The next meeting of the Entrepreneurs’ Cafe will take place on Wednesday, Apr. 23, in White Hall, High and Princess streets, Shepherd University. The April meeting, hosted by sponsor Shepherd University Department of Business Administration, begins at 6:30 p.m. with four Entrepreneurs’ Cafe presentations, followed at 8 p.m. by a special event, the Shepherd University Student Elevator Pitch Competition.

The Entrepreneurs’ Cafe presenters include Francesca Contento, Inn at Moler’s Crossroads; Douglas Estepp, Coal Country Tours; Neil Super, Two Rivers Turnings and Jillian Zimmerman, Simplified, LLC.

At each Caf, attendees pay $10 ($5 students) for a simple meal, and the opportunity to hear small business concepts and vote on their favorite project. The winning entrepreneur receives the proceeds from the purchase of meals, raffle tickets and a special cash award provided by the sponsor. The micro-grant, which varies depending on the size of the audience, has ranged from $750-$1,000.

The Shepherd University Student Elevator Pitch will take place immediately following the voting for the April Entrepreneurs’ Cafe. Teams of up to three full-time undergraduate students will compete to explain their business concepts and win cash prizes.

“An Elevator Pitch is an opportunity to place students and their ideas in front of a qualified panel of judges made up of entrepreneurs, investors and other people who can help make their idea a reality,” explains Caroline Glackin, PhD, Edward L. Snyder Endowed Chair in Business, Department of Business Administration, Shepherd University. “In addition to judging the competition, the panel will give feedback on the ideas and presentations. We encourage students to think of their ‘pitch’ as the first step toward creating the business of their dreams.”

Sponsors for the Apr. 23 meeting are Shepherd University Department of Business Administration and Skinner Law Firm, who is underwriting the student attendance fees. FLUENT magazine is an In-kind sponsor, providing a free full-page advertisement for the winning company. Additional sponsorship opportunities are available by contacting David Rosen at rosend@gmail.com.

Attendance at the Entrepreneurs’ Cafe is open to all members of the community in the Eastern Panhandle area of W. Va. The Cafe is an opportunity for the community to learn about new businesses taking off in the area, and actually take part in investing in their success.

The Entrepreneurs’ Cafe program is part of a long-term plan to develop the entrepreneurial climate in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia. For more information or to download an application to be a presenter, visit www.facebook.com/EntreprenuersCafeShepherdstownEasternPanhandle.