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The application deadline for Spark Bowl, a "Shark Tank"-style competition hosted by Delaware Valley University (DelVal), the Central Bucks Chamber of Commerce (CBCC) and Startup Bucks, is September 15. Finalists will pitch their ideas and compete for monetary prizes on November 16 in DelVal's Life Sciences Building Auditorium. Businesses that are interested in participating can enter their business at delval.edu/spark. Applicants should also email sparkbowl@delval.edu to receive any updates on the application process. Please include the name of your business in the subject line. As part of DelVal's experiential learning program, DelVal students will serve as business consultants for the finalist teams who will pitch their ideas to a panel of judges. Student teams will also win a monetary prize if their finalist team places.

Sponsors will have the opportunity to support local entrepreneurs, existing businesses and nonprofit organizations wishing to impact economic growth and prosperity in Bucks County. They will also be invited to participate in a networking event prior to the Spark Bowl and have the opportunity to be featured at the event and on the Spark Bowl website Sponsorship-level information and a link to make a gift online to support the event can be found at delval.edu/spark.

"Spark Bowl is the outcome of a unique and innovative cooperation between the Central Bucks Chamber of Commerce, Startup Bucks and the Department of Business and Information Management here at DelVal," said Tanya Casas, dean of The School of Business, Arts, and Sciences. "The finalists competing work together with an advisor from DelVal's Small Business and Entrepreneurship Center and with a student team. This collaboration provides students with a real opportunity to see first-hand some of the planning and problem solving that real businesses confront."

Last year's Spark Bowl winners were James Calcagni and Amoyah Gilliam, Founders of Liquid Limbs. Their first product, The Navigator, is a waterproof mobility aid designed specifically to help people with transtibial amputation navigate the shower independently.

"Winning the Spark Bowl last year was a game-changer for Liquid Limbs. The prize money came at a critical time for our business and allowed us to invest in key initiatives that have taken our business to the next level. We are now in a position to have an even bigger impact on the amputee community, and we owe it all to the generosity of the sponsors of the Spark Bowl program," said Calcagni.

The judges will be local entrepreneurs who have a high degree of success in the business world. The top three teams of student business consultants will also be eligible for cash prizes. Last year, the winners walked away with a total of $21,000 in prizes.

Apply: Those who are interested in applying or eager to learn more can visit delval.edu/spark. Applications close on September 15, 2023.

Become a Sponsor: Are you interested in helping people put their dreams into action? To learn more about sponsorship opportunities, please email sparkbowl@delval.edu or call 215.348.3913. Sponsorship-level information and a link to make a gift online to support the event can be found at delval.edu/spark.Ìý