Amargosa Valley firm wins rural pitch contest

New Tech Products of Amargosa Valley won the first Rural Nevada Startup Pitch Competition held earlier this month.

“I would like to congratulate Bruce Crater’s company for putting together the winning pitch,” said Michael Brown, executive director of the Governor’s Office of Economic Development. “The concept of this competition was to develop an entrepreneurial ecosystem in Rural Nevada that includes mentorship, access to capital and an opportunity to network among competitors.”

Cash prize money was provided by NV Energy, with additional awards coming from StartUpNV and the Audacity Institute. Each company had seven minutes to make its pitch and then answered questions from judges for five minutes.

New Tech Products, LLC, earned $1,150 for first place and also won the Audience Choice award. New Tech Products makes the Tidy Oil Changer, a molded plastic device that attaches magnetically to the oil pan to divert oil into a separate catch basin. A drill bit goes through the plastic device to loosen the screw to allow the oil into the plastic diversion device. It changes the job into a white glove, clean job.

Goat Shell, represented by George Skivington, earned $500 for second place. Goat Shells are hard-sided pop-up camper shells that come in two sizes to fit over regular and long-bed trucks. They are priced much lower than their competition.

GL Innovation, represented by Gerald Laughter, earned $250 for third place. GL Innovation makes battery interrupters for large vehicles and mining sites. Future markets include electric cars and aircraft.

GOED partnered with StartUpNV, Entrepreneur’s Assembly, Great Basin College, Northeastern Nevada Regional Development Authority, Nevada Department of Business and Industry, the Audacity Institute, Northern Nevada Development Authority, the Ozmen Center at UNR, the Nevada Small Business Development Center and University of Nevada Cooperative Extension to expand an entrepreneurial network outside of Nevada’s urban areas.

Created during the 2011 session of the Legislature, the Governor’s Office of Economic Development is the result of a collaborative effort between the Legislature and the governor’s office to restructure economic development in the state. GOED’s role is to promote a robust, diversified and prosperous economy in Nevada, to stimulate business expansion and retention, encourage entrepreneurial enterprise, attract new businesses and facilitate community development.

More information on the Governor’s Office of Economic Development can be viewed at diversifynevada.com