Two local startups shine and share $25,000 grand prize, Braless Clothing Company and GenetiRate
This week local startups went head-to-head competing during a pitch competition for over $55,000 in prize money presented by UA Venture Capital.
The prize was awarded during the final pitch competition for IdeaFunding, a day-long
conference where nearly 400 investors, entrepreneurs, startups and students convened to
empower the local startup ecosystem and accelerate entrepreneurship.
A keynote address was presented by Allie Burns, CEO of Village Capital followed by a "shark-tank" style Main Stage Pitch Competition. 25 Arizona-based companies at various stages of development pitched a panel of judges during the luncheon event.
The awardees included:
$25,000 Main Stage Grand Prize sponsored by UA Venture Capital awarded to Braless Clothing Company and GenetiRate.
$5000 Bio/MedTech prize in partnership with University of Arizona Center for Innovation and awarded to Fibronox
$5000 Consumer Product Prize in partnership with McGuire Center for Entrepreneurship awarded to Insulin Initiative
$5000 Software as a Service prize in partnership with University of Arizona Center for Innovation awarded to Guided
$5000 Food Entrepreneurship prize in partnership with McGuire Center for Entrepreneurship awarded to Arizona Baking Company
$5000 Adelante Arizona prize for diverse founders sponsored and presented by Startup Tucson awarded to Unividoc
$5000 Social Impact Prize for ventures that have the greatest potential for social impact sponsored and presented by United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona awarded to Guided
$1000 People’s Choice sponsored and presented by Hivemetric and Startup Tucson awarded to Ceres AgTech
IdeaFunding is sponsored by title sponsors Arizona Commerce Authority and the University of Arizona, presenting sponsors UA Venture Capital and Startup Tucson and supporting sponsors the Thomas R. Brown Foundation, Hecker & Pew LLC, Osborn Maledon, the Flinn Foundation and BeachFleischman. Additional TENWEST sponsors include Pima Community College, Visit Tucson, Hexagon and COX.