OLinc announces finalists for 5th annual Oxford Pitch Competition

Oxford Lafayette Incorporated’s 5th annual Oxford Pitch Competition will bring 11 finalists to the Oxford Conference Center on Thursday, June 11, for a free public showcase that could do more than hand out prize money. The five-hour event, running from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m., will award a total of $25,000 and could help selected founders move into a larger regional accelerator pipeline.

The competition is being hosted by OLinc with Innovate Mississippi, the University of Mississippi and the Mississippi Small Business Development Center Network. That partnership gives the event a broader purpose than a single afternoon of pitches. It is also a regional qualifier for Innovate Mississippi’s CoBuilders Accelerator, which can connect entrepreneurs with mentors, coaching, capital and other business resources.

The finalists reflect a startup scene in Oxford and Lafayette County that reaches well beyond one sector. In the SBDC Track, the finalists are OK Thanks!, LLC; Munchies Chicken and Waffles; Easy Offer Acquisitions; Custom Threads; and Memphis Sippi. In the Innovate Track, the finalists are American Drone Solutions; Vero Transportation; Drape; Interbeat Industries; PleXene Technologies LLC; and Formenos Industries.

That mix matters for the local economy. Food businesses and apparel companies point to the steady demand for Main Street ventures that can hire locally and fill everyday needs. At the same time, drone technology, advanced manufacturing and transportation startups suggest a second lane of growth, one aimed at companies that could scale beyond Lafayette County and keep more young talent from leaving for larger markets.

OLinc said the diversity of finalists reflects entrepreneurial momentum across Mississippi and fits into a wider strategy to strengthen the region’s innovation pipeline. For Oxford, the stakes go beyond a day of presentations. If even a few of these companies grow into durable employers, the competition could help build the kind of business base that keeps local spending, jobs and decision-making closer to home.

Judges will come from entrepreneurship, investment, business leadership and economic development, giving finalists a chance to make their case before people who can open doors well beyond the stage. For a county that has long leaned on education, health care and retail, the event offers a concrete look at what the next layer of economic growth could look like if more of these founders stay and scale in Oxford.