Ladies and gentlemen, we have our winners.
In the first of two major startup contests this week, three female social entrepreneurs emerged victorious at the HERImpact DC Pitch Competition.
The competition, sponsored by the Ford Motor Company Fund and 1863 Ventures, came to an end Wednesday night as 10 finalists hit the stage. They were chosen out of 170 applicants for this year's contest, which is the second from HERImpact DC.
The criteria were as follows: The women-led social enterprise must solve a real community problem, have a sustainable business model and focus on a product or service people will pay for. Judges included Alyssa Gill of NextGen Venture Partners, Aurelia Flores of Athena Digital Media Group and Pamela Alexander of Ford Fund.
“It is an honor to be able to shine a spotlight on these amazing women entrepreneurs who prove that social good and capital investment are not fundamentally at odds,” said Melissa Bradley, managing partner of 1863 Ventures, in a statement. “We’re proud to help contribute to a nurturing ecosystem here in D.C. for women entrepreneurs committed to making a difference.”
A total of $50,000 in cash prizes and in-kind support was awarded to the three winners.
Stephanie Cummings and her company Please Assist Me took home first place and $25,000. The startup aims to make home assistant services more accessible for working professionals.
Coming in second and receiving $20,000 was Lina Zdruli and Dafero, a maker of sweets for people with dietary restrictions that focuses on employing vulnerable women, like refugees.
The Audience Choice award went to LaQuida Chancey and her startup organization Smalltimore Homes, which combats homelessness with micro shelters and tiny homes.
Including this competition, HERImpact DC has awarded $100,000 so far in 2019, with a total of $200,000 since its inception last year.
The HERImpact contest was part of DC Startup Week, which will host its own pitch competition Friday night.
