Local Happenings selected to participate in nationwide pitch event
Portsmouth-based startup, Local Happenings, has been selected to participate in a nationwide virtual pitch event hosted by the Center on Rural Innovation (CORI). CORI and the SSU Kricker Innovation Hub work closely on different tech-based economic development initiatives and programs in our region.
The winner of the pitch event will receive a $10,000 prize and an opportunity to share their startup with a nationwide audience!
We couldn’t be more excited for both Local Happenings and Portsmouth, OH—this is an incredible opportunity to shift the narrative and help people understand and appreciate the innovation that’s happening across rural America.
We hope that you will join us on November 10th from 5:30-8 p.m, EST to represent Portsmouth in the virtual crowd. You can register for this free event here.
FAQ
What is the Center on Rural Innovation?
The Center on Rural Innovation (CORI) is a national nonprofit committed to inclusive digital economic development initiatives that support scalable entrepreneurship and digital job creation. Through its rural community partners, CORI brings a comprehensive range of expertise, programs, and partnerships to the table to ensure that all Americans, regardless of geography, are able to participate in our growing tech economy.
What is CORI’s Virtual Pitch Event?
The Center on Rural Innovation is hosting a virtual pitch event to help shift the narrative about where scalable tech startups can launch and be successful. This event features startup founders from across the country who are living and working in rural America. They will be competing for a $10,000 prize that will be awarded during the event on Nov. 10, 2021.
Participating startups are located in areas CORI’s Rural Innovation Network (RIN) serves. RIN is a growing national network of rural communities with local partners who lead digital economy ecosystem efforts in the places they call home.
Why does rural entrepreneurship matter?
To create a more equitable and inclusive national economy, greater investment in rural startups needs to be a priority. Startups are a key source of job creation, and the ones that scale can transform a community and create regenerative wealth.
Yet entrepreneurship in rural America has been falling for too long: The share of startups in rural areas dropped 7.8 percentage points from 1984 to 2014, and from 1988 to 2016 the rural rate of self-employment fell by over 20%.
To reverse these trends, rural communities need to find ways to support and sustain entrepreneurs. To help shift the narrative about what is possible in rural America, CORI’s Virtual Pitch event highlights scalable tech entrepreneurs from small towns across the country. Tech in rural America is not a possibility, it’s a reality.
Who is sponsoring the event?
We are grateful for the support from our sponsors who believe in championing the innovation and entrepreneurship happening across rural America.
Who are the participating startups?
All participating startup founders are part of the local ecosystems that CORI’s Rural Innovation Network serves:
BeCardless (Shenandoah Valley, VA)
Clear Water Nitrate Reduction (Red Wing, Mn)
iBuild Global, Inc. (Waterville, ME)
Kall Morris, Inc. (Marquette, MI)
Local Happenings (Portsmouth, OH)
Mouse Loves Pig (Shenandoah Valley, VA)
Spoke Sound (Durango, CO)
Swipesum (Cape Girardeau, MO)
Trinity Alarms (Platteville, WI)