Startup Mendocino: Competition Gala encourages innovation

On Sunday, Aug. 25, from 3 to 6 p.m., West Business Development Center will host a Startup Mendocino Competition Gala Event at Mendocino College Theater in Ukiah. The family-friendly event will include entertainment from the Mama Grows Funk band, wine from Frey Vineyards, beer from North Coast Brewery, pizza from Slam Dunk — and a chance to meet the best and brightest minds in our county’s entrepreneur and business community.

Startup Mendocino is an innovative initiative that incubates new businesses and puts them through intensive training in order to compete for cash prizes from community sponsors. Geared to foster innovation and spark new thinking about what is possible in Mendocino County, the competition is designed to support and accelerate new businesses in our local community.

The final Competition Gala begins at 3 p.m., when five finalists will compete for $20,000 in prizes. Under the eaves outside the Mendocino College Theater in Ukiah, Frey Vineyards, North Coast Brewery and Slam Dunk pizza will tempt visitors with their delicious offerings while the Mama Grows Funk band sings their funky tunes. Children are welcome, with family-friendly entertainment and non-alcoholic beverages on tap.

At 4 p.m. the show will begin. Inside the 450-person theater, everyone will receive a voting ballot before they take their seats. After hearing from event sponsors and a few special guests, the first of the five finalists will take the stage at 4:30 p.m. You’ll hear about their business, their market, customers and big ideas – and what they could achieve with $10,000. Listen closely – because you, the audience, get to vote along with three judges, on who wins the prizes.

The five finalists are:

-Lia Wilson & Scarlett Trillia,The Red House,Co-working space, Fort Bragg

-Brian Newell & Jennifer Anderson Ande, Clog footwear, Fort Bragg

-Lama Nasser-Gammett, The Forest People, Organic mushroom jerky, Boonville

-Tom Jacobson,Are We Safe Yet?, Cybersecurity, Ukiah

-Kate Maxwell & Adrian Fernandez Baumann, The Mendocino Voice, News outlet,Ukiah

Learn more about the Final Five by going here: https://www.westcenter.org/mendo-business-news/startupmendocinofivefinalists

Tickets for the event are $10 and are available at the door, or by visiting: https://www.westcenter.org/workshops/2019/8/25/startup-mendocino-gala-event