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Launch New Ideas for a New Carolina at InnoVenture

Submitted by: John Warner on Mar 18, 2006 at 1:42 pm Tagged with: Entrepreneurial Source:

FastTracSC and New Carolina – SC’s Council on Competitiveness, are launching a statewide “Idea Competition” for all South Carolinians called New Ideas for a New Carolina. The intent is to help develop an entrepreneurial idea at the earliest stage and to fill in the gap between a person’s initial business concept and bank or VC-ready plans. All ideas submitted will be held in strict confidence.

We need your help to launch this extraordinary new competition within our communities, so that your people can have the opportunity to participate! All you need to do to be part of our “Dream Team” is send an email to your distribution list. We will provide you with the Launch email to blast on March 28th, once you’ve offered us your support.

Please let us know by Wednesday, March 22th by replying to this email. Thanks for your support!!

What is the purpose of New Ideas for a New Carolina?
The contest is designed to:
1. Promote change and innovation at a grassroots level.
2. Encourage entrepreneurship in SC
3. Bring together entrepreneurs with V.C.s, Banks, Business, Government and Education Leaders
4. Connect innovators in the state.
5. Draw media attention to Sponsors, Partners, Co-Marketers, New Carolina, FastTracSC and all other participating entities.

How many people are you reaching?
We estimate reaching approximately 500,000 people in South Carolina via Newspaper and Partner Email Distribution lists. We already have 17 confirmed Co-Marketers.

What is the competition timeline? What are the awards?
The Launch will be at Innoventure March 28th, the winners will be announced at the ThinkTEC Summit on May 8th. The top 5 winning ideas will receive cash, a scholarship to FastTrac, other prizes and be assigned a Dream Team of mentors to help them cultivate their ideas.

Why would I want to be involved in this competition?
If you commit to supporting this competition as a Co-Marketer you will have:
1. Listing on Competition website as a “Dream Team” member.
2. Signage at the ThinkTEC Innovation Summit.
3. If a winning idea is submitted by a person reached by your email distribution lists, your organization will be announced in the awards ceremony.
4. It puts you among the leaders that are advancing entrepreneurship in the state.

What are my other choices for contribution as Co-Marketer?
(If you have any other ideas, we are all ears! J ) NOTE: All collateral, PR and Marketing materials that you choose will be provided to you in a Co-Marketer Package. Please let us know if you would like to participate in these as well.

1. Announcement of Competition (beginning March 28) to local media using your organizations’ media relations. (We will also be doing this but..the more the merrier..)
2. Add “Idea” button or banner to homepage of website.

Please don’t hesitate to contact me with any questions you might have.

Amy Love
New Carolina - SC's Council on Competitiveness
803.264.4524 (phone)
803.736.9289 (fax)
alove@newcarolina.org
www.NewCarolina.org