StartUp Hart Business Pitch Competition Celebrates Second Successful Year at HCHS

StartUp Hart Business Pitch Competition Celebrates Second Successful Year of Student Entrepreneurship

The Hart County Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with Hartwell Main Street and with generous funding from Georgia Power, proudly hosted the second annual StartUp Hart Business Pitch Competition on Tuesday evening. The event, modeled after the popular Shark Tank television series, featured three student entrepreneurs from Hart County pitching their business ideas to a panel of local judges after a semester of intense preparation, mentoring, and real-world business development.

The competition was designed to encourage innovation, cultivate entrepreneurial skills, and support the next generation of local business leaders in Hart County. Students presented their business plans with professionalism and enthusiasm, backed by real products and demonstrations, including merchandise, a musical performance, and even a custom truck displayed in the parking lot.

The top three winners received seed funding to launch or expand their ventures:

• 1st Place ($1,000): Jackson Ford, Lake Hartwell Music Studio

• 2nd Place ($750): Ivan Delgado-Rojas, CustomRides

• 3rd Place ($250): Kason Carden, BIG’N Outdoors

Additional support and mentoring came from Jason Ford (Hartwell Downtown Development Authority and Main Street), Amanda Brown (Hart County Chamber of Commerce), Dr. Rosanna Cruz Bibb (UGA Archway Partnership), and Jessica Seawright (Pinnacle Bank). The students’ advisor, Mrs. Bray List, teacher at Hart College and Career Academy, provided critical academic support and encouragement, helping the young entrepreneurs to stay focused and motivated.

“This program aligns with the Hart College and Career Academy’s goal of ensuring students are enrolled, enlisted, or employed after graduation,” explained Brown. “But we’re also emphasizing a fourth E—Entrepreneurship. By helping students cultivate real businesses and surrounding them with the tools to succeed, we’re investing in a brighter, more prosperous future for our rural community.”

The panel of judges, Marshall Sayer (Owner, Clem's Alternators & Starters), Kayla Segars (Owner, Backstreet BBQ), and Maurice Jones (Store Manager, Hartwell Walmart Supercenter) were impressed by the depth of each student’s presentation and their ability to apply practical business concepts in a competitive setting.

In addition to the tangible rewards of seed money and academic credit, the students gained valuable confidence and insight into the entrepreneurial process that will serve them well in the future, whether they pursue these specific ventures or take on new challenges.

The Hart County Chamber of Commerce and Hartwell Main Street extend their sincere thanks to Georgia Power for providing grant funding to support this program. This initiative began with Georgia Power’s CREATE program (Cultivating Rural Entrepreneurs and Transforming Economies), which is designed to help leaders in rural communities implement entrepreneurship and small business growth plans. The CREATE program offers technical assistance and guidance to identify community assets and gaps, understand the importance of a healthy entrepreneurial ecosystem, and develop targeted growth strategies.

To learn more about business development efforts or how to get involved with youth entrepreneurship initiatives in Hart County, visit www.hart-chamber.org.