Conduit Startup Showcase: Celebrating Entrepreneurship and Community Innovation
Anticipation filled the air as fifteen entrepreneurs, representing nine different projects, prepared to present and compete for cash prizes. November 7th had finally arrived, and it was time for the Conduit Startup Showcase, a pitch competition hosted and organized by the team at the Ada Jobs Foundation: Daniel Castaneda, Peggy Saunkeah, Sunnie Baker, and Carol Ervin. Over fifty people filled the elegant lobby of the First United Bank’s main branch on 12th street. Allison Poe with Poe Prepping had prepared a delicious and beautiful charcuterie spread which attendees enjoyed as they mingled and networked, seeing old friends and making new ones. Sunnie Baker kicked things off with some welcoming remarks as the participants readied themselves to pitch their very own business ideas.
It takes a lot of courage to speak in public, especially in front of a large group of people. This can be even more nerve wracking when it comes to something like a pitch competition. Not only are these individuals putting themselves in the public eye, but they are putting their dreams and ideas on display. While the potential of a cash prize can motivate people to participate in competitions like this one, the rewards extend far beyond monetary incentives. Pitch competitions provide the opportunity and occasion to organize one’s thoughts about their business idea, do the appropriate research and planning, and pull it together into something that could move from an idea to an actuality. That is one of the reasons why at the Conduit Startup Showcase, they had two different categories: Idea Stage and Revenue Generating. Seven participants entered the Idea Stage category, where individuals present a business idea they have not yet acted on. Two participants entered the Revenue Generating category, designated for existing businesses with fewer than two years of operation.
Srijita Ghosh, one of the judges for the Conduit Startup Showcase and an original architect of the competition, helped launch it as the Big Pitch in 2018. She is passionate about the importance of pitch competitions. As someone who works with entrepreneurs on a daily basis at i2E, she sees the fruits of these endeavors firsthand. She says, “Pitch competitions like this are about so much more than presenting ideas—they’re about creating a culture of innovation and entrepreneurial thinking in rural communities. When this program started in 2018, it filled a critical gap in the community by offering a platform to celebrate bold ideas and bring people together. Entrepreneurship-led economic development is essential in places like Ada because it supports local businesses, encourages new ventures, and builds an ecosystem where entrepreneurs can thrive. This competition highlights the importance of fostering innovation and embracing the mindset that it’s okay to fail fast and fail forward as part of the journey.”
Not only do competitions like this provide opportunities for entrepreneurs, but they also bring the community together, both as an audience to support the participants and by volunteering as judges and sponsoring awards. Jake Cantrell, a local entrepreneur, and Amy Childers Elliot, a professor at the ECU College of Business, joined Ghosh at the judge’s table. In addition to the Ada Jobs Foundation, who organized and hosted the event, seven other local organizations contributed their support to this initiative. That is a tremendous footprint that showcases the importance of entrepreneurship to people and organizations in our community.
Hunter Cook, First-Place Idea Stage Winner
This competition welcomed high school students, college students, and adults. While there were various levels of education and expertise, they all shared a passion for their projects. The younger students happily shared the stage with the adults, who admired the teenagers’ efforts. In the end, a college student, Hunter Cook with “Forwritten,” won the Idea Stage category, with high school students from Vanoss, “Holy Crepes,” coming in second. In the Revenue Generating category, Andon Russell with “Russ-Tech Industries” took first and Mike and Kay Smith with “Tek-Work” came in second. “Moonlight Movies,” another high school team from Vanoss, took home the People’s Choice Award.
Andon Russell, First-Place Revenue Generating Winner
No matter the prize, though, all the participants enjoyed the competition and found it to be a valuable experience. Leslie Walters, a junior at Ada High School with the team “Pristine Paw,” said, “My business partner and I enjoyed presenting in such a warm and welcoming environment.” For Leslie, it helped them get ready for the Tiger Tank pitch competition at ECU the following week. Tammy Anderson, the BPA Advisor at Vanoss School, expressed gratitude for this opportunity and admired her students’ accomplishments. She says, “These students displayed incredible initiative, creativity, and perseverance as they developed their business ideas from concept to pitch. What impressed me most was their confidence and poise when presenting their ideas to a panel of judges, an experience that undoubtedly pushed them out of their comfort zones.”
While it was a competition, there was also a spirit of camaraderie as the different entrepreneurs enjoyed getting to know each other. For example, Mike Smith and Andon Russell competed against each other in the Revenue Generating category. Although they came to compete, they also took the time to appreciate the work of others. Smith said, “The pitch competition was a great experience. There’s so much creativity and entrepreneurship in Ada that is hiding in plain sight. These types of events are important for business growth because they highlight new businesses and can give investors a chance to see what Ada has to offer.” Andon Russell said, “The Conduit Startup Showcase offered not only an excellent opportunity to practice investment pitch strategies and receive valuable feedback from professionals but also an enjoyable event for networking with fellow entrepreneurs.”
Pitch competitions like the Conduit Startup Showcase serve as important vehicles for budding entrepreneurs and play a vital role in building the community needed to support these ventures. In the case of this competition, the audience had a chance to see pitches from high school students, college students, adults, and business owners, which illustrates the entrepreneurial spirit that is woven through the fabric of our community. Ada, an entrepreneurial town with a lot of drive and passion, demonstrated that spirit on the evening of November 7th. While the Conduit Startup Showcase might be a competition, when the community comes together to support these entrepreneurs, everybody wins.
This event was made possible through the generous support of our sponsors. Mercy of Ada sponsored at the Gold level, while OG&E, East Central University, and Vision Bank provided Silver-level sponsorships. Pontotoc Technology Center, Citizens Bank, and People’s Electric Cooperative contributed as Bronze-level sponsors. We deeply appreciate the support of each of these organizations!