Form did not hold in the initial matchups of Cleveland Inno's inaugural Inno Madness competition.
After more than 500 votes were cast, four lower-seeded companies have advanced to the second round of our bracket-style challenge — in which readers vote to advance companies based on one question: Who would you invest in?
Those winners include #15 seed Cleveland Kitchen, which advanced out of its match-up against #2 seed Splash Financial.
The other lower-seeded companies that won their Round 1 match-ups were #11 seed RevAir, #13 seed Thrivable and #14 seed AgileBlue.
Top seed SPR Therapeutics advanced out of Round 1. It now will take on #8 seed Cleveland Diagnostics.
Also advancing to Round 2 are #5 seed Peak Nano and #7 seek Checkpoint Surgical, which edged out #10 seed Lazurite Holdings by seven votes cast.
Voting is now open in Round 2. You can cast your votes through Sunday, March 13.
Find out more about the eight companies competing in Round 2 below, and read the contest rules here.
You can learn more about all 16 companies competing in Inno Madness here, as we look to shine a spotlight on businesses in the Cleveland area that are driving innovation locally.
And with that, let the Round 2 voting begin.
Matchup 1
#1 SPR Therapeutics Inc.: SPR Therapeutics is a medical-device company that works to provide patients with pain relief without opioids or surgery, featuring its Sprint PNS System. The company in October closed a $37 million funding round.
#8 Cleveland Diagnostics Inc.: Cleveland Diagnostics is a clinical-stage biotechnology company that develops diagnostic tests for the early detection of cancers. The company raised more than $19 million last year to help commercialize its first test, which helps detect early prostate cancer.
Matchup 2
#5 Peak Nanosystems LLC: Peak Nano is a commercialization engine for nanotechnology. In October, the company closed a $25 million funding round aimed at increasing the production of its optical lenses and developmental scale films for capacitors and specialty film applications.
#13 Thrivable: Thrivable is a market-research company that aims to help health-care companies more quickly complete surveys, polls, interviews and usability studies. The company last year secured $1.7 million in funding.
Matchup 3
#15 Cleveland Kitchen: Cleveland Kitchen is a manufacturer of fermented foods such a sauerkraut, pickles, kimchi and salad dressings. The company late last year won a contract to distribute two new products exclusively to Sprouts Farmers Markets in 23 states.
#7 Checkpoint Surgical Inc.: Checkpoint Surgical develops medical devices that serve to protect and repair nerves. The company last year raised $16 million to support a sales expansion and multiple product launches as well as research and development work.
Matchup 4
#11 RevAir LLC: RevAir produces a hair drying and straightening system. The company last year closed a $9 million funding round.
#14 AgileBlue: AgileBlue is a cybersecurity company that works to help businesses protect their data from ransomware, phishing and other cyber threats that hit around the world every day. The company late last year raised $2.25 million in preferred equity from a group of experienced technology and private-equity investors.
