The SBA is launching a nationwide competition called InnovateHER to find the most innovative products and services that help impact and empower women’s lives. SCORE, Brightpoint Development Fund, Northeast Indiana Innovation Center (NIIC), Indiana Small Business Development Center (SBDC), and the Fort Wayne Community Development Corporation (CDC) are partnering for the local competition.

The SBA is looking for entrepreneurs to create a product or service that has a measurable impact on the lives of women and families, has the potential for commercialization, and fills a need in the marketplace. InnovateHER is a cross-cutting women’s business challenge to unearth innovative products and services that help impact and empower the lives of women and families.

Participants must be at least 18 years of age, U.S. citizens or permanent residents, and have a business plan.

SCORE and its partners will select and submit one local winner to the SBA, who will then identify no more than 10 finalists. Finalists will make a live pitch to a panel of expert judges on March 17, 2016 in Washington, D.C. where they will compete for the top three awards and prize money totaling $70,000.

More information about the competition can be found at sba.gov/innovateHER. The deadline for local registration is October 12, 2015 and the deadline to submit a business plan is October 31, 2015. Registrations, business plans, and any questions can be directed to http://innovateherindiana.com/.

Brightpoint is a private, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization serving more than 35,000 people across 12 counties in northeast Indiana. Through a wide range of programs, Brightpoint helps communities, families, and individuals remove the causes and conditions of poverty.