with Albertsons.

Trailmix applications are being accepted online at boiseentrepreneurweek.org until Sept. 10, 2021. The screening process will result in five finalists who will be paired with industry mentors to prepare for their final pitch.

Aside from the main pitch competition and Trailmix, several other pitch competitions will be held for startups and students.  

Attendees may view the schedule and register at boiseentrepreneurweek.org

About Boise Entrepreneur Week
Boise Entrepreneur Week (BEW) is a community program housed within Trailhead that promotes entrepreneurship in the Boise community. BEW, Idaho’s largest entrepreneurship-focused community event, provides individuals with an empowering experience as the week-long event fosters professional growth and development. To learn more about BEW and its impact on Boise, visit boiseentrepreneurweek.org

CONTACT: Nick Crabbs
PHONE: 323-945-0248
EMAIL: nick@vynyl.com

CONTACT: Tiam Rastegar
PHONE: 208-546-8426
EMAIL: tiam@trailheadboise.org

‍