Over a dozen new local businesses have thrown their hats in the ring for an entrepreneurial competition designed by Enactus, the Salmon Arm Economic Development Society and Community Futures Shuswap.
The Shuswap Launch-A-Preneur competition finalists were unveiled at the Mall at Piccadilly on Saturday.
The up-and-coming businesses who have been participating in workshops to help their businesses grow since early March are as follows:
• Rocking Wheels, who manufacture an attachment which allows wheelchairs to operate like a rocking chair.
• Chagga Mushroom Tea, who plan to sell mushrooms harvested from live birch trees, which act as powerful antioxidant when brewed into tea.
• Drone photography specialists, Sky Crew Aerial photography.
• Local art gallery, Meikle Studios.
• Stack Specialty Pruning and Landscaping.
• Salmon Arm Community Market, a non-profit who will not be participating in the official competition, but will still benefit from the workshops.
• Winebox Sweets, a family business making wine-gum-like sweets with real wine.
• Wise Woman Seeds, who will sell products to simplify small-plot gardening.
• Kurt’s Services WETT Inspection, who deals with safe woodburning fireplace installations.
• On Point Concrete Forming.
• Harder Concrete.
• Treehouse Bistro.
• Pranna Power Tech, with solar panels.
• Elderberry Grove, an organic elderberry farm with a focus on the berry’s traditional medicinal uses.
• Kate’s Smoothies a food truck focusing on providing all-natural, preservative free smoothies.
• Shuswap Event, an event listing website.
The competition’s final event will be held on May 4 from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Salmar Classic Theatre.
Participants will go head-to-head in a competition similar to Dragons Den to see who has the best business pitch. Tickets for the final are available Salmon Arm Economic Development Society, Community Futures Shuswap and Okanagan College.