Thirty inventors will compete in Downtown Minneapolis today for an opportunity to sell their products on TV.

They'll have only five minutes to make their best pitch in front of AJ Khubani, CEO of direct marketing firm TeleBrands Corp. and the Minnesota Inventors Congress. Promising products could get deals signed with Khubani's company, said event spokeswoman Deena Rosenberg.

"Each person has a chance," Rosenberg said.

The inventors were picked out of 400 applicants, with a handful of contestants from Minnesota. Their products had to fix a common problem, reach a mass audience and cost less than $20. Minnesota inventors will pitch a range of ideas from bed sheets with pockets for items like tissues and glasses to a device that helps consumers peel rinds off of oranges and grapefruits.

The presentations will be at the Hyatt Regency hotel in Downtown Minneapolis from 9 a.m. to around 2 p.m. It's possible that more than one inventor could get a deal or none will get funded. Rosenberg said all the entrepreneurs will receive feedback from the judging panel.