Local entrepreneurs to make their pitches in ‘Shark Tank’-style competition

R. Blank of EM Shield poses with an oversized check after winning the Get Started Las Vegas event at the Palms’ Rain nightclub Thursday, Sept. 25, 2014. Cox Business sponsored the “Shark Tank”-style event where a handful of startups and business owners competed for a $15,000 prize package.

A group of Southern Nevada entrepreneurs, vying for prizes and attention, will pitch their companies to a panel of judges and before a live audience of hundreds of people.

Cox Communications’ second annual Get Started Las Vegas contest is scheduled to be held tonight in Rain nightclub at the Palms.

VEGAS INC is a sponsor of the event.

More than 60 local applicants made an initial pitch online, and six finalists were picked: Blue Box Business Solutions, Hawlit, Lip Smacking Foodie Tours, MoveoMedics, RockItStocks and Text Safe Teens.

The contest’s website says the winner will receive a prize package valued at up to $15,000, including $2,500 in cash, a year of Cox Business services and an article on Inc. magazine’s website.

According to a news release, the finalists will get 2 1/2 minutes “to convincingly pitch a business plan” to the five judges. They include Daymond John, Fubu clothing-line founder and a star of the reality-TV series "Shark Tank"; moderator Kris Frieswick, senior editor of Inc.; Stephen Rowley, senior vice president of Cox Business, a unit that serves business customers; R Blank, chief executive of SYB, which makes products to “reduce your exposure” to wireless devices’ radiation; and Zack Ware, managing partner of VegasTechFund.

About 550 people have responded to watch the pitch session in person, according to the news release.

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