Second Pitch in the City startup event set for June 16 in Roxbury

Building on the success of the first Pitch in the City, which was held earlier this year, Banner Biz magazine is back with a second event set for June 16 at 6 p.m. at Hibernian Hall in Roxbury. It will bring together some of Boston’s hottest entrepreneurs and give them a chance to pitch their startup ideas to a panel of business experts.

The goal of Pitch in the City is to give them an opportunity to present their ideas, get support and feedback on plans, make connections for the next stage of growth and practice their message to investors.

Prizes will be awarded to candidates making best business pitch. Six different local startups — chosen through an application process — will present their ideas hoping to claim the title.

Joining Banner Biz in hosting the second Pitch in the City is the Venture Café Foundation, an organization that works to connect the innovation community through operating spaces and programs that support startups and business growth. Venture Café operates District Hall in Seaport and business innovation events in Kendall Square, and also runs the Roxbury Innovation Center.

The event, which is being sponsored by One United Bank, will begin with dinner and networking at 6 p.m., followed by the pitches beginning at 7 p.m.

“We’re excited to host our second Pitch in the City event with our new partners Venture Café who are experts in this arena and are providing us with valuable resources,” said Banner Biz Publisher Sandra Casagrand. “We had a great group of startups that applied and it’s affirmation that there’s a lot of interest and excitement around entrepreneurship in our community.”

The value proposition

The lineup for June 16 include: Brandon Ransom, founder of health consulting company Techrition; Rashad Sanders, founder of trucking logistics company Loadlytics; Keith Ware, founder of clothing company Saint John; Joel Edwards, founder of health-care app Fittus; Magbè Savané, founder of juice company Makomas; and Filipe Oliveira, founder of Percival Beer Company.

They will be pitching to a panel that includes: James Geshwiler, managing director of CommonAngels Ventures; Teri Williams, chief operating officer of One United Bank; and Glynn Lloyd, director of Boston Impact Initiative.

James Geshwiler

Teri Williams

Glynn Lloyd

After the entrepreneurs present their businesses, the panel will put them through a gauntlet of questions and give feedback designed to improve their future messaging and fix potential weaknesses in the business plan. Key questions are: How do you make money? How will you market your business? How does your business work? What are your goals?

The Pitch in the City winner and other contestants will have access to crucial networking connections and support from the panelists.

Melissa James, founder of Tech Connection, a staffing company that connects minority tech workers, specifically entry-level software engineers and IT professionals from underrepresented communities, to tech companies that are hiring, won the best business pitch as part of the inaugural Pitch in the City held on March 26.

Registration for event available here.

Meet the startups! Click here.