Prison Entrepreneurship Program Pairs C-level Executives with Class Participants to Discuss Business Ideas
Business ideas are evaluated for feasibility
DALLAS, Aug. 13, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Prison Entrepreneurship Program (PEP), a business boot-camp that teaches qualified Texas prisoners real-world business skills, announces it will host a Venture Capital Panel on August 17 for its 94 class participants. The Venture Capital Panel was designed to give PEP participants the opportunity to pitch preliminary business concepts to professionals in order to determine feasibility and strategies necessary to craft a solid business plan.
"I've been coming to these prison events for many years, and nothing compares to the thrill I get from helping these determined men transform into successful, honorable members of society," said Hank Hamilton, chairman, TGS-NOPEC Geophysical Company (TGS). "Volunteering at PEP has enriched my life, and I invite friends and coworkers to join me so that they too can experience this inspiring transformation."
Judges on the panels include executives from TGS, Coca-Cola, BP America, Inc., Wells Fargo, Bridgeway Software, and Silver Fox Advisors. The panel judges act as potential investors, but the participants are not actually competing for funding.
"The Venture Capital Panel is similar to Shark Tank (a hit show on ABC) in that the future entrepreneurs stand before the successful executives to see how they react to a potential business idea," Bert Smith, PEP's CEO, explained. "The executives then provide honest feedback about the business idea and feasibility."
The Venture Capital Panel takes place on Friday, August 17, 2012, from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Cleveland Correctional Center. Members of the press can apply to attend by registering at www.pep.org/rsvp/rsvp.
IMPORTANT NOTE ON MEDIA CLEARANCE WITHIN THE PRISON
The Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) and the GEO Group (the private operators of the Cleveland Correctional Center) require that all visitors, including media professionals, request permission to attend events inside the prison 48 hours in advance. Name and driver's license number for each person is required.
ABOUT PRISON ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM
Established in 2004, Prison Entrepreneurship Program (PEP) is a Houston-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. We are servant leaders on a mission to transform inmates and executives by unlocking human potential through entrepreneurial passion, education, and mentoring. Our groundbreaking results include a return-to-prison rate of less than 5%, employment rate of 100% within 90 days, and the successful launch of more than 100 businesses.
SOURCE Prison Entrepreneurship Program
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