Baton Rouge Entrepreneurship Week, an annual startup business conference known as BREW, selected the top 11 semi-finalists for its $100,000 pitch competition in November.
More than 40 startups applied to be part of the pitch competition, the first round of which was narrowed by a panel of judges starting with financial history and experience of the company executives.
Baton Rouge-based companies include Block Lawncare, which connects homeowners with employees for landscaping services; digital currency startup Moxey; crime prediction business Crimer; and two telemedicine startups, ACT One Health and Relief Telemed.
Several companies are headquartered in New Orleans: adult incontinence underwear startup The Youni Co. LLC; blockchain accounting startup Gilded; auto accident data startup On Scene Services; child support startup Don't Get Mad Get Paid; and Debtle, a debt collection software company.
One out-of-state startup, Pass it Down Inc., of Chattanooga, Tennessee, builds software that enables museums to have virtual storytelling event timelines. If selected, the company would be required to relocate its headquarters to Louisiana.
Eligible businesses had less than $250,000 in annual revenue and have raised less than $250,000 from investors, but that doesn't include friends and family support.
Startups should have a strong management team and a unique product in a potentially high-growth business.
NexusLA, the event organizer, has plans to host a semi-final round of its pitch competition that's a closed-door session with judges on Oct. 24, some of whom are investors, to better prepare entrepreneurs and give the individuals more time to hone business plans.
The pitches by four finalists will be open to the public on Nov. 15 at the Raising Cane’s River Center downtown.
Information is at https://www.celebratebrew.com/highstakes-pitch.
