Innovation is the lifeblood of progress, and at Paradise Valley Community College (PVCC), fostering a culture of creativity and entrepreneurship is a cornerstone of our mission. In its sixth year, PVCC’s Entrepreneurship Education Center (EEC) crowned Jarod McGuire and his company Broadcast•GG as the Spring 2024 Innovation Challenge winner. – His winning entry was a talent hub, job board and esports resource for tournament organizers and broadcast talent.
With 14 talented participants vying for recognition, the Big Pitch competition stands as a testament to the ingenuity and passion of PVCC students. This year's competition was no different, showcasing a diverse array of ideas poised to shape the future of business and beyond. The field was sliced in half to seven finalists who presented their ideas to a panel of judges including PVCC faculty Dr. Sean Petty, interim dean of Career and Technical Education, Carol Pool, business analyst for Maricopa SBDC and community members, former Carefree Mayor Lester Peterson and executive director of the Arizona Minority Business Development, Alika Kumar.
McGuire earned top prize and a $1,500 reward for Broadcast•GG, which will provide a space to host all-in-one esports talent portfolios with room for talent reel displays, as well as direct sync to Liquipedia so credits on notable esport opportunities are seeded and sorted automatically.
“The Big Pitch has been a fantastic opportunity to share my goals and ideas for my company. The public speaking experience and networking potential alone were terrific to tap into at such an early stage in development,” explained McGuire, adding, “Achieving a podium finish shocked me as my fierce competition had some truly amazing talents behind them. Moving forward with the newly acquired prize money and networks, I plan on investing heavily in web development to launch the next phase of Broadcast•GG by the end of this upcoming summer semester.”
Michelle Ownes took second prize and a $1,000 reward with her family-owned soul food and barbecue business, Baystyle BBQ. Rachel Miller took third place with her Dosha Healing Center, specializing in holistic health care, particularly Ayurvedic services. The center hosts virtual and in-person workshops for the workplace, schools and individuals, as well as yoga classes and consultations.
Finalists also included Anna Saavedra/Little Champions Child Care Services, Matthew Mouritsen/PhxFlix, Joseph Luther/Not Your Average Joe’s Coffee and Christina Keating/My Prittie Kittie.
“From the outset, it was clear that the caliber of talent on display was exceptional this year. Many of the participants were already at the early stages of revenue generation with their companies, underscoring the tangible impact of their endeavors,” said Dr. Kishore Dash, director of the EEC and a competition mentor. “I truly enjoyed seeing all the participants embrace the opportunity to meet new people and expand their networks. The participants' enthusiasm for making the most of this opportunity was evident, and watching each of the seven finalists bring their A-game was exciting and inspiring. Congratulations to our finalists and winners on having the courage to pitch and for jumping into the experience!”
For more information on the EEC and how you can get involved visit the website or email kishore.dash@paradisevalley.edu. The Big Pitch competition is held twice a year in the spring and fall.