Hy-Vee plans summit, pitch competition with $45K+ in investments for minority-, women-owned businesses
August 26, 2022 | Startland News Staff
A Midwest supermarket chain announced this week a new event to help showcase its commitment to advancing minority- and women-owned companies at the home of the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Hy-Vee OpportUNITY Inclusive Business Summit is set for Sept. 27 at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, courtesy of the Chiefs, and is expected to feature an expo offering resources for small businesses, educational presentations and panel discussions.
A pitch competition for minority- and women-owned businesses is also planned with local entrepreneurs invited to apply for the chance to showcase their products or services during the summit. Selected applicants will present to a panel of judges for the chance to win a $30,000 grand prize as an investment for future endeavors.
Categories for the pitch competition include: economically viable and/or previously tested products or services: food and beverage; product innovation and technology; and health, wellness and beauty.
Click here to submit an application. The deadline is 11:59 p.m. Sept. 1.
A panel of judges will select one winner to earn $30,000. Additionally, one first-place winner will be selected from each pitch category (three total) to win $5,000 each. Additional cash investments will be awarded, and select finalists may be invited to participate in a roundtable discussion regarding their product or service following the summit.
“Hy-Vee remains committed to inclusivity by expanding and enhancing product and service offerings that support various needs, lifestyles and backgrounds,” the company said in a press release. “The summit gives local minority- and women-owned businesses the opportunity to grow and prosper, while providing Hy-Vee customers with meaningful solutions to make their lives easier, healthier and happier.”
A majority of the summit (speakers and panel group discussions) will be held at Tower Club East at GEHA Field, in addition to other rooms nearby. The pitch competition is planned for Tower Club West.
Community groups and organizations, area businesses and other professionals interested in supporting or networking with small-business owners are invited to attend the summit at no cost.
Hy-Vee is an employee-owned corporation operating more than 285 retail stores across eight Midwestern states with sales of more than $12 billion annually.
2022 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Only five of 40 KC startups make the cut for InvestMidwest VC pitch forum
InvestMidwest has whittled down the applicants for next month’s venture capital forum, announcing five Kansas City area companies will take the stage at the premier pitch event. Thirty-six fast-growing startups overall — representing 15 Midwest, East Coast and Southern states — are expected to present to venture capitalists, corporate investors, private investors and other key…
San Francisco FinTech firm bringing 150 new jobs to KC; TrueAccord invests $1.34M
A Silicon Valley startup founded by tech veterans announced today a new 12,000-square-foot shared services operation in Lenexa, pledging 150 new jobs as part of the $1.34 million TrueAccord investment. Selecting the Kansas City metro for the project followed a thorough nationwide search, said Sheila Monroe, chief operating officer of TrueAccord, an automated debt recovery platform…
Young brains rewired by non-stop screen time in classrooms, neurotherapist tells district
[Editor’s note: The following is part of a limited Startland series, exploring parent advocates’ objections to 1:1 technology initiatives, which typically put a tablet device in the hands of each student and are popularly used as classroom innovation models across Kansas City and the nation.] A rise in ADHD diagnosis and increased risk of suicide…
Mother stresses lack of parental consent for school devices amid privacy, development worries
[Editor’s note: The following is part of a limited Startland series, exploring parent advocates’ objections to 1:1 technology initiatives, which typically put a tablet device in the hands of each student and are popularly used as classroom innovation models across Kansas City and the nation.] Digital dangers are lurking in Shawnee Mission classrooms, as schools…