Local Businesses Announced As IDEA Competition Finalists

The Northwest Minnesota Foundation has announced the six local businesses as finalists for the 2017 IDEA competition.

The IDEA competition turns ideas into businesses and provides training, business coaching and capital for entrepreneurs in Northwest Minnesota that want to make their idea a fast growth business.

These are finalists moving on to the final part of the competition.

·       Bare Cloth – Keila McCracken, Turtle River

·       Bolton Bees – Chiara & Travis Bolton, Hubbard County

·       DeanUltraThinRetainer – Todd Sandwick, Fosston

·       Raptor Rack – Jeremy Leffelman, Bemidji

·       Squarrel – Russ Karasch & Robert Monahan, Park Rapids

·       Stittsworth Meats – Mychal Stittsworth, Bemidji

The winners will be selected by a judging panel consisting of three area equity funds, bankers, entrepreneurs and business development professionals. The panel will then choose three winners who will each receive $10,000 to advance their business ideas and additional technical assistance.

Winners will be announced at the IDEA Competition Awards Banquet to be held April 25, from 5:00 – 8:30 p.m. at the Beaux Arts Ballroom on the campus of Bemidji State University.