Kauffman Foundation, Uber launch grant contest for women-led startups
September 13, 2016 | Meghan LeVota
Female entrepreneurs in Kansas City may not have the luxury of riding a “glass escalator,” but on Oct. 26 they can take an Uber ride for a chance at $120,000.
The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation on Tuesday announced UberPITCH, a nationwide pitch competition in partnership with Uber and business accelerator The Refinery. Women-led startups will have a chance to win up to $120,000 in grants and will gain feedback from investors.
Competitors will deliver a 10- to 15-minute pitch to an investor while riding in an Uber. Finalists will be invited to present their companies at the “Fueling the Growth” showcase in Stamford, Conn., on Nov. 16, where finalists will compete for the funds.
“Women-led startups received less than 2.7 percent of venture capital in 2011 – 2013, so a competition like this helps connect women entrepreneurs and investors in a dynamic, fun and innovative way,” Refinery co-founder Janis Collins said in a release. “But this competition is about more than prize money; it’s about giving the founders valuable access to investors and input on their businesses.”
The competition is open to those in Providence R.I., Baltimore Md., New Haven, Conn., Stamford, Conn., Washington D.C., and Kansas City, Mo. In order to apply, startups must have at least one woman in a leadership role, be able to demonstrate scalability, and utilize technology in their business model.
Full guidelines and applications are available here. Entrepreneurs must apply by Oct. 20.
2016 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Royals, entrepreneurial stars fielding pitches from Kansas City educators
Children today require more than just a pencil and paper to complete their lesson plan. Thanks to a booming education technology market, teachers’ out-of-pocket spending goes far beyond the occasional pen, pencil or box of tissues nowadays. In 2013, teachers spent $1.6 billion annually to support their classroom. To alleviate the climbing prices of basic…
FCC commissioner Ajit Pai’s six strategic steps to close the digital divide
In his second visit to Kansas City within the last six months, Federal Communications Commission Commissioner Ajit Pai stopped by Think Big Tuesday as part of his fight to close the digital divide. Growing up in a small Kansas town three hours south of the metro, Pai said he’s familiar with the energy and vitality…
New regulations yield opportunity for animal feed tech startup
Editor’s note: This content is sponsored by LaunchKC but independently produced by Startland News. Growing up, Gretchen Henry’s family farmed cotton in Southeast Missouri. Although most are familiar with the white, pillowy substance we find in our clothes, use to wash our face or clean our ears, animals also eat it. Livestock feed features many…
EyeVerify CEO Toby Rush offers an update on hiring plans, global expansion
When your goal is to more than quadruple your company’s user base — from 450 million to 2 billion people — it usually entails a world of change. And such is the case for Kansas City-based EyeVerify, a biometrics startup that recently sold to Alibaba affiliate Ant Financial for more than $100 million. Startland News spoke…