On Tuesday, the Connecticut Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation hosted its first “Get Seeded” event of the year, where various contestants compete for $1,000 in seeding money after presenting a short elevator pitch. The event allows budding entrepreneurs of any age to appear in front of a large audience and share some of their best ideas.
Those familiar with “Shark Tank” are most likely aware of how important the elevator pitch is. Each contestant presented a slide deck of their product, with the goal of convincing the panel of judges to consider them for the $1,000 plan. Audience members were also encouraged to ask questions to find out more about each startup and how their plans could translate into the real world.
While devoid of personalities as eccentric as Kevin O’Leary, “Get Seeded” is filled with brilliant ideas that seek to better our communities. Every presentation had a wide variety of applications, making each one stand out from the others. Some were medically focused, while others centered on education.
Toribio’s pitch involved creating an EKG and heart rate monitor that’s able to transmit more information than most fitness trackers, while being less invasive than traditional medical devices. Through special conductive polymers, this form of smart clothing proposes a revolutionary approach to medical monitoring devices.
Another company, Milieu, pitched a social app for connecting people with neurodiversity, allowing them to interact with others who have the same unique experiences as them. This product seeks to connect people who aren’t catered to by traditional social apps with a more caring and kind experience.
“There will be features that will be able to connect students via events organized in a central news feed,” said founder Sabrina Uva.
UniBond is another startup that approaches research assignments in college from a global perspective, allowing students from around the world to connect with one another to collaborate on research projects. This score-based system intends to link students with similar interests and skill levels, and encourages them to go beyond borders to work with people of different backgrounds.
Another student-focused program, PazaTech, explained its goal to educate students in rural parts of Kenya who struggle to gain access to the iInternet. As described in their mission statement by founder Nicole Muthoni, “PazaTech helps close the digital divide that is a new form of colonialism.”
After the presentation period, the winners were decided in a vote by audience members. In third place, UniBbond received the $500 prize, followed by $750 for Toribio in second place. For first place, Milieu received the $1,000 grand prize. While not everyone won, all participants do have the chance to return for other contests, including the Wolff Venture Competition in October.
