Pitch Contest
And the winners are- Summerfest Tech Pitch Competition Edition
The Summerfest Tech Pitch Competition returned on June 26 with eight startups competing for a chance to win a share of $50,000 in prize money.
The competition, produced by Young Enterprising Society in partnership with Molson Coors Beverage Company, saw a record number of applicants from across the globe.
The Judges
The judges for the competition were Kristen Benbazza, Vice President of Data, Analytics & AI at Molson Coors; Jessica Boling, Assistant Deputy Director of Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA); Terese Caro, President and CEO of Legacy Redevelopment Corporation; Maggie Fernandes of WePivot; Paul Hoesly, Chief Financial and Strategy Officer at Potawatomi Ventures; Robert Kraft, founder and CEO of Atlas World Sports; Kendrick Pullen, co-founder of LifeTagger; and Rich Schudellari, founding partner of Penny Jar Capital.
The Competitors
Founder Ashton Keys presented his company created to match college athletes with brands looking for social media partnerships. The company has raised $1.5 million in capital to date and is currently representing more than 200 athletes at three universities.
Founder Austin Kreinz launched his third-party logistics business in 2020. Since then, the company has created 50 jobs, generated $13 million in Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) and serves more than 120 brands. The company is headquartered in a 60,000 square foot warehouse in Cudahy and recently opened a 30,000 square foot location in Salt Lake City.
Bill Allen, the co-founder, CEO and CTO presented his company’s fintech solution that would mitigate risk to community banks when cashing government issued checks. While designed to serve banks, Allen also explained how the service would improve the lives of those currently using checking cashing services in lieu of traditional banks.
Brothers Benji and Warren Friedl created software to manage loss and found services for large venues. The service reunites event attendees with their lost items. The revenue-generating company has served 110 events in 2024.
Laura Markewicz told the story of her alcohol-free mocktail and mixer formulated to minimize the day-after effects of alcohol while using adaptogens to promote feelings of well-being in consumers.
Music Administrator and founder Aichelle White showcased her career management tools created for musicians located in Wisconsin.
Founder Jeffery Beckham Jr. presented his software platform that gamifies career planning education for teens. The multi-award-winning technology provides companies opportunities to connect with an emerging talent pool through internship and scholarship programs. Beckham reported the program earned $400,000 in ARR after one year in operation.
Co-founder Kyle Jansson showcased the company’s life-saving medical device designed to ensure patients’ medical tubing remains untangled and secure during transport. Created by a nurse, the device has earned U.S. and international patents.
Ashton Keys of Athlytic.
Austin Kreinz of Atomix Logistics.
Bill Allen of Econofi.
Benji Friedl of Liff Happens.
Laura Markewicz of Lotza.
Aichelle White of MuSample.
Jeffery Beckham Jr. of REACH Pathways.
Kyle Jansson and Pat Deno of RoddyMedical Inc.
The contestants for the Summerfest Tech Pitch Competition 2024.
The Winners
Winner, $20,000: REACH Pathways, Chicago
Second Place, $10,000: RoddyMedical Inc., Milwaukee
Third Place, $5,000: Liff Happens, Chicago
Hometown Winner, $5,000: Roddy Medical Inc., Milwaukee
Competitors, $2,000: Athlytic, Detroit; Atomix, Milwaukee; Econofi, Chicago; Lotza, Menomonee Falls; MuSample, Milwaukee
