Competitors selected for the 2019 Big Launch Challenge
Today, The Launch Place, a lead entrepreneurial development organization based in Danville, VA with a satellite office in the Research Triangle Park, is pleased to announce the top 10 finalists who will be pitching their businesses on stage at the sixth annual Big Launch Challenge held on September 11th in the Research Triangle Park. This competition provides startups with valuable business networking and investment opportunities where two will walk away with checks totaling $20,000.
These finalists will be given eight minutes to present their business plans to a panel of judges and followed by a short question and answer block.
- 6AM City - Redefining the local media landscape. Greenville, SC
- Hite Health Solutions - Innovation in feminine hygiene while serving women's health and wellness. Burlington, NC
- Intake - Health empowerment through automated preventive care. Raleigh, NC
- Kamana - Empowering healthcare employers to efficiently manage and fill critical staffing needs. Richmond, VA
- Microbial Biosensors, Inc. - New technology to rapidly detect bacterial contamination in food and animal feed. Durham, NC
- Muuktest - Helps software companies build products faster without armies of test engineers. Raleigh, NC
- Optimal Solar - Maker of the highest efficiency solar module. Durham, NC
- PureSurgery - Digital platform for optimizing patients before, during, and after surgery. Charlotte, NC
- Point 93 - Offers dynamic pricing and data exchange for the retail industry. Roanoke, VA
- VerusTitle - AI enabled processing of title insurance. Durham, NC
This year, the Challenge will be held at the conclusion of the Angel Capital Association’s (ACA) Southeast Regional Meeting. ACA, the world's largest professional organization for accredited investors, in partnership with RTP Capital Associates, Inc. and The Launch Place, will host a two-day conference from September 10th to 11th for accredited investors that will focus on building and growing investment and entrepreneurial ecosystems. The agenda focuses on “Taking Good Deeds to the Bank: Making Angel Investing Pay Off”. The meeting includes deep dive sessions on building an entrepreneurial ecosystem and key investment topics such as syndication, valuation, due diligence, and portfolio diversification.
The full panel of judges include Elaine Bolle, RTP Capital Associates, Investment Chair and Board Member, Angel Capital Association, Board Member; Tim Cartwright, Co-Founder and Partner of Fifth Avenue Family Office, Founder and Chair of the Tamiami Family of Angel Funds; Marty Kaszubowski, Executive Director for Innovation Initiatives, Institute for Innovation & Entrepreneurship, Old Dominion University, Chair of The Launch Place Board of Directors; Paul Nolde, Director, NRV, The Launch Place Seed Fund Advisory Board member; and Autumn Visser, Principal, Woods Rogers, PLC. Mark Friedman, President and Co-founder of RTP Capital Associates; CEO of Lakeview Business Advisory, The Launch Place Seed Fund Advisory Board member, will serve as the Master of Ceremonies.
The Challenge is free to attend, but registration is required. Registration can be found at www.thelaunchplace.org/big-launch-challenge.
“The goal of the Big Launch Challenge is to provide early-stage startups the opportunity to pitch their ideas to investors, and for The Launch Place Pre-Seed and Seed Fund to generate deal flow,” says The Launch Place President and CEO, Eva Doss. “Every year it is a different experience, with different business ideas and founding teams, and I look forward to hearing the pitches.”
Competition winners will also receive access to several resources provided by The Launch Place, including training, networking, and mentorship.