February 25, 2026 - 2:03 pm
Vanly takes First Place award at the Feb. 24 TCNewTech Pitch Competition
20Fathoms is pleased to announce the winners of the February 24 TCNewTech pitch competition.
First Place & Audience Choice
Vanly won the First Place Award, receiving an award of $5000.
The Vanly pitch was presented by Matt Larson. Vanly is a marketplace that helps RV travelers book convenient overnight parking outside, in, and around downtowns, events, and local attractions. Hosts monetize underused space like lots, driveways, and small business parking, while travelers get a simple, reliable place to stay close to where they want to be. By making RV visits easier, Vanly drives incremental visitor spending to downtown restaurants, shops, and entertainment.
Second Place
The $2000 Second Place Award went to Automations Nirvana. Automations Nirvana designs and implements AI automations into small and medium-sized businesses with a focus on AI voice applications. The Automations Nirvana pitch was presented by Ben Montgomery.
Traverse City’s Community Pitch Event
Bullie and MeetingMaker also pitched. Bullie is an AI-powered productivity platform built for people who feel overwhelmed, burned out, and stuck despite trying countless planners and apps. MeetingMaker is a geolocation-based mobile app which allows people with substance use-related offenses to discreetly verify attendance for recovery meetings and other court-specific probation requirements.
The next TCNewTech will be on April 21. Applications to pitch are open on a rolling basis for 2026.
TCNewTech is made possible through the generosity of community partners including Presenting Partner SJA Solutions and Supporting Partners Honor Bank, Grand Valley State University, RJG, Inc., Huntington Bank, MSUFCU, Aurora Patents, and Incentmed IP.