SIUE Hosts 2024 Metro East Startup Challenge for Startups

EDWARDSVILLE — Entrepreneurs and new business startups are invited to participate in the 2024 Metro East Startup Challenge, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s 11th annual regional business plan competition.

The MESC is hosted by SIUE’s Illinois Metro East Small Business Development Center. The goal of the challenge is to identify, encourage and support entrepreneurs and new businesses throughout the SBDC’s service area, which includes Jersey, Calhoun, Madison, Bond, Clinton, St. Clair, Washington, Monroe and Randolph counties.

The contest continues to expand, with plans to add Fayette and Montgomery counties in 2021 and Macoupin County in 2023.

The first place winner will receive a cash prize of $10,000. The second, third and fourth place winners will receive $6,000, $4,000 and $2,000, respectively. The top four winners will receive a variety of professional services, including membership in Leadership Council Southwestern Illinois for 2024, legal assistance from Beckemeier LeMoine Law, accounting services from Kerber Eck & Braeckel, LLP, web design services from Codd Interactive, cybersecurity/IT support from Global Enterprise Services and co-working space at The Lodge.

Interested businesses still have the opportunity to provide in-kind services through SIUE’s Illinois SBDC for the Metro East.

For 2023, the SBDC has expanded two additional cash award categories introduced in 2021. In addition to the “Rural Business of the Year” sponsored by Dietrich Bank, the second category, “Woman, Minority, or Veteran Business of the Year,” is now split into three separate awards.

The City of O’Fallon will sponsor the Veteran Business of the Year award, Justin Petersen will sponsor the Minority Business of the Year award and Springfield Bank will sponsor the Women’s Business of the Year award, with each category having the chance to receive a $1,500 prize.

Leadership Council Southwestern Illinois will continue to provide additional mentorship opportunities through its extensive network of business professionals and community leaders.

MESC is made possible through generous community support, including sponsors: SIUE School of Business, Southwestern Illinois Leadership Council, Growth Corp, Anders CPA & Advisors, City of Edwardsville, Dieterich Bank, City of Highland, Heartland Bank and Trust Company (Edwardsville and Fairview Heights), Carrollton Bank, St. Clair County Economic Development, City of Alton, Regions Bank, Riverbend Growth Association, FCB Banks, Monroe County Economic Development Corporation and SIUE’s University Park.

Associated Bank and the Ameren Illinois Energy Efficiency Program are this year’s platinum and gold sponsors of the Mentor Semifinalist networking event, which will be held at the Gateway Center in Collinsville.

SIUE’s School of Business, the SBDC’s host organization, helps run the competition.

“The Metro East Startup Challenge elevates the discussion and support of entrepreneurship throughout the region,” said SBDC Director Jo Ann Di Maggio May. “Interest in the annual challenge continues to grow with each passing year.”

The 2024 MESC encourages participation from for-profit entrepreneurs and startups. To be eligible to participate, startups must be incorporated after April 30, 2021 and headquartered within the SBDC’s nine-county service area (plus Fayette, Montgomery and Macoupin Counties). For pre-startup entrepreneurs, the proposed new business operation must be located within the same county. For MESC restrictions and more information, visit the website.

Past winners are grateful to have participated in the competition and say MESC has expanded their business activities in positive and productive ways, strengthening their entrepreneurial journeys.

Stacy Fangmeyer and Amanda Krause, business partners and founders of Toast & Table, which won second place in MESC 2023, said, “Participating in the competition was extremely beneficial in so many ways. The grant was extremely helpful, but the network of mentors and peers was invaluable. If you’re on the fence, just go for it! There’s no downside to participating in the Metro East Startup Challenge!”

Andrew Mayhall and Andrew Martinussen, business partners and founders of A2 Creative, Inc.-3d Gloop!, won the Grand Prize at MESC 2021.

Mayhall and Martinussen had this to say about their experience at the competition: “The Metro East Startup Challenge is an incredible opportunity for local startups that deserves to be more widely recognized. The formal business plan writing process with structure and guidance provided through the IL SBDC and SIUE helps any startup, no matter what stage it is at (idea, execution, etc.), gain a thorough understanding of their business, market, and growth strategy. Having participated in multiple startup-specific competitions, I can say that the resources provided at this competition are unmatched. If you live locally and are thinking about starting a business or getting your business off the ground, MESC offers an opportunity unlike any other in the nation. There was no cost to participate, and Joan and Martha built a network that will foster the growth of their startups that is far more valuable than any cash prize.”

Sharon and Michael Sabo of Monroe County’s Tricentum Technologies LLC placed third at MESC 2019, winning a cash prize of $4,000.

Sharon Sabo shared her experience as a competitor: “One of the many positives I want to highlight is the individuals, first of all, Paul, Marty and Joan. They were very supportive. You could always ask them any question and they were always there to help you think. The business plan was a big part of this. I wouldn’t call it confidence building because confidence building would show you that you don’t have confidence. I call it confidence discovery because discovering what you really want and what really moves you forward is what this competition gave you. It was incredible. As of last year, we have our patent, we have finished our tooling and dies, we have made the molds. And that was partially made possible by this prize money.”

Tyler Meuse and his five brothers won first place at MESC 2018. Their hydroponic company, Vast Produce, It’s kept them very busy. Here’s what they had to say about the opportunity: “The Business Plan Competition was a truly rewarding experience. The opportunity to network with industry experts and community leaders and discuss our ideas and business plans was invaluable. We continue to grow and learn with the help of the SBDC and the leaders we met through the competition.”

“Putting together a thorough business plan was a lot of work, but I’m so grateful I took the time to participate in the challenge,” said Tammy Rahm, co-owner of Stubborn German Brewing Company, who placed third in 2015. “The challenge forced me to think through every detail of my business and map out my direction. Now that we’ve been open for a year, we’re revisiting our business plan to make sure we’re on the right track.”

MESC has three rounds, the first of which is a short questionnaire and synopsis submission open to all applicants who meet the eligibility criteria. Participants selected for the second round will be asked to expand on their entrepreneurial concept by submitting a full business plan. These semi-finalists will be paired with a business professional who will mentor them throughout the competition and potentially beyond. The final round is a “final presentation” in front of a panel of business experts.

To learn more about the 2024 MESC or to begin the application process, please visit our information page.

The first deadline for applications is Sunday, August 11th. Semi-finalists will be announced on Friday, August 23rd. Finalists will be notified on Tuesday, October 22nd.

The challenge will culminate with the announcement of the top four cash prize winners on Friday, Nov. 1, during the Southwest Illinois Leadership Council monthly meeting.

The Illinois SBDC Network is a service to the community supported in part by the U.S. Small Business Administration, the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and the SIUE Business School.

SIUE operates two Small Business Development Centers and an International Trade Center.

These three centers provide resources, information and support to entrepreneurs and small business owners in the nine-county Metro East region, which includes Jersey, Calhoun, Madison, Bond, Clinton, St. Clair, Washington, Monroe and Randolph counties.

By helping entrepreneurs and businesses chart a path to success, the SBDC strengthens the business community, creates and retains new jobs, encourages new investment and positively impacts the Metro East. Where appropriate, the SBDC strives to strengthen community ties in support of the goals and objectives of the SIUE School of Business and the University as a whole.

To learn how the SBDC can help small businesses, contact SIUE’s Metro East District Illinois SBDC at 618-650-2929 or email at sbdcedw@gmail.com.