20Fathoms is pleased to announce the four companies selected to compete at the TCNewTech pitch competition on November 18, 4:30 – 7:30 pm, at the City Opera House in Traverse City.
Pitch presenters:
Lacuum
Lacuum builds autonomous surface vessels for aquatic and shoreline environmental cleanup, removing the need for crews and chemical agents. Their autonomous surface vessels are purpose-built for lake, river, coastal, and shoreline cleanup, and are designed to detect, remove, and manage pollution efficiently, without the need for crews or chemical agents. The Lacuum pitch will be presented by Amer Abughaida.
Memory Bright
Memory Bright creates digital tools that assist caregivers and families by enriching the time they share with loved ones living with dementia, improving their overall quality of life. Their app combines caregiver- and client-chosen photos, audio clips, and short narratives into an album, designed to spark conversation and connection. The Memory Bright pitch will be presented by John Velis, Mark DeLonge, and Tom Gordon.
Safety Straw
The Safety Straw product changes color from yellow to red when exposed to a date rape drug, creating a safer, more confident environment for consumers. The Safety Straw pitch will be presented by Jack Rushlow.
SampleCSI
SampleCSI is a mobile-and-cloud platform that helps law enforcement capture, label, and track crime scene evidence in real time. Each item is bound to authenticated photos (C2PA), GPS/time, and a tamper-evident digital chain of custody, reducing errors and challenges in court. The SampleCSI pitch will be presented by Russell Schindler.
The pitch presenters will compete for a $5000 first place award, $2000 second place award, and $500 audience favorite award. Pitch presentations will be judged by a panel of local startup experts. In addition, the audience will vote on their favorite pitch.
In addition, the audience will vote on their favorite pitch.
The event will be moderated by Madison Meter with Tilt Think Improv.
Entrepreneurial Journey: Cultured Kombucha
In addition to the pitch competition, the event will include a presentation from Courtney Lorenz, founder of local startup Cultured Kombucha.
Startup Expo
A Startup Expo will also be held in the lobby of the City Opera House before and after the competition.
The community is invited to attend this fun and inspiring event. There is no cost to attend. Reserve your ticket.
About TCNewTech
A program of 20Fathoms, TCNewTech is a recurring pitch competition supported by tech enthusiasts, businesses, and entrepreneurs. Founded in 2015 as a way to connect local tech professionals, TCNewTech is a critical component in Traverse City’s growing startup community. Since its founding, more than 250 companies have pitched and nearly $50,000 in pitch prizes have been awarded.
TCNewTech is made possible through the generosity of community partners including Presenting Partner Celly Health and Supporting Partners SJA Solutions, Honor Bank, Grand Valley State University, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, RJG, AccessPoint, a Venture Employer Services Company, Aurora Patents, MSUFCU, and Up North Healthtech.