Time is running out to apply for Thrive, the Charleston Area Alliance’s new community-based approach to supporting entrepreneurs.

Thrive is a crowdfunding initiative to generate capital for Kanawha Valley-based businesses with 30 or fewer employees.

How does it work? 

Interested entrepreneurs apply HERE. Applications are due by midnight on Tuesday, Aug. 21.

A blind panel will then select 8-10 entrepreneurs to be featured as part Thrive. In partnership with DigiSo, these entrepreneurs will produce 60 second pitch videos to promote their business and need for crowd funds.

Pitch videos will be released on Sept. 5 for public viewing. Entrepreneurs will attend the event on Sept.19 where they will be available to answer questions to community attendees.

Where does the capital come from?

To attend and participate in the event, community members will pay $20 a ticket. In return, they will get to partake in beverages and noshes, but more importantly, they get to *vote* for the entrepreneur or small business they want to support.

To attend the event, please register HERE.

At the end of the night, the entrepreneur with the most votes will receive $20 times the number of attendees as cash capital to invest in their business.

That is…

$20 x 50 attendees = $1,000
$20 x 100 attendees = $2,000
$20 x 150 attendees = $3,000

Do you get the picture?

Thrive is an initiative of the Charleston Area Alliance. Project partners include the Arts Council of WV, Create West Virginia, DigiSo and Generation Charleston.

The fund will be seeded with $500 from Vision Shared.

The Sept. 19 event will be a featured attraction in the “Work ” element of Generation Charleston’s Urban Living Event.

For any questions on Thrive, contact Cullen Naumoff at CNaumoff@CharlestonAreaAlliance.org or by phone at 304-340-4253.