SEASIDE, Calif., April 10, 2017 – A record-setting field of 91 entrepreneurs from Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Benito counties has been whittled down to 24 after pitching their businesses to a panel of judges at CSUMB April 8, 2017.

The finalists will compete May 12, 2017 at CSUMB to determine winners for this year’s challenge.

In preparation for the final round, the finalists will receive mentoring and pitch-workshops to prepare them for the final round presentations. In addition to the final round pitches, the event on May 12th will feature the Venture Showcase exhibits of the finalist businesses and past winners of the Startup Challenge. The event will culminate with the ‘Otter Tank’ competition to determine the Grand Prize Venture and Main Street Winners for this year’s Startup Challenge.

The public is invited to the final round and Venture Showcase to meet these new entrepreneurs and startups, beginning at 3 p.m. on May 12, 2017 at CSUMB. Come see these new businesses, watch the top three Venture division finalists and top three Main Street division finalists compete in the ‘Otter Tank’ and celebrate with us as we recognize the winners of the 2017 Startup Challenge Monterey Bay and the region’s new entrepreneurs.

A listing of the finalists is available here. For more information about the event go to www.thestartupchallenge.org or contact StartupMB@csumb.edu.