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Working to stimulate growth and jobs for rural Alaska, the 2008 Alaska Marketplace Competition began today. The competition whose theme is "Innovations for Thriving Communities" is hoping to tap into the cultural knowledge and skills of rural Alaskans.
42 creative ideas were presented, ranging from organic greenhouses, to a travel agency, to affordable energy solutions. While these ideas could go a long way to help solve a lot of problems, they will also provide many opportunities. Looking
"We all know the substantial considerations there are for people in rural Alaska and here are coming a bunch of entrepreneurs with good ideas," said Arliss Sturgelewski, an Alaska Marketplace Competition judge.
The competition is in its third year with the finalists striving for seed money they say will help their hometowns to thrive.
"The economy out in the rural is low, and work is hard to come by, and my woodshop would open the avenue," said Patrick Hall, an Alaska Marketplace finalist who wants to start woodworking shop in Chevak.
"A lot of the times the villages miss out on the market," said Keri Ann Sherod, a finalist who wants to start a rural travel agency in Kodiak. "I hope to support and make an awareness about the villages."
"This opportunity is to have others and here in the city, outside of the bubble to observe the problem and the needs in rural Alaska," said William Avugiak, a Chefornak resident who is striving to bring affordable woodstoves in rural Alaska.
The competition features five different categories, from energy solutions to commercial
"It gives you an opportunity to find your idea and refine it, put it in application, say hey this is what I want to do it makes sense, its profitable, all I need is a little money to get me going and its a perfect opportunity to do that," said Michael Golub, a finalist who is trying to convert car into electric power.
"They have inspired me to work towards my goals, and open up my shop, and do something I am passionate about," said Barbara Ramos, a finalist who wants to employ quilters in the Bethel area.
Alaska Marketplace is working with the rural entrepreneurs to help jumpstart their communities, because of the potential to help address rural issues, while also providing much needed jobs.
"We feel that's
By encouraging creativity, the entries provided some viable solutions, which not only drew from Alaska's resources, but from its people as well.
"They had to think through very new ideas, they are not trying tried and true technology in most cases, they are being very innovative," said Sturgelewski.
The 42 finalists were selected from a pool of 138 applicants, of which five winners will share 600,000-dollars to be used for the rural business innovations.
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