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Twenty-Five Southwestern Illinois-based entrepreneurs and their innovative business concepts have  been selected to move into the second round of Metro East’s 13th annual business plan competition.

The Metro East Startup Challenge welcomes entrepreneurs and new businesses from a nine-county area of Southwestern Illinois with further expansion into Fayette, Montgomery and Macoupin counties. Nearly 50 entrepreneurs expressed interest in the regional competition this year, according to Jo Ann Di Maggio May, director of the Illinois SBDC for the Metro East at SIUE and Challenge coordinator. About 45 of these individuals completed the entry process and 25 of those were invited to participate in the next round.

“We’re extremely pleased with the sustained level of interest in our region’s business plan contest,” Di Maggio May said. “There has been a robust outpouring of enthusiasm about the Challenge from applicants, community leaders and our small business development partners.

“The SIUE Metro East Start-Up Challenge creates the opportunity to engage with the region in cultivating an important economic development strategy,” said Di Maggio May.  “Although twenty-five remain eligible for the $10,000 top cash prize, we encourage everyone that considered or entered the Challenge to access the SBDC’s wide menu of resources and expertise.”

Round two of the Challenge requires the semifinalists to create a condensed business plan, develop  financial projections and present their business in the form of a mock pitch.  These requirements really help our entrepreneurs develop a robust underlying structure for their businesses and clearly define reasons why their concept will be successful. The IL SBDC for the  Metro East at SIUE will offer guidance and support to semifinalists in the form of workshops throughout late August and October.

The Semifinalists will attend a networking event on September 23, where they will be paired with their four mentors for the competition. The annual event will be hosted at the Gateway Center Convention Center in Collinsville and it brings together our participants, business professionals, and leaders from around the Metro East.

Competitors then have until Sunday, October 18 to submit their business plans and financial statements. Judges will select thirteen or fourteen finalists, who will pitch their business concept on Thursday, October 29 to a select panel of five judges. The winners will be announced immediately following the pitch presentations.

The first-place award is $10,000, second place is $6,000, and third place is $4,000. Again, this year, Regions Bank is sponsoring a 4th place prize of $2,500. Winners are also offered an array of in-kind services. There are also four additional categories awarded--each with an opportunity to take home $1,500. These categories include Woman, Minority, Veteran and Rural Business of the year.

The competition culminates with the top four winners presenting their ideas to Leadership Council Southwest Illinois on November 6th.

The 2026 Metro East Start-Up Challenge semifinalists include:

• ActumAI (Edwardsville)
• Alongside — Mental Health & Recovery Concierge (Brighton)
• BaaBaa Girls Wool Pelletizing (Waterloo)
• Belly Up Dog Training (Troy)
• Bottomland Ag Services Precision Aerial Application (Highland)
• Channel Design (Belleville)
• Clear Guitar Cases LLC (Collinsville)
• CyberGrade AI (Swansea)
• Gersty's Bait and Tackle LLC (Troy)
• HuntLine IQ LLC (Albers)
• Hydration Concierge Mobile IV Therapy LLC (Belleville)
• K Bright by Kifah (K-Bright) (O’Fallon)
• KMAC DEVELOPMENT LLC (East St. Louis)
• Little Travelers Safe Journey Transit (Alto)
• Looped Boutique LLC  (O’Fallon)
• Maverno (Godfrey)
• Nana's Hometown Sweets & Eats (Jerseyville)
• NARROWCASTTELEVISION.NET DIGITAL MEDIA LLC
• Prairie Star Acupuncture (Hamel)
• Praying Mama: Baby’s First Year Journal (Belleville)
• Quantum-AI, LLC DBA MRB Readiness (Alton)
• RISE | breads • bakes (Shiloh)
• Slice 66 (Edwardsville)
• The Embroidered Rose (O’Fallon)
• The Pizza Cone Company (Belleville)
  
  

The Illinois SBDC for the Metro East assists start-up ventures, as well as existing businesses headquartered in the nine-county region of Calhoun, Jersey, Madison, Bond, Clinton, St. Clair, Washington, Monroe and Randolph. It is funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration, Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and SIUE as a service to Illinois small businesses.

By aiding entrepreneurs and companies in defining their path to success, the SBDC network positively impacts the Metro East by strengthening the business community, creating and retaining new jobs and encouraging new investment. It enhances the region’s economic interests by providing one-stop assistance to individuals by means of counseling, training, research and advocacy for new ventures and existing small businesses. When appropriate, the SBDC strives to affiliate its ties to the region to support the goals and objectives of both the SIUE School of Business and the University at large.

To learn about the SBDC, contact the Illinois SBDC for the Metro East at SIUE at (618) 650-2929 or visit us at siue.edu/sbdc.

PHOTO: SIUE Metro East Start-up Challenge 2026 badge