See the four winners in this year’s Venture Madness competition
CIRQ+ is one of four winners in the 2020 Venture Madness business competition. The Scottsdale-based startup provides an artificial intelligent technology platform in hospitality designed to modernize and transform any guest room into a smart room.
Invest Southwest, the Arizona Commerce Authority and various judges chose the winners out of 27 finalists who participated in the annual business pitch contest.
By Hayley Ringle– Reporter, Phoenix Business Journal
Feb 24, 2020, 11:37am MST
Three Phoenix-area tech startups were among the four companies chosen to win $15,000 each in the 2020 Venture Madness early stage startup competition.
Invest Southwest, the Arizona Commerce Authority and various judges chose the winners out of 27 finalists who participated in the annual business pitch contest.
Karen Katzorke, executive director of Invest Southwest, said they were “really happy” with this year’s event, which had more than 230 attendees Feb. 20 at the Tempe Center for the Arts.
“Attendees (which included eight regional investment firms) all enjoyed having four tracks this year and were happy to see the increased prize offerings from $10,000 last year to $15,000 this year for each winner,” Katzorke said in an email. “We are excited to see what is in the works for all participating companies in the future.”
The prize money is from Invest Southwest, a Phoenix-based nonprofit committed to the region’s startup community with the support of its partners. Partners include angel investors, venture capital firms and corporate ventures.
This year’s four winners are:
Consumer category: AdWallet, an Albuquerque, New Mexico-based startup that rewards consumers for watching videos and completing online surveys from various brands.
Tech category: CIRQ+, a Scottsdale-based startup that provides an artificial intelligent technology platform in hospitality designed to modernize any guest room into a smart room.
Medical category: Additive Implants Inc., a Phoenix-based startup that created a U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved, 3D-printed titanium alloy cervical spacer system for use in back and neck surgeries.
Software-as-a-service category: Televeda, a Phoenix-based startup that provides live and live-streamed gaming, educational and wellness classes for senior adults, with the goal to alleviate social isolation.
Diana Vowels, vice president of community for Galvanize Inc., was named as the chairwoman for the 2021 Venture Madness competition.
The 27 Venture Madness finalists were announced in January.
By Hayley Ringle
– Reporter, Phoenix Business Journal
Feb 24, 2020, 11:37am MST
Link to Phoenix Business Journal
