Sequestro takes First Place award at the Sept. 9 TCNewTech Pitch Competition

20Fathoms is pleased to announce the winners of the September 9 TCNewTech pitch competition.  

Sequestro won the First Place Award, receiving an award of $5000.

The Sequestro pitch was presented by Juergen Koller. Sequestro, Inc., engineers adsorbents to remove PFAS from water-based environments, providing businesses a cost-effective solution to achieve desired water quality.

The $2000 Second Place Award went to Knowledge Resolution, an evidence verification startup, offering tech solutions and consulting services in the new era of AI. The Knowledge Resolution pitch was presented by Cynthia Morrow.

Health Odyssey Studios and Everfriends.ai also pitched. Health Odyssey Studios revolutionizes diabetes education through immersive storytelling, gamification and virtual reality. EverFriends.ai is a revolutionary mobile app that uses advanced AI to improve the quality of life for older adults with dementia or experiencing loneliness.

Madison Meter with Tilt Think Improv moderated the event. Pitch presentations were judged by a panel of local startup experts including Camille Hoisington, Director of Ecosystem Development at Traverse Connect, Bill Palladino, Founder and Principal Consultant at Krios Consulting, Nick Beadleston, Executive Director at Grove Community Incubator, and Dave Summers, Member at Northern Michigan Angels and SCORE Traverse City and Chairman of Development for TC International Affairs Forum.

The evening also celebrated the 10th anniversary of TCNewTech. Lowell Gruman, Managing Partner at Boomerang Catapult, and Jody Lundquist, Partner and CFO at Boomerang Catapult and Executive Director at Northern Michigan Angels, gave remarks in honor of the occasion. TCNewTech launched at a time when the local tech and startup community was very early-stage and there were few formal opportunities for networking, peer-support, and idea sharing.

One the biggest successes of TCNewTech is how it inspired a cultural shift in Traverse City. Today, Traverse City boasts a number of networks where founders can build connections like 20Fathoms, Grove, Office of Opportunities, and Founder’s First Friday. But before all of these existed… there was TCNewTech that inspired it all. Over the past 10 years, 275 companies have pitched at TCNewTech and more than $85,000 has been awarded. Pitch events have provided the visibility and connections to help launch numerous local startups including Hybrid Robotics, First Ignite, Stocked, Meeting Maker, Earthly After, Wave Lumina, Fractional Insights, and Blooma.

The next TCNewTech will be on November 18. Applications to pitch will open in September.

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, Inc., AccessPoint, MSUFCU, Aurora Patents, and UpNorth HealthTech.