Startup Maryland has announced the winners for the Great Eight and Rural Innovations Challenge from the 2016 STRT1UP Road Show and Pitch Across Maryland, the annual statewide celebration of innovation and entrepreneurship.
Nearly 150 video pitches from Maryland entrepreneurs were assembled during the 2016 STRT1UP Roadshow, with each becoming candidates for various Pitch Across Maryland competitions. This year the Pitch Across Maryland added a Rural Innovation Challenge, CyberSecurity Challenge and the Champions’ Choice categories to the existing Fan Favorites and Overall Great 8.
Quidient and Gunbail were winner/runner-up for the Great 8 competition, with Chord and Real Flexi being honored as winner/runner-up for the Rural Innovation Challenge. The companies join Efflux Systems and SecuLore as winner/runner-up of the Cyber Security Challenge; 5Pop, Picklehead-TipTough and ION Massage as Fan Favorites; as well as Dhremo Therapy, Asli and Elderbird Restoration as Champions’ Choices.
Pitch Across Maryland candidates, finalists and winners were distilled by two separate review panels of serial entrepreneurs, investors and economic development officers during three months and two rounds of judging. Finalists presented their ventures and opportunities during MDCyberDay on Oct. 5, the TEDCO Entrepreneur Expo on Nov. 14 and the STRT1UP Showcase on Dec. 13. In the coming months, Startup Maryland will be kicking off its annual Raise Your Game Bootcamp for Entrepreneurs — the primary program under the Startup Maryland Coaching initiative.
“As we reflect back on five years of celebrating entrepreneurs and innovation, we are humbled by the fact that we have engaged with more than 1,500 high-growth tech ventures and proud that our startup density places Maryland No. 2 for U.S. regions launched as part of Startup America,” said Mike Binko, founder of Startup Maryland.