September 9, 2025 3:30 a.m.
After almost one year, the field is now set for the Umpqua Growth Talk’s Grand Finale Pitch Night October 23rd at Backside Brewing in Roseburg.
A release from the Umpqua Economic Development Partnership said with the most recent Pitch Night event now complete, the first and second place finishers from each of the previous three events will compete for their share of $10,000 in prize funds.
Pitch Night is a program of the UEDP. Executive Director Brian Prawitz said, “This is the big finish to another exciting year of discovering and supporting some of the best new businesses in Douglas County”. Prawitz said, “Our pitchers, coaches, judges and sponsors have all been committed to this process since the beginning of the year, It will be fun to see how it all shakes out”.
Ryan and Kellen Cram earned first place honors on March 6 with their presentation of Good Vibes Foam Party. Joy Marlow of Infinity Professional Cleaners also qualified for the finals with her second-place finish on that night.
Wyatt Bradley of Wyatt’s Waterfowl Co. and Jill Fay of Better Together Events & Rentals were the top finishers at the June 26 Pitch Night event, sending them to the October finals. The final two slots were filled September 4 when Amanda Nash Shields of Public Spectacle and Desirae Morin of Cattle Dogs Golf Center were declared the top two finishers.
Now, all six participants will prepare their presentations to conclude the Pitch Night year. Like the previous three events, each finalist will have 5 minutes to present their business to a panel of judges in front of a live audience. Judges will have 5 minutes to question each presenter.
The first-place finisher will receive $5,000 and the title of 2025 Pitch Night Champion. $2,500 will go to the second-place finisher, and $1,250 will be awarded to the third-place finisher and the Audience Choice winner for a total of $10,000.
Audience registration for the October 23rd event is now open. Tickets are free, but attendees are asked to RSVP. For more information, go to www.umpquagrwothtalks.com