HAMMOND and WESTVILLE – Purdue University Northwest (PNW) invites aspiring entrepreneurs to turn their leading edge ideas and innovative product concepts into reality by entering its annual competition, The Big Sell. NIPSCO is this year’s presenting sponsor and PNW’s College of Business and College of Technology are hosting sponsors.

Started in 2011, The Big Sell offers would-be business owners and product developers the chance to pitch their ideas to a panel of judges comprised of successful local entrepreneurs and to the public while vying for $13,000 in prize money. The first place prize is $7,500, with $3,500 going to second place, and $2,000 to third place.

Video presentations invited
To enter, individuals or teams must submit a two-minute video to www.pnw.edu/ThePNWBigSell by Sunday, April 1. The top 12 submissions will be invited to detail their business ideas live to a panel of three judges via a six-minute presentation at The Big Sell event taking place from 1-5 p.m. Saturday, April 28 at the James B. Dworkin Student Services and Activities Complex on the PNW Westville Campus, 1401 S. U.S. 421. The event is open to the public.

Serving as judges for the live-pitch competition are Kathy Gibson, founder of APLnextEd; John Guidos, founder of Turbo Appeal; and Robert Johnson, III, founder of CIMCOR.

“We’re honored to have NIPSCO to help us increase our prize packages for this exciting pitch competition and are looking forward to seeing the submissions and business ideas,” says Hunter Hardesty, a member of the Social Entrepreneurship class who helps produce the competition.

Niaz Latif, dean of PNW’s College of Technology concurs, “It is a great showcase for the technologies emerging from PNW and Northwest Indiana communities.”

“We are so happy to continue supporting and building the innovation community of PNW,” adds PNW’s College of Business Dean Jane Mutchler.

For more information go to www.pnw.edu/ThePNWBigSell.