Green ideas for clean cash: P.E.I. company offering $2.5K prize for a start-up

There aren't a lot of elevators on P.E.I. that take a minute or more to ride top to bottom, but start-up entrepreneurs will get a chance to make their "elevator pitch" later this month.

To give local, green or clean start-up businesses a chance to share their ideas with industry leaders, E365 a Charlottetown company that sells green energy sources is organizing a business pitch competition at the first Atlantic Green Expo this month. The winner will take home a $2,500 cash prize.

Co-owner Blake Doyle says a one minute "elevator pitch" can be beneficial for start-up entrepreneurs.

"Its one of the things most entrepreneurs go through," says Doyle about the pitches, "It's where you've got about a couple minutes to throw your concept out to potential investors."

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A chance to compete and connect

To win, competitors will have to climb to the top of a ladder at the Atlantic Green Expo and pitch their business plan to an open crowd and two judges from E365.

"We're very optimistic" says Doyle about finding a credible business pitch to support.

"We're putting a cash prize out to encourage people to grow their businesses here on P.E.I." says Doyle. "But I think there will be other interested parties present that may also want to make an investment."

Twenty-five companies, institutions and organizations have registered to have an exhibit at the Atlantic Green Expo so far. Their representatives will be welcome at the pitch session.

The first Atlantic Green Expo

The competition and exhibits aren't the only events set to take place at the Expo.

Peter Childs and Hon David MacDonald, will be keynote speakers. Childs is the head of Dyson School of Design Engineering in the U.K.

MacDonald, born and raised in P.E.I., was Canada's first chair of the House of Commons Committee on the Environment and a professor of sustainability at Concordia University.

Doyle is also organizing free information sessions where people can learn about making environmentally sound decisions when choosing housing, transportation or energy products and services.

The expo is set to run April 21-23 at the UPEI School of Sustainable Engineering.

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