Star Tank Returns to Provide Resources and Opportunity to Local Entrepreneurs

Organizers from last year's Shark Tank are excited about this years program.
Organizers from last year’s Shark Tank event at the CoLab go over the details of how the program works.

The room falls silent. Nearly two dozen local ‘sharks’ of business direct their attention to the front of the room, where an intrepid entrepreneur prepares to make what could be the most important business pitch of his or her life.

Not everyone is ready for that kind of pressure and opportunity, but Drew Arney and his business partner Austin Bousman are eager to make their pitch on November 12, 2015 inside the CoLab. Listening from the opposite side of the room will be Cole Dudley, Roanoke Star Tank panel member and founding partner of Integrity Growth Capital.

It will only take 20 minutes before both parties are either shaking hands as partners, or politely parting ways.

Roanoke Star Tank was developed in 2014 to generate positive economic momentum in the region. To date, 20 local experts of business have heard more than 50 presentations from local entrepreneurs pitching everything from beverage development, to high-tech solutions. Of those, some verbal agreements were made, new relationships created and invaluable introductions made, however, Roanoke Star Tank is still searching for this region’s next BIG idea.

Founder and organizer Christopher Desimone is pleased with the community engagement and quality business conversations that Roanoke Star Tank has generated thus far, and is excited for that special moment when a well-qualified entrepreneur and the right investor present themselves.

“Our focus from the start has been concentrated on not losing this region’s next big idea because the right people were not in the same room together,” Desimone said. “Unfortunately, Roanoke has lost some key businesses in 2015, but there are great deals of innovative, homegrown concepts in this area that have never gotten off the ground because they lack capital and connections. That’s where Star Tank can step in.”

The CoLab is once again hosting the event and this year Star Tank is the feature of a week long business-centric experience inside the collaborative space.

“Business Week runs November 9 – 12, and pairs perfectly with the Star Tank event,” CoLab director, Ariel Lev, said. “Business Week is focused on funding small business and features four days of panels, competitions and education sessions. Roanoke Star Tank is a perfect piece of that entrepreneurial pie.”

Online registration to present at Roanoke Star Tank is now open. Applicants should visit www.roanokestartank.com to register.

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