GREEN BAY (NBC 26) — Northeast Wisconsin Technical College hosted its version of the popular show Shark Tank in partnership with Startup Hub.
A total of six small businesses of either current or past students were invited to present their business strategies in front of a panel of judges.
Each contestant had four minutes to convince the judges that their business was worthy of 'investing in'. By investing, they mean winning a prize, of free office space for a year at the startup hub.
Competition Organizer Lisa Taylor says this is not the typical pitch competition.
“This is kind of different, typically it's for businesses in the ideation phase, for ours, we wanted it to be a business that was already started, so the winner could get started right away.”
The competition is a first of its kind for NWTC; the winner was presenter Eliza Skenandore.
Her business, Star-Marie is a Native American beading business that helps educate and teach the art of beading.
Currently, her beading business is being run out of her home, so an upgrade is certainly welcome.
Skenandore is excited to grow her business and spread her culture to those around her.
“I hope that more people learn about the culture, not only if they are Oneida or just for the general public to know that we are still out there and we are here.”
To learn more about NWTC and the opportunities that they provide, visit nwtc.edu.
