AltCap Your Biz reveals 10 finalists vying for $25K grand prize at cornerstone GEWKC event

A competition aimed at mobilizing the next generation of entrepreneurs and social innovators — along with awarding more than $40,000 in cash prizes to its winners — announced Monday the 10 finalists vying for its 2023 honors.

AltCap Your Biz returns to the stage Thursday, Nov. 16 at Plexpod Westport at Park 39 as part of Global Entrepreneurship Week-Kansas City’s lineup of top-tier entrepreneur-focused events. The competition begins at 3 p.m. Nov. 16 with company pitches, followed by an awards and prize money reveal at 6 p.m.

Ruben Alonso speaks during the 2022 AltCap Your Biz pitch competition; photo by Channa Steinmetz, Startland News

Click here to register for the competition or here for the awards reception.

RELATED: Check out GEWKC’s just-launched, weeklong event lineup with 100+ sessions

“The judges and our team were blown away by the passion, creativity and impact of this year’s applicants,” officials from AltCap said in an announcement of the finalists. “Judges deliberated for many hours over three days to review nearly 80 entrepreneurs’ pitches.”

The 10 finalists will compete for first place, $25,000; second place, $10,000; the Change Maker Award (best community impact business plan), $5,000; and Fan Favorite (social media and in-person voting), $2,500.

Supporters can watch the finalists’ pitches, then vote for their favorite by visiting AltCap’s Facebook page or by clicking the “Watch the pitch” links below by Nov. 10. (Editor’s note: Not all pitches have been posted, but links will be updated as AltCap rolls out the finalists on Facebook.)

2023 AltCap Your Biz finalists include:

• Co-Angler (John Bledsoe), Springfield, Missouri — Watch the pitch

• CodeAlgo (Triumfia Houmbie Fulks), Kansas City, Missouri — Watch the pitch

• Nexodesk (Jimmy James, Lopez Maradiaga), Kansas City, Kansas — Watch the pitch

• The Black Pantry (Brian Roberts), Kansas City, Missouri — Watch the pitch

• The AI Hub (James Spikes, Taylor Burris), Kansas City, Missouri — Watch the pitch

• The Next Paige (Elaina Thomas), Kansas City, Missouri — Watch the pitch

• Venboo (Juaquan Herron), Kansas City, Missouri — Watch the pitch

• Vine Street Brewing (Kemet Coleman), Kansas City, Missouri — Watch the pitch

• Wrax (Frankie Elder-Reedy), Pleasanton, Kansas — Watch the pitch

• Yes! Athletics (Deb North), Topeka, Kansas — Watch the pitch

Dr. Shelley Cooper, Diversity Telehealth, center, accepts the $25,000 prize at the 2022 AltCap Your Biz pitch competition; photo by Channa Steinmetz, Startland News

Denisha Jones, Sweet Peaches Cobblers, accepts the $10,000 second place pitch award at the 2022 AltCap Your Biz pitch competition; photo by Channa Steinmetz, Startland News

Now in its 8th year, AltCap Your Biz has awarded a total of more than $200,000 to entrepreneurs building successful companies, enriching their communities and pursuing their dreams.

FROM THE ARCHIVES: AltCap Your Biz 2022 awards $37K in prizes with a familiar face earning biggest win of the night

Certified as a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), AltCap is a source of alternative financing for communities and entrepreneurs that fall outside the financial mainstream.