PLAINVIEW – It won’t be business as usual Monday night, May 8, when NexGen Spark’s fourth annual Applied Entrepreneurship Competition takes place, but entrepreneurial spirit will be on display at the event.
A project of Plainview/Hale County Economic Development Corp. and Wayland Baptist University School of Business, NexGen Spark helps local entrepreneurs develop business models to turn an idea into a new business or non-profit organization. The winner of the annual Applied Entrepreneurship Competition receives a $5,000 prize to get started.
The competition begins at 6:30 p.m. in Nunn Business Auditorium on the Wayland’s Plainview campus under the direction of Dr. Charles Starnes, Professor of Economics in Wayland Baptist University’s School of Business.
“Two student teams have been working on two exciting entrepreneurial projects to enhance the economic growth of Plainview,” Starnes said. “The entrepreneurs are competing for a $5,000 prize to help accelerate their project. Students are eligible for cash prizes for their winning presentation of the entrepreneur’s business idea.”
In the past, the competition has resulted in startups like 2022 winner Hope House, a non-profit organization serving transient and long-term homeless populations.
“It’s time for NextGen Spark to make another dream come true, whether it’s another non-profit organization, a start-up business, or an existing Plainview business in need of innovative expansion,” Starnes said.
Plainview/Hale County Economic Development Corporation and the Wayland’s School of Business invite members of the community to come experience the fourth annual Applied Entrepreneurship.
Wayland Baptist University does not illegally discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, age or disability in admissions or in the administration of its educational policies, programs and activities. Under federal law, the University may discriminate on the basis of religion in order to fulfill its purposes. In compliance with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the University does not illegally discriminate on the basis of sex in the administration of educational policies, programs and activities.
