MSU will host 2025 Startup Summit to provide opportunity for entrepreneurs
MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY (WCBI) – Across the state and country, entrepreneurs are looking to showcase their businesses.
That’s why Mississippi State University is hosting a statewide and national competition to help people achieve their goals and connect with others through the Mississippi Made Competition and the Bulldog Business National Pitch Competition.
Newt Thomas has always had a passion for the world of investing, even as a teenager.
Back in June, he decided to build a company based on his love for investing and to help others do the same.
“I spent a long time looking for ways to make it easier, platforms that make it easier to do research. I really couldn’t find one, and so I decided to start one on my own,” Thomas said.
His company, Nuviter, is creating an app that makes stock market research and investing easier for everyday people.
Like Thomas, many young entrepreneurs are looking to showcase their ideas and pitch to investors.
That’s why the E-Center at Mississippi State University is hosting the 2025 Startup Summit.
“We have the ‘Mississippi Made’ competition,” said Nick Pashos, the director of the Center of Entrepreneurship and Outreach and a Professor of Practice in the College of Business. “And that is for any Mississippi-based company or small startup business that wants to propel their business, meet other entrepreneurs, and meet people in the industry or investors. So we have one business pitch for that. And then separately, we have our inaugural nationwide collegiate competition. So you can be any college student, undergraduate, graduate, part-time, or full-time student and compete in that as well.”
Companies across the country are coming to MSU to participate and network.
Nick Pashos, the director of the Center of Entrepreneurship and Outreach and a Professor of Practice in the College of Business, said this is an opportunity to make connections and build an ecosystem of entrepreneurs in Mississippi.
“Mississippi is a phenomenal place to start and grow a business,” said Pashos.. “It truly is. We have wonderful tax incentives to do that. We also have a really amazing startup and small business community in Mississippi. It’s just an opportunity to bring all those people together so we can highlight the resources that we have at Mississippi, especially here at MSU, and then also introduce other entrepreneurs to each other. It’s a tough thing to start a business. It becomes very silent. To have somebody else when you’re going through it is amazing.”
“It’s also important to surround yourself with the environment of startup culture because it can be a lot different than academics and college,” Thomas said.
Many successful businesses have gone through the e-center. The organization hopes this event will help future business owners grow their companies.
The Startup Summit is free and open to the public.
It will be April 25th at The Mill Conference Center.
Doors open at 3 p.m., the pitches will take place at 4 p.m., and the Awards and Networking reception starts at 5:30 p.m.
More than $100,000 worth of prizes are up for grabs.
