Pure Pitch Rally has hit lucky No. 7.
Now in its seventh year, the Kansas City-based event gives local startups a chance to compete for nondilutive cash from investors known as “land sharks.” Each investor will award at least $1,000 to the startup of their choice. The competition also gives startups access to a variety of boot camps covering topics such as branding and pitching. As much as $1 million in cash and resources will be awarded.
Eight startups are pitching during the Oct. 17 Pure Pitch Rally at Burns & McDonnell’s Kansas City headquarters. For the first time, the event also will be live streamed to boost broader awareness.
Many past pitchers have gone on to raise follow-on funding and have been accepted into programs such as Pipeline Entrepreneurs and other accelerators. Stenovate LLC, for example, became the Fountain Innovation Fund’s second investment, and founder Lauren Lawrence was accepted into the Pipeline entrepreneurial fellowship program in 2021.
“As we’ve grown Pure Pitch Rally, we’re proud to witness the corporate and investor community filling a critical needs gap, rising up to support, finance and build equity for our startups. This one- of-a-kind, independently sourced event is proof that the Rally’s rich seven-year history of funding our region’s ecosystem has put Kansas City on the national stage, ultimately giving eight new entrepreneurs more equity and opportunity,” Karen Fenaroli, Pure Pitch Rally founder and 2019 Women Who Mean Business honoree, said in a release.
Last year, Pure Pitch Rally received recognition in Fast Company’s 2021 World Changing Ideas Awards. It received an honorable mention in the Impact Investing category, joining bigwig foundations and funds, such as TPG’s The Rise Fund and Citi Ventures’ City Builder data-driven platform for helping investors, developers, municipalities and others make impactful investments.
Here's this year’s startup lineup:
- AskSAMIE, Brandy Archie: Matches caregivers and patients with the adaptive equipment needed after significant health events or medical procedures.
- CodeAlgo Academy, Triumfia Houmbie Fulks: The gaming platform teaches elementary and middle school students how to code.
- Health Partners MD, Courtney Younglove: Helps employers fight obesity in the workforce with the goal of decreasing medical costs.
- Hermes LST, Rick Macartney: Harnesses technology to smooth the process of vehicle titling and registration, allowing dealers to recognize revenue more quickly.
- Marma, Meredith McAllister: App that provides nutritional guidance, fetal tracking and telehealth support during fertility, pregnancy and postpartum.
- Routine Success, Matt Gunter: A technology aid for neurodiverse adolescents and adults.
- Spyder Inc., Nedra Barr: Helps insurance agents and financial service providers achieve effortless cyber and document storage compliance.
- YAT LLC, Robert Goss: Leverages technology to help logistics brokers scale.
