Eight companies are left in this year's Inno Madness competition.
There were 734 votes cast in the latest round, which saw established Chicago companies including Farmer's Fridge and Relativity fall in close matches.
Two 16 seeds have made it to the final eight: TegoTech, a hard-tech startup led by Northwestern University grad Chirag Goel that makes safer wall outlets, and Zuri Fertility, a digital fertility clinic co-founded by two Northwestern grads.
Every match came down to the wire this round, with Pilot Project Brewing, a local brewery incubator, edging out Bracketology, a Chicago startup bringing fantasy sports to reality television, by just six votes.
Nature's Fynd, the only remaining No. 1 seed, continues to cruise toward the finals with over 55% of the vote this round.
Check out the bracket below to see which other companies made it to the next round. Voting for Round 4 will close at midnight next Tuesday.
For those just joining us now or in need of a reminder, here is an Inno Madness 2024 breakdown:
What is Inno Madness?
Inno Madness is our friendly, bracket-style challenge where readers vote to advance companies based on one question: Which would you invest in?
Whether you believe in one mission or product over the other, or would prefer to back a more established company versus an early-stage startup, how you answer that question is entirely your decision. The bracket is designed to spotlight a slice of the Chicago innovation community.
Here are the companies still in the competition:
Nature's Fynd: A startup that’s created a new method for producing meatless and dairy-free foods.
The Mom Project: A startup that helps companies hire female candidates.
Aqua Cultured Foods: A startup that's making alternative seafood made from fermentation.
Echo Labs: An AI platform capable of human-level transcription.
Pilot Project Brewing: Founded in Chicago in 2019, a launchpad for startup breweries.
Mella Pet Care: A pet care startup offering a thermometer that takes a pet's temperature under the hind leg of a cat or dog.
TegoTech: A hard-tech startup making safer wall outlets.
Zuri Fertility: A patient-centered digital fertility clinic.
