Maybe you’ve seen that television show Shark Tank? …Where would-be entrepreneurs pitch their ideas for new businesses? Well, Floyd County is doing something sort of like that as a way to spark economic development there.
Floyd is known for its creativity and flair. Now local officials are looking to capitalize on that by helping locals - or out of towners who’d like to become locals- create new businesses in the region. They’ve put together a competition for budding entrepreneurs to present their ideas. Lydeana Martin, Floyd County’s Community and Economic Development Director, says they are hundreds of micro businesses around, crafts people as well as high-tech, and they’d like to help incubate their businesses and create more jobs for the region.
“We think that many of those folks are working from home or from their garage or basement and that a number of them are, hopefully, ready to take it to the next level to learn more, to maybe find another opportunity to make more connections, networking, finding coaches, people to work with to help them step it up a notch.”
In addition to cash prizes for the winners of this Floydian Shark Tank like business pitching contest, Martin points to another perk - a chance to rent space in the new Innovation Center, which opened in October, with super high speed fiber to the premises. High tech businesses are welcome to apply, but as she points out,, every business needs that kind of super fast internet connection these days.
The business incubation competition in Floyd begins in April with winners selected after final presentations in late May.
