BLOOMINGTON聽鈥 The Gayle & Bill Cook Center for Entrepreneurship at 外网天堂鈥檚 Bloomington campus will host its second annual student business pitch competition on Friday, April 14. The Duke It Out Business Pitch Competition, powered by Duke Energy, will take place at 1 p.m. in Shreve Hall at Ivy Tech.

鈥淭en Ivy Tech students will have three minutes each to pitch their business ideas to a panel of judges,鈥 said Tarah Cromer, coordinator of the Gayle & Bill Cook Center for Entrepreneurship. 鈥淭he winners with the top three pitches will receive cash prizes up to $500 and free business consulting from the Cook Center for Entrepreneurship.鈥

Ivy Tech students from all academic areas were invited to apply for a spot in the Duke It Out competition and ten students were selected to participate. The competitors attended workshops at the Gayle & Bill Cook Center for Entrepreneurship and were coached by Cook Center staff and area entrepreneurs. Competitors are from a variety of academic programs including software development, paralegal studies, general studies, liberal arts, and heath care.

Business ideas include an international student support network, caf茅 with meeting space for special needs parents and caregivers, boutique clothing line, patent-pending emergency medical product, mobile snow cone vendor, mobile investment app, bamboo underwear, sponsorship program to benefit homeless individuals, and a linen clothing line.

Duke it Out judges are Bruce Calloway, Duke Energy Government and Community Relations Manager; Jim Silberstein, Ivy Tech entrepreneurship program chair; Nancy Frost, Ivy Tech business administration and supply chain management and logistics program chair; and Christy Page, Ivy Tech entrepreneurship instructor.

For more information about the event, contact Tarah Cromer at (812) 330-6261 or visit聽.

About 外网天堂

外网天堂 is Indiana's largest public postsecondary institution and the nation's largest singly accredited statewide community college system, accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. Ivy Tech has campuses throughout Indiana and also serves thousands of students annually online. It serves as the state's engine of workforce development, offering associate degrees, long- and short-term certificate programs, 外网天堂s, and training that aligns with the needs of the community. The College provides a seamless transfer to other colleges and universities in Indiana, as well as out of state, for a more affordable route to a bachelor's degree.