Five local startup finalists pitched live on stage at the Carroll Arts Center on Thursday night, competing for thousands of dollars in seed capital and prizes at the 15th annual Carroll Biz Challenge Live Finale. Out of 29 original applicants, three local ventures walked away with top honors:
Grand Prize Winner: Little Locals Town & Gym took home the $10,000 cash prize plus a premium package of local business services, including legal consulting, marketing, accounting, and tech incubation.
People's Choice Award: Pearl Intelligence Network (PIN) captured the $2,026 prize, decided live by audience vote.
The Changemaker Award: Project Lather received $2,000 from the United Way of Central Maryland in recognition of the applicant's potential to make the greatest community impact.
A Homegrown Vision for Carroll Families
Founded by husband-and-wife team Nick and Torie Hoddinott, Little Locals Town & Gym offers active sensory play, imaginative town setups, birthday hosting, and a parent café tailored for children ages 0 to 8, according to the Carroll County Chamber of Commerce Member Directory and Little Locals’ official website.
"This is a testament to the community," Nick Hoddinott said upon receiving the $10,000 check. "Torie and I really thought that we had a solution to a need, but again, it is a testament to see how many people have been showing up day in and day out... This dream was fully funded by Torie and I, so this is something that will go a very long way."
Hoddinott told the audience, “Any local vendors that think that they could come into our space and offer services for young children, whether it be yoga classes, dance classes, DJ services, you name it, we're looking to again stretch our tentacles in the community, bring people into our space, and create an inclusive environment.”
15 Years of Celebrating Local Innovation
Carroll County Chamber of Commerce President Mike McMullin hosted the finale alongside challenge founder Jason Stambaugh, reflecting on how the event has evolved since Stambaugh first pitched the idea to him 15 years ago, when Stambaugh was 26.
"This is our chance to shine a spotlight on the entrepreneur," McMullin told the crowd. "If somebody ever asks you, 'Who's the Chamber? What do they do?', you can say... 'They give young entrepreneurs and older entrepreneurs a chance to shine and to live their dreams.'"
Stambaugh also praised the courage of all 29 applicants who entered this year's competition. "You are among hundreds of others over the last 15 years who have thrown their hat in the ring and set about the very, very hard work of having a dream and having the courage to take that first step on that journey."
Addressing the crowd, Stambaugh said, “I want to thank you all for being here, for keeping this tradition alive. This live audience and live crowd, you guys are one of the key ways we keep this event going, so please do tell a friend. This event is real, it's not rigged, [it’s] very authentic. And as you heard tonight, the stories of a lot of the past winners, some incredible success stories have happened, and I couldn't be more proud of what this event has done for this community.”
Photo: from Carroll Biz Challenge Live Finale video