From The Day.
Local entrepreneurs competing for start-up or expansion funding received a boost from the Southeastern CT Enterprise Region through two recent events that provided a total of $14,000 to six small-business owners.
An October Pitch Competition at Epicure Brewery in Norwich, also a recipient of seCTer funding, awarded $7,500 to Rushell Maragh, owner of Peek Studio of Middletown, which provides luxury hair braiding, classes, and related services. This was the second Pitch Competition seCTer sponsored in what will be an ongoing series.
The region’s federally designated economic development agency also provided funding of $6,500 in support of the Chamber of Commerce of Eastern Connecticut’s Entrepreneur Academy in October. Connor Toole of Pawcatuck took home the first-place award of $2,000 for his Toole’s Nuts ’N Bolts snack mix. A second-place award of $1,500 went to The Golf Club, a proposed indoor golfing center by Lucas Herr, and three start-ups tied for third place and received $1,000 each: Sizzle Pop, a powdered drink mix developed by Kaye Regan and Gavin Porter; The Blue Bag Foundation, a non-profit for teenage girls by Jessica Nevith, and Yoga Me Happy, a yoga fundraising enterprise by Tina Rice.
To learn more about funding opportunities and business guidance services, visit seCTer.org
