NEW ORLEANS – SOMAVAC, a West Tennessee business that created a wearable, post-surgical drainage device that supports patient recovery, won the Delta Showcase at New Orleans Entrepreneur Week (NOEW), Tuesday, March 21. SOMAVAC co-founder Josh Herwig helped develop the innovative drainage system that restores patient mobility and dignity during the recovery process. The Delta Regional Authority (DRA) brought nearly 50 entrepreneurs and support organizations to NOEW to participate in one of the nation’s leading events to highlight startups and small businesses.
“Josh and SOMAVAC represent the entrepreneurial spirit that is thriving in the Delta region,” said DRA Chairman Chris Masingill. “We are grateful for the nearly 50 entrepreneurs and organizations that represented our region here and we are especially proud of Josh and his team for their contributions to helping patients and their families ease the recovery process.”
SOMAVAC is a cost-saving solution for hospitals and insurers to improve healthcare for patients. “This is an incredible opportunity to help build our business and give it the boost it needs to gain more publicity and attention,” said Herwig.
In addition to SOMAVAC, HABERDAShe of New Orleans founded by Smydge Perry won the “Crowd Favorite” award, which was given to the Delta business selected by the hundreds who attended the Delta Showcase event Tuesday evening. “This experience with the DRA has been a great opportunity to network with emerging entrepreneurial talent in the Delta region and I am grateful for this access to technical experience and mentorships,” said Perry.
“DRA is proud to showcase all these Delta businesses that will contribute to the growth of our region and will be a part of our efforts to help create jobs and let the world know that the Delta is open for business,” said Masingill. “SOMAVAC showcases to the world what the Delta represents. All of our participants embody the entrepreneurial spirit that is thriving across the Delta, and they will play a vital role in the continued economic development and job creation in our communities.”
The 16 entrepreneurs who participated in the Delta Showcase were:
• B-G Safety Systems, Marcus Boykin; Lexington, Tennessee
• Betaflix, Sreenivasa Sanakam; Ruston, Louisiana
• Bootsie’s Delta Funk BBQ, Peter Grumbles; Pope, Mississippi
• Cocoa Belle Chocolates, Carmen Portillo; Little Rock, Arkansas
• Cosmetic Car Tech, Jason Todt; Marble Hill, Missouri
• Edible Education, Ann Butler; Cape Girardeau, Missouri
• EntreLinc, Amelia Thomas, Memphis, Tennessee
• HABERDAShe, Smydge Perry; New Orleans, Louisiana
• KALIKOE Galaxy, Quentin Allen; Pine Bluff, Arkansas
• My Veggie Chef, Mark Rigdon; Cape Girardeau, Missouri
• Myra Mirrors, Pontus Andersson; Oxford, Mississippi
• Nature’s Own Carol’s Spring Water, Moses Weaver; Tuskegee, Alabama
• RaftUp, Corey Boelkens; Little Rock, Arkansas
• Skycision, Brendan Carroll; Memphis, Tennessee
• SOMAVAC, Josh Herwig; Memphis, Tennessee
• Think I.N.K., Carl Morgan; Tuskegee, Alabama
The Delta Entrepreneurship Network was started three years ago as part of DRA’s Small Business & Entrepreneurial Development initiative. DRA has worked with industry experts, lenders and entrepreneurial support organizations to help build a connective ecosystem that develops and grows startups and small businesses, reps said.
DRA has increased its own investment into small businesses and entrepreneurs by 200 percent compared to investments made in the first eight years of the agency, reps said. These investments have helped train more than 1,000 current and aspiring small-business owners. DRA investments in entrepreneurs and support programs have reached nearly $11 million, with a total of $27 million being leveraged in partner dollars.
View video highlights from the Delta Showcase at NOEW
