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Six County Fast Pitch Applications Due

Six County Fast Pitch Competition logo
Event Date(s)
Location
Galesburg
County
Knox

Public & students are invited to enter ideas for a new or expanding business in the Six County Fast Pitch Competition. Applications are due March 16 for the contest to be held on May 12 in Galesburg, Illinois.

The 2020 Six County Fast Pitch contestants will be eligible to compete for prizes including cash, advertising and professional and small business consultation to help them turn their ideas into reality!

The competition is open to residents, current business owners, and high school and college students in the Illinois counties of Henderson, Henry, Knox, Mercer, Stark and Warren.

The categories include:

  • Existing Business Expansion which is open to any current business owner in the six counties
  • New Retail/Service Business
  • New Manufacturing/Fabrication Business
  • Student Entrepreneur which is open to students in high school or college

Applications are due by March 16, 2020.
There is no cost to apply, simply fill out an application form online at www.6countyfastpitch.org  

The application asks:

  • For your name and contact information
  • To verify which of the six counties you either reside in, own a business in or attend school in
  • Which category you are entering (ie: New Business, Business Expansion, or Student)
  • To give a brief background about yourself and/or your business

Contestants who have completed and submitted the application by the March 16th deadline will be given an opportunity to participate in a mock/practice Fast Pitch session before the actual competition to receive feedback and tips on their presentation.

More information about the Fast Pitch Competition and process can be found on this
Six County Fast Pitch PowerPoint

The actual Six County Fast Pitch Competition will be held on Tuesday, May 12 at the Knox County AgriCenter in Galesburg, Illinois. The entrepreneurs will present their ideas to a panel of judges during confidential, individual, 10 minute “fast pitch” sessions. They will compete in the different categories: Existing Business Expansion, New Manufacturing/Fabrication, New Retail/Service, and Student Entrepreneur. That afternoon the winners will be announced during an awards ceremony where they will receive notice of their prize packages.

The team organizing the Six County Fast Pitch Competition includes Carl Sandburg College, City of Galva, First Mid- Bank & Trust, Galesburg Chamber of Commerce, Kewanee Economic Development Corporation, Knox County Area Partnership for Economic Development, Mercer County: Better Together, Monmouth Chamber of Commerce, University of Illinois Extension, Western Illinois University Small Business Development Center, and Western Illinois Works.

Prize package sponsors include: Black Hawk College East Foundation, City of Galesburg, City of Galva, First Mid Bank & Trust, Galesburg Broadcasting, Kewanee Chamber of Commerce, Masters Educational Services, Monmouth Area Chamber of Commerce, Regional Media, University of Illinois Extension, and WRMJ

More information on the Six County Fast Pitch Competition can be found online or by contacting the following: in Henderson, Knox, and Warren Counties, Carrie McKillip and in Henry, Mercer, and Stark Counties, Russell Medley.