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FreshTracks Road Pitch gears up for summer tour

Submitted by tim on

Vermont Business Magazine The fifth annual FreshTracks Road Pitch, a four-day motorcycle tour of Vermont in which a gang of “business bikers” (comprised of investors, entrepreneurs and business advisors) ride around the state and stop in eight Vermont towns to listen to entrepreneurs pitch their business, will be held July 30th through August 2th 2018. Entrepreneurs interested in pitching their concept or existing business to the riders should contact one or more of the local organizers noted below in order to apply for a pitch slot. At each of the eight stops, the riders will award a “Riders Choice Prize” of $500 and a special edition “Vermont Biker Bear” contributed by Vermont Teddy Bear. Each stop is open to public viewing.

For information about Road Pitch, the riders, as well as valuable pitching tips, visit www.roadpitch.co.

The schedule of stops and local contacts for applying to pitch are as follows:

Fresh Tracks Road Pitch winners Biochar in St Johnsbury, August2017, with Cairn Cross (far left).

There will be final statewide “Pitch-Off” event which will be sponsored by and held at Champlain College on October 17th. The top Road Pitch participants from around the state will be invited to pitch for a grand prize of $5,000 and a year of business mentoring from the Road Pitch Riders. “We are grateful that Champlain College will again host the final Pitch-Off event this year” said Cairn Cross, Road Pitch Founder and Co-Founder of FreshTracks Capital. “The final event will bring together the best pitches from the summer’s Road Pitch for one final pitch competition. As with our other Road Pitch events, the final event at Champlain College is open to the public.”

We are able to offer these prizes through the generous sponsorship provided by Vermont Department of Economic Development, Champlain College and Champlain College’s BYOBiz program, Burlington Bytes, Key Bank, Gallagher Flynn and Company, Moulton Law Group, Champlain Mini Maker Faire, Social Sentinel, Vermont Teddy Bear, Dinse and EMBOLDIA. Cairn Cross said, “Each of these sponsors plays a key role in the statewide entrepreneurial ecosystem and we are happy for their support.”

Road Pitch helps connect Vermont entrepreneurs to resources such as capital and advice, and helps entrepreneurs polish and refine their pitching skills. The statewide event also helps communities build stronger entrepreneurial ecosystems, and showcases entrepreneurs and business opportunities to potential private investors, while promoting motorcycle touring and rider safety.

“I am often asked to give an example of a successful outcome experienced by a Road Pitch participant,” said Cross. “In 2016 Jen and Steve Swanson pitched their startup cricket farm to the rider group during the Essex Road Pitch event and won the local competition. While they did not win the final statewide Pitch-Off event, Jen and Steve gained the attention of several riders who worked with the company for more than a year to craft a business plan and make the company ‘equity ready.’ In late 2017, Flourish Farm (https://flourishfarm.com), an indoor cricket farming operation was born, with a $600,000 investment led by some members of our Road Pitch riders’ group, including serial entrepreneur Alan Newman, who is now Board Chairman of Flourish Farms.”

Newman, a Road Pitch rider who was the founder of Magic Hat and Seventh Generation is no stranger to emerging trends. “I believe we have the right combination of passionate and enthusiastic entrepreneur -wanna be’s - in Jen & Steve combined with the obvious – to us at least – emerging trend of cricket protein as the most sensible way to help feed the growing population of the US and the world,” said Newman.

“Our experience pitching to the rider group in 2016 was invaluable and the help from select members of the rider group to organize and lead the investment gave us the foundational support necessary to expand our operations”, said Jen Swanson, co-founder of Flourish Farms. “Using crickets as a source of protein for animal and human consumption is increasing in popularity.”

About Road Pitch: Road Pitch www.roadpitch.co is a multi-day motorcycling event where motorcyclists with investing, business advising or entrepreneurial experience, ride through Vermont stopping in small towns to listen to entrepreneurs pitch their business concepts. Riders provide advice, connect the entrepreneurs with resources where appropriate, and occasionally make an investment in a business opportunity. The ride also promotes Vermont as a terrific place to do business as well as a perfect motorcycling destination with lots of scenic twisting roads, picturesque small towns, and plenty of locally-sourced food and beverage. Road Pitch was founded in 2014 by Cairn Cross, Co-founder of FreshTracks Capital.

Source:Shelburne, VT (May 7, 2018) – FreshTracks