Five Appalachian founders. One stage. One $5,000 check.
The applications are in, the finalists are set, and on September 23 these five will pitch live in front of judges and a full room. Here's who they are.
The Do Good Blog
Meet the CreatorCon Pitch Battle Five
Breath of Dawn
Jessica Monroe · Lebanon, VA
An immersive Appalachian tourism destination blending distinctive lodging, agriculture, outdoor experiences, wellness, and local products.
Fig Tree Flower Farm
Jessica & Akira Swencki · Damascus, VA
A small-scale specialty flower farm and agritourism destination creating locally grown flowers, unique stays, and creative farm experiences in Damascus.
Historic Explorations
Dustin Blackson · St. Paul, VA
A public history and research company preserving and sharing Appalachian heritage through research, genealogy, digital media, and community storytelling.
Loveland Brand Design
Aaron Loveland · Pikeville, KY
Fixed-fee, fixed-scope marketing systems for service businesses with lean teams — website, CRM, advertising, and a trained AI layer as one closed loop.
Wise Guy Games
Oliver Cumbo · Wise, VA
A mobile game studio building cross-platform puzzle, multiplayer, and hyper-casual games for Android and iOS — with no pay-to-win.
Why we do this every year
The Pitch Battle isn't for ideas on a napkin. This money goes to a business that's already operating — already serving customers, already figuring it out — and it goes straight toward growing it. Inventory, equipment, a website, a first hire. Whatever unlocks the next step.
It's my favorite part of the conference, and the perfect way to kick it off.
Look at that list. Tourism, agriculture, history, marketing, gaming — five completely different businesses, all being built in Appalachia. That's the whole point. There isn't one kind of Appalachian entrepreneur.
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