High-profile judges for Kauffman contest includes Marcelo Claure, VCs
October 29, 2015 | Bobby Burch
A star-studded lineup of businesspeople from around the nation will be judging 15 startups in the Kauffman Foundation’s One in a Million pitch contest.
The competition, which will take place on Nov. 17 and 18 during Global Entrepreneurship Week, will award $10,000 to one startup that previously participated in the foundation’s 1 Million Cups program.
Those evaluating all 15 firms and whittling the round to five finalists are: Anita Newton, CMO of Kansas City-based Adknowlege; Sherry Turner, founder of OneKC for Women; Alicia Herald, CEO of myEDmatch; Trey Bowles, CEO of the Dallas Entrepreneur Center; and Nathan Gold, a public speaker known as the “Demo Coach.”
Judges in the competition’s final round of five startups are: Marcelo Claure, CEO of Sprint; Nicole Glaros, chief product officer of Techstars; and Paul Kedrosky, managing partner of SK Ventures.
A panel of judges evaluated 40 contestants’ business plans and pitch videos and then selected the semifinalists to compete for a grand prize of $10,000. Second- and third-place winners will receive $5,000 and $1,000, respectively.
Three Kansas City companies are among the semifinalists in the competition.
The companies representing the Kansas City area are:
- AEGLE Palette, of Shawnee, Kan., which created a digital placemat that helps users monitor and control their dietary intake.
- blooom, of Leawood, Kan., which offers users an online 401k tool that automates management of funds to maximize growth.
- Idle Smart, of Kansas City, Kan., which created automated engine start-stop technology that reduces overnight idle time by 70 percent, reducing costs for fleets by keeping batteries charged and engines warm.
Featured Business
2015 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
LendingStandard closes $6.7M round with Flyover Capital among key longterm investors
A Kansas City startup’s efforts to streamline the commercial real estate industry are not only reducing wasted time and frustration for lenders and borrowers, said Keith Molzer, it’s making good on investors’ expectations of the tech-driven Saas marketplace. “LendingStandard has listened and responded to what the market needs,” said Molzer, founding managing partner at Flyover…
The journey can make or break an entrepreneur; Pipeline gala returns June 15 to celebrate connectivity at the intersection
Editor’s note: Pipeline Entrepreneurs is a partner of Startland News, though this report was produced independently by the nonprofit newsroom. Pipeline Entrepreneurs’ new era is all about community, said Melissa Vincent, with more than a nod to the resilience needed to sustain a vibrant startup ecosystem. “When you go through the Pipeline program, it becomes…
Royals partner with KC-linked CBD brand to tout health benefits of hemp for athletes
As an entrepreneur who grew up in Kansas City, teaming up with the Kansas City Royals to promote high-quality CBD products is a dream come true, said Dan Huerter, CEO of Pure Spectrum CBD. “To be able to work with such an iconic organization and to be a part of promoting health and wellness in…
Yoli Tortilleria’s grind to “honor the very humble tortilla” earns James Beard Award
Editor’s note: The following story was originally published by KCUR, Kansas City’s NPR member station, and a fellow member of the KC Media Collective. Click here to read the original story or here to sign up for KCUR’s email newsletter. Yoli Tortilleria, a Mexican tortilla bakery with a retail store on Jefferson Street on Kansas City’s Westside and a manufacturing location…