After thousands of votes cast by readers, the Elite 8 round of Richmond Inno’s Tech Madness bracket is set.
(Scroll down to the bottom to vote companies into the Final Four.)
Despite a massive turnout in Round 2, several matchups were decided by just a few votes.
North South 804 Apps, which upset No. 1 seed ARtGlass in the first round, narrowly came out on top of SSUPP Foods, a maker of sunflower-based food products that recently launched a line of dips. It will face off against supply chain software startup TraceRx in the next round. Another food startup, Chia Bar maker and No. 1 seed Health Warrior, had a close call against product comparison app Brandefy but won the day.
But those weren't the closest contests. The matchup between event platform OccasionGenius and autism support app AnswersNow – the second and third top vote-getters in Round 2 – was decided in OccasionGenius' favor by just four votes. And in the battle of brain versus brawn, fintech software firm ChartIQ took home the W over recreational land rental platform Outdoor Access by another four-point margin.
The Elite 8 features some fierce matchups from standout Richmond tech companies.
OccasionGenius is taking its high-scoring streak into a battle with No. 1 seed Temperpack, which has recently attracted major funding for its sustainable packaging operation. And underdogs EdConnective, an instructional platform for teachers, and Blueswipe, a payment processing startup, are facing off after two strong rounds.
Remember: You’re voting on the companies you would invest in. This can be because you think they’d give you the best return on your investment, or you just believe in the company’s mission. Below is the voting schedule for the rest of the tournament.
Elite 8 – Voting from 3/20 to 3/25
Final Four – Voting from 3/26 to 3/28
Final round – Voting from 3/29 to 4/1
Cast your vote below to see your favorite company make it to the Elite 8.
