$50,000 awarded to four businesses in Danville pitch competition

The Danville Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce has awarded four  existing businesses with a total of $50,000 to assist in the expansion of their services.  

The Rev Up Danville  Pittsylvania program partners with the River District Association’s Dream Launch initiative to encourage entrepreneurship in the region.

Rev Up participants must complete a six-week Dream Launch Boot Camp to qualify for the pitch  competition. Each participant is assigned a mentor to assist with business plans and pitch pep. These businesses are in the City of Danville, outside of the River District, and Pittsylvania County.  

The 2022 mentors are:  

• Varun Sadana – The Launch Place 

• Kelvin Perry – City of Danville Office of Economic Development 

• Lin Hite – Small Business Development Center  

• Michael Duncan – Small Business Development Center 

• Vince Decker – Averett University  

• Jess Edwards – Dan River Region Entrepreneur Ecosystem 

Of the nine businesses that pitched, four were awarded 2022 Rev Up funding at the awards event sponsored by The Launch Place and Hunt & Co. Restaurant & Catering, located in  Chatham. 

The four businesses that received funding: 

• Crown to Soul – Owner Brittany Slade – $20,000 

• Dad’s Garage – Owner Debra Burd – $12,000 

• Bodied by K – Owner Kenya Elliott – $10,000  

• The Historic North Theatre – Owner Wayne Allen – $8,000 

Funding for the 2022 Rev Up Program was made possible by the City of Danville and the Dan  River Region Entrepreneur Ecosystem (funded by the Danville Regional Foundation).

Rev Up, now finishing the second year of the program, has seen 19 business plans pitched  to judges of the Rev Up Pitch Competition for a total of $100,000 in funding to businesses  located in Danville and Pittsylvania County.  

The third year of the program, the 2023 Rev Up Danville Pittsylvania, will open for registration in  the fall of 2022 with classes beginning in January 2023.