After a long, exhilarating week hunting down the coolest new startups in Austin and Seattle, I’m proud to announce the winners of our recent TechCrunch Pitch-offs.
They triumphed through a sixty-second pitch, stood up against a barrage of questions from local venture capitalists and TechCrunch editors, and most importantly, impressed hundreds of potential users in the audience.
So without any further ado, meet the winners:
Austin:
First place – TeVido Biodevices
TeVido BioDevices is an early-stage life sciences/biotech company using 3D bio-printing of a woman’s own living cells to build custom grafts for breast cancer reconstruction. Their first product is targeted to improve nipple reconstruction and later fill lumpectomies.
Second place – Peep
Peep is a piece of hardware that attaches to your door’s peephole. By connecting to an app on your smartphone, you can see who’s at your front door whether your home or not, and people can even leave in-person voicemails when you miss them.
Audience Choice – Stretch Recipes
Stretch is a life-made-easy app that helps people pair their budget with food dislikes to make purchasing decisions at the grocery store. Stretch provides nutritional chef recipes while letting users earn points towards coupons.
Seattle:
First place – EssayMentors
EssayMentors is an online and/or in-person mentoring program that helps teenagers write their college application essays. The company partners with schools and non-profits to provide tools to students.
Second place – VetCommander
VetCommander is a platform that connects veterans with the right job. The service offers the chance to create an interactive video resume, ensuring the vet always gets feedback (whether the interviewer responds or not) and offering a better way for the employer to get to know them.
Audience Choice – Canary
Canary is an on-demand mobile marijuana delivery service aimed toward medical card holders in Seattle and Denver. The app lets you filter by strain or dispensary and promises delivery within an hour. The company hires medical card-holding, knowledgable couriers to ensure the end user gets a great experience.
All of these winners will attend TechCrunch Disrupt in San Francisco this fall, with the first place companies getting a table in Startup Alley.
We had a blast in Austin and Seattle and thank both cities for welcoming us. Until next time, take a look at the pictures.