Elevate Nexus regional pitch competition winners unveiled
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Indianapolis-based Elevate Ventures on Thursday announced the 14 regional winners of its 2023 Elevate Nexus spring pitch competitions. The Indiana-based startups earned a total of $640,000 in pre-seed and seed investments.
Thirty-eight startups from throughout the state were chosen to pitch in the competition. The winners were split among three regions and received either a $20,000 pre-seed investment or an $80,000 seed investment.
Elevate Ventures said the winners will also join the venture capital firm’s development portfolio.
The winners range from a B2C postpartum health company in Fort Wayne to an agtech/biotech device manufacturing company for cattle in Indianapolis to a southern Indiana startup developing a device to prevent bedsores recently featured by Inside INdiana Business.
“The ingenuity and new ideas being pursued across Indiana never cease to amaze me,” said Jacob Schpok, a partner at Elevate Ventures who served as a judge in the competition. “Elevate Ventures is excited to invest in this class of pitch competition winners and support the growth of their companies.”
The regional pitch competition winners, including those from past competitions, are eligible to apply for participation in the Elevate Nexus statewide competition, which will provide a total of $320,00 in funding.
The statewide competition will take place during Elevate Ventures’ Rally conference in downtown Indianapolis on Aug. 23. Landon Young, executive director of entrepreneurial programming at Elevate, said the event will provide more than just funding for the participants.
“Hand-selected Nexus winners will connect with influential investors and industry leaders at Rally and vie for crucial support to propel their ventures,” Young said. “Rally will provide these companies with an unprecedented forum for building strategic partnerships, gaining valuable insights, and securing resources so they can scale.”
The Elevate Nexus regional winners are listed below.
Northern Indiana
$20,000 Pre-Seed Investment
- GemViz, Warsaw: Medtech company led by CEO Mike Cusick and associated with Kosciusko Economic Development Corporation.
- neli, inc., Fort Wayne: B2C postpartum health company led by Brittany King, Co-Founder/ CEO, and Katie O’Muireagain, Co-Founder/COO.
- Speak2Day, South Bend: B2B English education company led by CEO Xorge Hernandez and associated with the University of Notre Dame.
$80,000 Seed Investment
- MPB Essential Technology, Merrillville: B2B technology and manufacturing company led by Michelle Pearson, Founder and CEO and associated with Purdue University – Northwest and Score 310.
- Rides2U, South Bend: A premium rideshare service company for college communities led by Chad Mastagh, Founder and CEO and associated with the Idea Center at the University of Notre Dame.
Central Indiana
$20,000 Pre-Seed Investment
- Drive Now App, Terre Haute: B2B driver education company led by CEO Tom Simmons associated with Indiana State University.
- HUMN Capital, West Lafayette: B2B SaaS human resources company led by CEO Angela Goldenstein and associated with Purdue University.
$80,000 Seed Investment
- Contango, West Lafayette: Agriculture supply chain company led by CEO Ben Brame and associated with Purdue University and gener8tor.
- ReproHealth Technologies, Indianapolis: Agtech/Biotech device manufacturing company for cattle led by CEO Jim Donahue and associated with Purdue University.
Southern Indiana
$20,000 Pre-Seed Investment
- Lead My Care, Ellettsville: Healthcare technology company focused on patient engagement and empowerment led by Founder and CEO Aaron Litherland and associated with Velocities.
- Miller Co Medical Devices, Spencer: Medical device and technology company led by Founder and CEO Morgan Leigh Miller and associated with the University of Southern Indiana and ISBDC.
- Soloist, Bloomington: B2C music technology platform for musicians led by CEO Parker Busick and associated with Indiana University and The Dimension Mill.
$80,000 Seed Investment
- TitleWise, Clarksville: Real estate title B2B technology company led by Founder and CEO Jennifer Mason and associated with Indiana University Southeast.
- Utiliz, Evansville: B2B SaaS platform for water infrastructure company led by CEO Jackson Bolek and associated with the University of Evansville.