Meet the competition: AltCap Your Biz unveils finalists for pitch event, $60K in awards

A popular fall pitch competition for emerging entrepreneurs is returning to Union Station in November with AltCap today announcing 10 finalists for $60,000 in cash prizes — ranging from Kansas City’s first mobile matcha cart to specialty wellness retailers and a dog toy innovator.

Leaders from Brown Suga embrace Shanee Kimber, event judge and an AltCap Your Biz sponsor from UMB Bank after winning the 2024 competition; photo by Taylor Wilmore, Startland News

“The AltCap Your Biz Pitch Competition is so much more than a contest — it’s a celebration of the creativity, determination, and community spirit that drives Kansas City’s small business ecosystem,” said Brant Stacy, community partnership manager for the mission-driven lender AltCap, which organizes the annual pitch event during Global Entrepreneurship Week-Kansas City.

Small businesses are expected to present their live pitches 4 p.m. Nov. 19 at City Stage Theatre at Union Station. Finalists will compete for a $35,000 grand prize and a $20,000 second-place prize — the biggest cash prizes in AltCap Your Biz history.

Celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, the competition already has awarded more than $200,000 in cash prizes to entrepreneurs in the Kansas City area, Stacy noted.

“Over the past decade, ACYB has empowered entrepreneurs, provided vital education and mentorship, and fostered connections that strengthen our community,” he continued. “We are deeply thankful to every applicant who has shared their vision with us and inspired us with their passion. As we look forward to celebrating our 10th anniversary in 2025, we are more excited than ever to see the next generation of dreamers step forward and continue this legacy of impact.”

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Finalists for the 2025 competition include:

• AuraMed Spa and Wellness, Suzanne Gunn — A rejuvenating destination dedicated to enhancing beauty, health, and confidence through natural, advanced aesthetic treatments and holistic care. 

• Bliss Books & Wine, La’Nesha Frazier — A welcoming space where literature, wine, and community come together. As Kansas City’s only Black-owned independent bookstore and wine lounge, they celebrate diverse stories while creating experiences that bring people closer. 

• Dog Mom Club, Leia Barrett and Jessie Davis — Provides unique toys and treats for dogs and the moms (and dads) who love them. Since 2024, they’ve been perfecting their recipes at pop-up events and farmers’ markets. 

• E-Z Pedicabs, Atticus Sloan — A pedicab transportation service providing rides, event/shuttle service, and advertising.

• Golazo, Lesly Romo — A mobile activation business that delivers gameday experiences through interactive soccer games like Soccer Darts, Teqball, Soccer Tennis, Soccer Pool, and Subsoccer. These activations keep fans engaged and on-site longer.

• HerCafe, Yasmen Hassen and Lujyn Elsayed — Kansas City’s first mobile matcha cart on a mission to build community throughout the KC metro one hand-whisked drink at a time. 

• ICE Studios School of Dance, Isha Williams — A community-based nonprofit in Kansas City dedicated to empowering youth through the art of dance. They provide affordable training in hip hop, ballet, jazz, tap, and tumbling while also offering college prep, entrepreneurship, technology, and wellness programs. 

• MOC BOD, Christy Vincent — A safe, welcoming space for the LGBTQ+ community and their allies to shop, socialize, and receive personal care services. They house a barber/cosmetologist, two massage therapists, and a tattoo artist, as well as a retail collection built for the LGBTQ+ community. 

• Project IOTA, Marvin Estill — Reimagining 5001 Independence Ave. as Kansas City’s next big engine for transformation — housing an urban monastery for 70 to 100 men, the city’s only ghost kitchen and business incubator, and a vibrant church community under one roof. 

• Someday Sunday, LaToya Sirls — Creates luxury plant-based body care that brightens, tightens, and hydrates the skin while promoting mental and holistic wellness. Infused with aromatherapy and handmade with high-quality vegan ingredients, their products help busy women turn daily skincare into a self-care ritual.

The Top 10 finalists are also set to face off in a Fan Favorite competition where they vie to attract the most fan votes to win a $5,000 cash prize. Fan Favorite voting is set to run Oct. 3-17. Audiences will be able to watch the founders’ pitch videos and cast their votes to determine who will be crowned at the live event. More details will be available at www.altcap.org in the coming days. 

In addition to increased cash prizes for the competition’s 10th year, AltCap has partnered with Kansas City G.I.F.T. to support the finalists through Pitch Perfect, a six-week intensive pitch training course.