‘Start It Up’ announces finalists for $250,000 prize

Start it Up: Fresno’s $250K Entrepreneur Challenge has announced the Top 10 Finalists who will move to the next round of competition.

The finalists are new entrepreneurs from across the nation with business plans ranging from hair supplies to dairy technology. The Top 10 finalists will be brought to Fresno on Friday, Oct. 3for a day-long competition where they will present their business plans before a panel of judges.

The winner will be announced Saturday, Oct. 4, during halftime at the Fresno State vs. Hawaii football game in Bulldog Stadium. The winner will receive a $250,000 grand prize – $100,000 cash and $150,000 in-kind services – to bring their business to life.

The 10 finalists are:

Big Happie Hair (www.bighappiehair.com), entered by Kelly Fitzpatrick and Tom Johnsen of Fresno

Central California School of Pharmacy (http://ccspedu.org) entered by John Cummings, Ph.D.; Pilar De La Cruz-Reyes, MSN, RN; and Michael Lynch, MD, of Fresno

Community Marketplace (www.communitymarketplace.org), entered by Frank Vannini of Fresno

Compliance Innovations, LLC, entered by Brian Bannister and William Findlay of Columbia, S.C.

eMotion, entered by Avelo Roy and Ed Suda of Chicago, Ill.

Kosher Renaissance, entered by Philip Colett of Santa Barbara

Revival Diversified Industries, LLC, entered by Dawn Astorga and Jackie Kane of Visalia

Safe Coach, entered by William Marras and Michael Mashintchian of Los Angeles

SeniorCare Organization Systems (www.seniorsos.com), entered by Sean Borchardt and James Waterman of Clovis

Vine Global (www.vineglobal.com), entered by Marc Raygoza of Fresno

The “Start it Up: Fresno’s $250K Entrepreneur Challenge” is a collaborative effort between the Lyles Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at California State University, Fresno, the City of Fresno Economic Development Department, the Fresno Redevelopment Agency, the Craig School of Business at Fresno State and Table Mountain Rancheria.