Announcing the Rise of the Rest 6.0 Pitch Competition Finalists
In just four short weeks, we hit the road again. The Rise of the Rest bus will roll into seven new cities to shine a spotlight on startups and the communities that support them. This year, the bus is headed to America’s Heartland with Steve Case and the Revolution team, including new partner J.D. Vance, author of Hillbilly Elegy.
From October 10–17, the tour will be making stops in York, Lancaster, and Harrisburg (PA), Ann Arbor (MI), Indianapolis (IN), Columbus (OH), and Green Bay and Fox River Valley (WI). During this 2,600-mile trip, Steve will personally invest $500,000 — $100,000 each day in a local startup via a pitch competition.
To help the finalists prepare to pitch, Steve is sharing his take on what mistakes to avoid when you pitch investors.
We’ve spent the past several months reviewing an incredible set of applications — hundreds across all of the cities. And today, we’re thrilled to announce the finalists who will be pitching at each location.
York — Lancaster — Harrisburg | Tuesday, October 10:
Steve will kick off the tour by visiting Central PA, making stops in York and Lancaster before heading to the Harrisburg Midtown Art Center (HMAC) for a fireside chat with Penn State University President, Eric Barron, followed by the pitch competition and happy hour celebration. (RSVP HERE)
Central PA Pitch Competition Finalists:
1. BeneFix | Pitching: Matthew Ranauro, Founder & CEO | About: Benefix is an open platform for the world to access health benefits.
2. TurnoutNow | Pitching: Harpreet Chatha, CEO | About: TurnoutNow provides high-resolution event data using wearable tech and predictive analytics.
3. Augean Robotics | Pitching: Charles Andersen, CEO | About: Augean Robotics builds robotic following carts for workers in rugged environments.
4. CRIMEWATCH Technologies | Pitching: Matthew Bloom, CEO | About: CRIMEWATCH is a GovTech tool that organizes criminal justice information.
5. INTAG | Pitching: Ian Kanski, Co-Founder & President | About: INTAG develops modular ecosystems for resilient agriculture and hyper-local food.
6. Device Events | Pitching: Madris Tomes, CEO | About: Device Events develops software that identifies patterns of problems with medical devices to improve patient safety and reduce risk.
7. Schedule Engine | Pitching: Austin Haller, Co-Founder & CEO | About: Schedule Engine equips contractors to deliver a modern customer experience.
8. TEAMology | Pitching: Linsey Covert, Founder & CEO| About: TEAMology bridges the divide between technology and teamwork to change the world of education.
9. Fizika Group LLC | Pitching: Martha Harris, Founder, President & CEO | About: Fizika helps those at risk of developing dementia reduce heart health risks and maintain brain health.
Ann Arbor | Wednesday, October 11:
After exploring the startup scene in Ann Arbor, Steve and J.D. will finish the day at Michigan Theater for the fireside chat, pitch competition, and happy hour. (RSVP HERE)
Ann Arbor Competition Finalists:
1. SkySpecs | Pitching: Danny Ellis, CEO | About: SkySpecs automates predictive maintenance of energy infrastructure with drones.
2. SAHI Cosmetics LLC | Pitching: Sheleen (Shelly) Sahi, Founder & CEO | About: Sahi Cosmetics provides custom makeup for women of ethnic skin tones, specifically medium skin tones.
3. Pitstop | Pitching: Shiva Bhardwaj, CEO | About: Pitstop predicts vehicle failures before they happen.
4. Genomenon, Inc | Pitching: Mike Klein, CEO | About: Genomenon is an interpretation software for diagnosing and treating cancer.
5. Inmatech, Inc | Pitching: Les Alexander, CEO | About: Inmatech commercializes novel high-performance supercapacitors for energy storage systems.
6. Warmilu | Pitching: Grace Hsia, CEO | About: Warmilu provides non-electric warmth to those who need it most.
7. SurClean, Inc | Pitching: Susan Sprentall, Founder, President & CEO | About: SurClean laser surface prep removes paint, replacing old traditional methods.
8. Civionics, Inc | Pitching: Gerry Roston, CEO | About: Civionics improves manufacturers’ profitability by reducing downtime.
Indianapolis | Thursday, October 12:
Following startup visits in Indianapolis, Steve and J.D. will be joined by the FCC Chairman, Ajit Pai, for a fireside chat at one of the city’s newest co-working spaces, Union 525. After the fireside chat, we will have the pitch competition and happy hour celebration. (RSVP HERE)
Indianapolis Pitch Competition Finalists:
1. Torchlite | Pitching: Susan Marshall, Founder & CEO | About: Torchlite connects marketers to experts and manages campaigns to completion.
2. Go Electric | Pitching: Lisa Laughner, Founder, President & CEO | About: Go Electric makes energy solutions that keep facilities energy resilient and sustainable.
3. 120WaterAudit | Pitching: Megan Glover, Co-Founder & CEO| About: 120WaterAudit provides an online platform that manages water quality compliance.
4. DemandJump Inc. | Pitching: Christopher Day, Co-Founder & CEO | About: DemandJump Traffic Cloud drives more qualified traffic than your competitors.
5. Canvas | Pitching: Aman Brar, CEO | About: Canvas delivers an asynchronous, modern digital experience to candidates and recruiters.
6. Design My Soap | Pitching: Mohammed M. Mahdi, Co-Founder | About: Design my Soap gives people the ability to choose what goes into their soap.
7. myCOI | Pitching: Kristen Nunery, Founder & CEO | About: MyCOI reduces risk of costly insurance claims by verifying vendor insurance.
8. PoliticalBank.com | Pitching: Adam Berry, Co-Founder & CEO| About: PoliticalBank.com is a one-stop political platform for candidates, elected officials, and voters.
9. Fuzic Inc. | Pitching: Scott McCorkle, Executive Chairman | About: Fuzic provides in-store audio marketing for location-based businesses.
10. Quantifi | Pitching: RJ Talyor, CEO | About: Quantifi is a marketing R&D platform for social ads.
Columbus | Friday, October 13:
From Indianapolis, the bus will drive to Columbus where Rise of the Rest will visit startups in one of America’s top Smart Cities. Mary Grove from Google for Entrepreneurs will be joining us for a fireside chat at the Columbus Metropolitan Library, followed by a pitch competition and happy hour. Special guests will include Eric Reis, author of Lean Startup, and Amy Nelson, CEO of Venture for America. (RSVP HERE)
Columbus Pitch Competition Finalists:
1. Solutions Vending International (SVI) | Pitching: Dawn Dickson, Founder & CEO | About: SVI provides vending machine operators with actionable customer insights to optimize sales.
2. inmobly | Pitching: Hesham Elgamal, CEO | About: inmobly pioneers the use of Artificial Intelligence for over the top (OTT) video delivery.
3. SafeChain | Pitching: Tony Franco, CEO | About: SafeChain eliminates fraud and inefficiency in real estate transactions using blockchain.
4. Nikola Labs | Pitching: William Zell, CEO | About: Nikola Labs creates wireless power solutions for the Internet of Things.
5. Auditgraph | Pitching: Mauricha Marcussen, Founder & CEO | About: Auditgraph provides technology to improve big pharma drug label safety.
6. SHARE | Pitching: Ryan McManus, CEO | About: SHARE is a mobility provider for communities.
7. Liberty Mobility Now | Pitching: Valerie Lefler, President & CEO | About: Liberty provides mobility as a service for rural and small urban communities.
8. MentorcliQ | Pitching: Phil George, CEO | About: MentorcliQ helps companies develop their global workforce through employee mentoring.
Green Bay — Fox River Valley | Tuesday, October 17:
For the last stop of the tour, Rise of the Rest is headed to NE Wisconsin. After visits in Green Bay and the Fox River Valley, we will be joining Launch Wisconsin at Lambeau Field for the pitch competition and fireside chat. (RSVP HERE)
NE Wisconsin Pitch Competition Finalists:
1. Lanehub Inc. | Pitching: Mark Hackl, Founder & CEO | About: lanehub is the social network for transportation — freight lane matching and collaboration.
2. 65 Incorporated | Pitching: Melinda Caghill, CMO | About: 65 Incorporated provides expert, individualized Medicare enrollment guidance without any insurance sales.
3. Scanalytics Inc. | Pitching; Joe Scanlin, Co-Founder & CEO | About: Scanalytics provides data on how people interact with physical environments.
4. Ideawake | Pitching: Coby Skonord, CEO | About: Ideawake allows companies of all sizes to involve their employees, customers, and other stakeholders more deeply in strategic planning.
5. Indigenous Pact PBC Inc. | Pitching: Kurt Brenkus, Founder & CEO | About: Indigenous Pact PBC puts a health card in every tribal member’s pocket.
6. In Our Hands | Pitching: Abbie Merrill, Founder & President | About: In Our Hands educates constituents on state legislation, putting power in their hands.
7. illumyx | Pitching: Stephen Utech, Founder & CEO | About: illumyx diagnoses internal barriers to corporate growth, productivity, and engagement.
8. OrendX | Pitching: April Hansen, Founder | About: OrendX empowers nurse engagement through positive recognition and social collaboration.
Follow the Rise of the Rest tour on Twitter and Instagram with #RiseOfRest. And in case you’re wondering what not to do when pitching Steve, watch his latest video “5 Mistakes Entrepreneurs Make When Pitching Investors.” Sign up for more info on where the bus is headed and what’s happening at Revolution.
