10 North Slope businesses selected to compete for up to $25,000 each
10th year of business plan competition has provided training and over $1M to ASRC entrepreneurs
ANCHORAGE, Alaska — McKinley Alaska Growth Capital announced 10 finalists in this year’s North Slope Marketplace business plan competition. The 10 entrepreneurs were selected by judges from 23 applicants representing 7 communities. The finalists will now advance to the second round of the competition – a three-day in- person Business Boot Camp hosted in Utqiagvik this August. At Boot Camp, finalists will have access to business resources, work with mentors, and receive one-on-one consulting to develop their business models and plans. Three finalists will then be selected to win up to $25,000 each to grow their businesses.
2023 Finalists:
Since its beginning in 2009, North Slope Marketplace has received more than 200 applications from Arctic Slope Regional Corporation shareholder entrepreneurs. The program has trained 10 finalists at Business Boot Camp and awarded over $1,000,000 to more than 50 winners to help them build their small business.
“Small businesses are the lifeblood of our communities, and the North Slope Marketplace aims to support small businesses and new entrepreneurs across the North Slope,” says McKinley Alaska Growth Capital Vice President of Community Development, Mary Miner. She added, “Some of the entrepreneurs we will work with at our training are bringing products and services to communities for the first time and are extremely passionate and excited about starting their own business.”
About North Slope Marketplace
The North Slope Marketplace is a program of McKinley Alaska Growth Capital offered to Arctic Slope Regional Corporation shareholders living in Alaska. The award-winning program began in 2009 and aims to provide training and capital to ASRC shareholders looking to start or further develop their business. Alaska Growth Capital was a subsidiary of Arctic Slope Regional Corporation until 2022 when it was acquired by McKinley Management.
About McKinley Alaska Growth Capital
McKinley Alaska Growth Capital (Alaska Growth Capital BIDCO, Inc.) is a leading provider of business loans utilizing programs offered by the Small Business Administration (SBA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The Company strives to support businesses who find traditional lenders unable to meet their needs, specializing in serving clients that are located in and/or serving rural communities.
McKinley Alaska Growth Capital is part of McKinley Management and works with fellow companies McKinley Capital, McKinley Alaska, and McKinley Research to provide investment, lending, and research services to clients.
Media contact: Madi Binkley | [email protected] | 907.347.8338