Last Updated on August 27, 2026 5:44 am
A 2022 Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute graduate is competing for a share of $60,000 in startup funding as a finalist in the state's first Small Business Center Network Startup Showdown.
Kevin Miller, 24, of Granite Falls, is pitching FiveUp Motorcycle Rentals, a business concept designed to bring motorcycle-touring visitors to Western North Carolina. Under Miller's plan, customers would fly into the region, pick up a premium motorcycle and follow curated riding routes that highlight scenic roads along with locally owned restaurants, lodging and attractions.
Miller, a 2020 South Caldwell High School graduate, initially studied mechanical engineering at NC State University before transferring to CCC&TI, where he earned an Associate in Arts degree in 2022. He went on to Lenoir-Rhyne University, earning bachelor's degrees in marketing and entrepreneurship in 2026.
Miller credited his time at CCC&TI with sparking his interest in business and marketing, and said he developed the FiveUp concept with guidance from Carmela Tomlinson, director of CCC&TI's Small Business Center, whom he had worked with previously on questions related to his photography business.
The Startup Showdown drew 316 applicants statewide before Miller advanced to a Pitch Day competition Aug. 8 in Raleigh, where he presented before a panel of judges. Public voting, which factors into each contestant's final score, runs Sept. 1-15 via videos posted to the North Carolina Small Business Center Network's YouTube channel. Viewers can support Miller's pitch by liking his video during that window.
The first-place winner will receive $30,000 in unrestricted startup funding, with $20,000 for second place and $10,000 for third. Winners will be announced at an awards reception Sept. 17 in Raleigh.
More information on CCC&TI's Small Business Center is available at www.cccti.edu or by calling 828-726-3065.
📋 Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute
