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Local Voices

11th Annual StartRight! Business Plan Competition Launched

Rockville Economic Development, Inc. (REDI) and Maryland Women’s Business Center (MWBC) announced the launch of the 11th Annual StartRight! Business Plan Competition for Women Entrepreneurs.

         Over the past ten years, nearly 500 women from D.C., Maryland and Virginia have entered the StartRight! Business Plan Competition for Women Entrepreneurs, producing 38 winners.  A recent survey of those winners found that an impressive 89% are still in business and 100% of those companies reported hiring additional employees, accounting for more than 150 new jobs.

         Last year’s $5,000 Grand Prize was awarded to Mercaris, founded by CEO Kellee James of Silver Spring, Maryland.  Mercaris (www.mercariscompany.com), a market data service and on-line trading exchange for organic and non-genetically-modified agricultural commodities, was selected from 42 business plans reviewed by 33 volunteer judges.  “This was a great opportunity,” said Ms. James.  She further noted that the cash prize was very helpful, but the connections she made will help boost her business.

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         The annual StartRight! Women's Business Plan Competition, founded in 2003 by REDI to encourage and support women’s entrepreneurship, is designed to give new businesses support through cash prizes, publicity, and feedback on their business plan from an experienced panel of judges.  To qualify, the business must be at least 51% woman-owned and less than 3 years old with operations in Maryland, DC or Virginia.  Companies may be in the pre-start-up phase.  Full business plans are due June 25, 2014.  Winners will be announced and prizes awarded at the Power Conference on August 28, 2014 at the Montgomery County Conference Center at the Bethesda North Marriott Hotel in Rockville, Maryland.

         Entries should be submitted at www.MarylandWBC.org/startright/.  The StartRight! Business Plan Competition awards more than $15,000 in prizes, made possible by the generous support of our sponsors: Shulman Rogers Gandal Pordy & Ecker, Capital Business, Walmart, ActionCoach, TriBridge Partners, Morgan Stanley, MultiPlatform Media, Intelligent Office and Bio Maryland.

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For additional information, contact Laura Gastwirth at 301-315-8096 or laura@rockvillewbc.org.

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