Five tech startups will pitch their innovations during the Tech419 Pitch Competition and networking event hosted by The University of Toledo Business Incubator on Thursday, Nov. 7.
Formerly known as “Pitch & Pour,” the reimagined event is one of northwest Ohio’s largest entrepreneurial competitions and features regional entrepreneurs battling for more than $19,000 in business funding. Competitors will have five minutes to pitch their concepts to a judging panel of local entrepreneurs, tech experts and investors.
Joyce Kilpatrick, with TackBox, a northwest Ohio start-up that developed a digital marketplace for equine show vendors and competitors, makes her first-place pitch to a panel of judges during 2023’s Tech419 (formerly “Pitch & Pour) event.
The event also will offer ample opportunities for networking with investors, entrepreneurs and business leaders, fostering collaboration within the region’s growing innovation ecosystem.
The free, public event begins at 5:30 p.m. in the Nitschke Technology Commercialization Complex on Main Campus. Parking in Area 20 is free starting at 3 p.m.
Among the tech innovations this year are two with connections to UToledo — a high-yield plastic recycling process created by Dr. Sridhar Viamajala, a professor in the Department of Bioengineering, and a web and mobile application for local event discovery founded by UToledo alumnus Derek Whitaker.
Last year’s first-place winner was Joyce Kilpatrick with TackBox, a northwest Ohio startup that developed a digital marketplace for equine show vendors and competitors.
The 2024 teams at the Tech419 Pitch Competition:
• Avani Enterprizes, pitched by Sridhar Viamajala, a professor in the Department of Bioengineering and founder and CEO of Avani Enterprizes. It is a high-yield recycling process for waste polypropylene, which produces a near-virgin product that can be used as a direct polypropylene replacement in the manufacturing process, reducing environmental impact and supporting a circular economy.
• CerviStrength Solutions, pitched by Dr. Burton Rogers, director of Sports Medicine Partnerships and Business Development at Mercy Health and founder of CerviStrength Solutions. It is a comprehensive system that tests patient neck strength and uses output data to determine concussion risk and create personalized training programs to increase cervical muscle strength and decrease the likelihood of concussive injuries.
• EventPin, pitched by Matthew Medlin, chief operations officer of EventPin. Founded by UToledo alumnus Derek Whitaker, EventPin is a web and mobile application that revolutionizes local event discovery with a map-based interface that allows users to explore events organically without algorithm interference, data tracking or targeted ads.
• EZ – FIT, pitched by Jomoko Graves, inventor and founder of IDEA Intellectual Property Holdings. EZ – FIT is a durable and intuitive pour spout designed to improve fluid dispensing from 5-gallon buckets, reducing waste and injury risk.
• SuReLight, pitched by Jayaraman Sivaguru, Antonia and Marshall Wilson Professor of Chemistry and associate director at the Center for Photochemical Sciences at Bowling Green State University, and founder and CEO of SuReLight. SuReLight is a plant-based photoinitiator that provides a sustainable, non-toxic solution for curing under UV and visible light, enhancing energy efficiency and safety while allowing customization across various applications, such as automotive finishes and coatings, making it an ideal choice for industries aiming to adopt greener manufacturing practices.
The judging panel consists of Dr. Thomas Brady, founder of Plastic Technologies Inc. and renowned innovator in packaging technology, credited for his contributions to PET bottle development; April Welch, deputy director of economic development for the city of Toledo, focused on fostering local business growth and supporting regional entrepreneurs; Lisa Halsey, senior program associate at Women of Toledo, dedicated to empowering women and BIPOC business owners in overcoming barriers to success; Todd Hendricks Jr., president of Robotic Maintenance Vehicles and Pioneer Industrial Systems, driving innovation in automation and robotics; and LeSean Shaw, COO of Actual Reality Technologies and co-founder of EmpoweredAI, advocating for equitable access to technology and promoting Toledo’s tech ecosystem.
All competitors are accepted into the UToledo’s Business Incubator program, which nurtures innovation in northwest Ohio by providing access to capital, professional advising, resources and frameworks crucial to success.
Admission is free, but attendees must be 18 years old or older and pre-register online at the Tech419 website.