This year's Inno Madness has concluded. You can see the final results here.
In two Cinderella stories, a pair of environmentally focused startups have clinched spots in the finals of Inno Madness, where they’ll go head-to-head for the 2023 title.
No. 13 seed Rego mounted a late comeback in the semifinals to defeat No. 16 seed Respage. Respage led by a wide margin throughout the first few days of voting with as much as 70% of the vote before Rego rallied to take the lead. Rego, which is based in Philadelphia, uses technology to help residents and property managers at multifamily complexes divert furniture that would otherwise end up in landfills.
Rego will now square off with the bracket's No. 14 seed, Carbon Reform, which knocked off No. 10 seed Motobyo in the semifinal round. The Delaware startup is also focused on helping the environment, but in a decidedly different way. As its name suggests, it is working to reduce carbon emissions by integrating its tool into building HVAC systems for carbon capture.
Neither company has had an easy road to the final, dethroning higher-ranked seeds along the way. Rego took out No. 12 seed Navengage and No. 4 seed WatchBox in the first two rounds of competition.
Similarly, Carbon Reform has had to oust some heavy hitters en route to the championship round. In its first matchup, the company upset Ascella Health, this year’s No. 3 seed, before going on to defeat No. 11 seed Lux Ice in Round 2.
Who will take home the title? That’s up to you. Voting for the championship runs through April 3 at 11:59 p.m.
Read more about the finalists below and then cast your vote:
- Rego: According to the Environmental Protection Agency, Americans throw out about 12 million tons of furniture each year. Philadelphia-based Rego is looking to reduce that figure. Founded in 2020, Rego's platform gives residents and property managers the tools to divert waste with technology. The company works with multifamily communities to pick up and distribute goods to nonprofits. Since its launch, Rego has salvaged 90,000 tons of furniture.
- Carbon Reform: Founded by two University of Delaware alums, Carbon Reform is looking to improve air quality and reduce carbon emissions from buildings. Based in Wilmington, the firm raised a $3 million seed round in November, the same month its founders were named to the annual Forbes 30 Under 30 list. Founded in 2020, Carbon Reform is looking to democratize carbon capture by creating a device that can be integrated into existing HVAC systems.
CLICK HERE TO VOTE IN THE FINALS.
Questions about Inno Madness? Read the contest rules here.
