Local start-ups and entrepreneurs are once again in the national spotlight. This time it's part of the Rise of the Rest bus tour.
Wednesday night local start-ups will pitch their ideas for a chance at $100,000, but before the high intensity presentations the tour made some stops with the one simple goal:
"Learn about some of the startups and figure out what we can do to be helpful with the communities and tell that story nationally," AOL Co-Founder and Revolutuion CEO Steve Case said. "The hope's that more people can get on planes to visit Buffalo and support the entrepreneurs here that are creating great companies that really represent the future of Buffalo."
The day began with a stop at local start-up City Dining Cards then made its way to the Incubator at the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus.
"One minute of information or exchange with somebody such as Steve Case is beneficial," local entrepreneur Derrick Parson, who started The Apple Tree Agency said. "They can give you insight into what they might be looking for in their company."
Buffalo is one of five stops the tour is schedule to make and Case says there's a good reason behind it.
"It's not just going to come from innovation from California or New York City or Boston," Case said. "It's going to come from cities like Buffalo. If the community rallies around cities these entrepreneurs to really support them and help them it will take their ideas and turn them into iconic companies."
