Grambling State News

Grambling State Students to Compete for Start-Up Business Opportunity at Golden Pitch Finale 

GRAMBLING, LA — November 5, 2019 – Destney Johnson, freshmen recipient of the Grambling State Tech Tour Scholarship, is among those advancing to the finals in the campus-wide business model competition, The Golden Pitch. Campus and community are invited to RSVP to attend the Shark Tank-style final pitch for $3,000 on Tuesday, November 19 from 11 am to 1 pm in the Grambling Hall Auditorium.  

“Building skills and relationships that prepare students for real world entrepreneurship is a unique asset to their education,” said Caryn Chalmers, Business Analyst at the Entrepreneurial Accelerator Program. “We used a 1-10 scale to assess the final submission using three criteria – viability, innovativeness, and quality of work.” 

Participants in the competition receive coaching opportunities from industry experts, mentorship from seasoned entrepreneurs, real world experience in the start-up and capitol raising process as they advance through the competition. During the final pitch, aptly called “The Inferno Pitch”, finalists will present their business or product model before a panel of judges in the style of the television show, Shark Tank. The bright finalists include: 

• Destney Johnson, freshman cybersecurity major and Tech Tour Scholarship recipient,  
• Jyandria Carr-Vaughn freshman accounting major,  
• Tyra Jones-Harris, junior accounting major, 
• Sherdica Moses, senior computer information systems major, 
• Azali Muwwakkil, junior management major, and 
• Alaina Pacquette, junior biology major. 

“Golden Pitch has provided my partner and I a great deal of mentorship, success metrics, and support through our competition journey,” said Destney Johnson. “This has been essential to our start up idea process – without this program, we wouldn’t have such an opportunity to take our business to executive level. I’m grateful to Grambling State and EAP for the opportunity.” 

The Golden Pitch provides real-world education in entrepreneurship and increases awareness and innovation in Louisiana commercialization. All finalists have a chance to take their business idea from concept to reality. The top 3 finalists will be awarded cash prizes, scholarships, and in-kind professional services as follows:  

• 1st Place (Winner) – $3,000 cash, scholarship to LA Startup Prize 2019, scholarship to the Patent Academy, and 6 months of professional services from the Entrepreneurial Accelerator Program.  
• 2nd Place (Runner up) – $1,000 cash, scholarship to LA Startup Prize 2019, scholarship to the Patent Academy, and 6 months of professional services from the Entrepreneurial Accelerator Program.  
• 3rd Place (Runner up) – $500 cash, scholarship to LA Startup Prize 2019, scholarship to the Patent Academy, and 6 months of professional services from the Entrepreneurial Accelerator Program. 

Attendees to the final pitch are encouraged to RSVP. 

Related Articles:  
The Golden Pitch Returns: $3,000 for Winning GSU Student Business Ideas 

Entrepreneurial Accelerator Program partners with four North Louisiana universities 

About the Entrepreneurial Accelerator Program (EAP)  

The Entrepreneurial Accelerator Program, an initiative of BRF, is a public/private partnership between BRF, the Caddo Parish Commission and the City of Shreveport to diversify the regional economy, create jobs and expand the area’s tax base by providing services to innovative startups that have high growth potential. Since EAP began in 2014, the program has screened 859 startups and provided services to 260 companies. EAP’s portfolio companies have created more than 210 new jobs and raised $74 million in capital.   

Learn more about how EAP works to make starting a business approachable for Louisiana at http://eapla.com.