VCET Announces Finalists for Upcoming $25k Pitch Event
Seven Local Female-Founded Startups to Compete for $25k
Middlebury, VT (September 17, 2018) – The Vermont Center for Emerging Technologies (VCET) and Middlebury College today announced the seven finalists for their premier upcoming pitch event on September 27. The ‘Female Founders StartHere Challenge’ is a pop-up startup pitch event offering $25k in cash prizes. VCET and Middlebury College created the competition to highlight the impact of women-led companies, and to increase access to capital and supporting resources for local female-founded startups and ventures.
Forty-four companies from across Vermont submitted during the twenty-day application period. The following seven companies have been selected as finalists to compete for the Challenge’s cash prize:
- Pictal Health, Katie McCurdy
- Wheel Pad, Julie Lineberger
- Cora Ball, Rachael Miller
- Visura, Adriana Letorney
- Courtney Reckord Jewelry, Courtney Reckord
- Overeasy, Eva Shaw
- Elmore Mountain Therapeutics, Ashley Reynolds
Governor Phil Scott stated previously, “This ‘StartHere Challenge’ provides an opportunity for Vermonters from all over the State to celebrate and discover ways to support female-founded companies.”
The event is made possible by the generous support of the Vermont Technology Council, Hinda and Joel Miller, the Vermont Community Foundation, the Vermont Women’s Fund, Middlebury College’s Innovation Hub, and Hotel Vermont. Presenting entrepreneurs will benefit from the deep experiences of the three judges: Hinda Miller, Founder of Deforest Concepts and Jogbra; Mary Cullinane, Partner at Community Barn Ventures; and Lucie Ide, Founder of Rimidi and alumna of Middlebury College.
The free event will be held at Middlebury College’s Dana Auditorium on September 27, 2018, from 5:30-8pm. The event is open to the public. Please register to attend the event at: https://StartHereChallenge.eventbrite.com
