Lethbridge, AB…Economic Development Lethbridge (EDL) will be hosting a pitch competition looking for ideas to
incorporate into the design of the organization’s new website, to be unveiled in the first half of 2024. The EDL website
pitch competition will see four pitches, done in person at Tecconnect and virtually, by designers and developers from
southern Alberta all the way up to Edmonton. The goal of the new website is to set www.chooselethbridge.ca apart
from the rest of economic development sites, to create an online ecosystem that doesn't just inform but captivates,
and that doesn't just showcase data but tells a compelling story of growth and opportunity.

“We know our website needs to showcase our community and the opportunities here in Lethbridge to many different
people, in many different ways,” says, Mark Neskar, Director, Marketing & Communications, Economic Development
Lethbridge. “Our website needs to act as a sales pitch to investors and developers who are considering Lethbridge
for their business and provide a user-friendly way to support local residents and businesses with the access and
information they need about the programs and services we offer.”

The EDL Website Pitch Competition will be held tomorrow afternoon beginning at 1:00PM at Tecconnect and feature
4 innovative pitches from across the province. Competitors include:

• Eldhose K Shibu, Brewing Code (Freelancer) Edmonton, AB
• Makayla Gross, Westward Solutions & Jessie Stilson, SouthGrow
• Ryan Wiebe, Launch Interactive, Okotoks, AB
• Tobin Pearson, Freelancer

EDL will award the best pitch with a $2500 prize, followed by $1000 for 2nd place and $500 for 3rd
.
"In a world where innovation is swiftly transforming the world we live and work in, it's imperative for EDL to explore
the integration of these technologies into our website," stated Renae Barlow, VP of Entrepreneurship & Innovation at
Economic Development Lethbridge. There is a rapidly growing importance of AI, Virtual and Augmented Reality, and
platforms like ChatGPT, not just as tools for the present but also for the future. that economic development
organizations will be better equipped for the future of work, business, and socio-economic engagement by adopting
these technologies in their websites and everyday operations.”

EDL is using this idea gathering event as a kick-starter to their new website build. Ideas gathered from the pitch
competition will then be incorporated into an RFP which will be made public later this month. Economic Development
Lethbridge is hoping to unveil a new choose Lethbridge website in the spring of 2024.
Media are invited to attend the EDL Pitch Competition between 12:00PM and 1:00PM or after 3:00PM tomorrow.

Judges and pitch contestants will be available for comment.

For more information contact:
Mark Neskar
Director, Marketing & Communications/Economic Development Lethbridge
403-393-6376
mark@chooselethbridge.ca