MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Local startup companies are going head-to-head for a big check and a chance to grow their business.
It’s a competition put on by an investment firm run by billionaire Steve Case.
Eight local business owners will pitch their ideas to a panel of judges at Clayborn Temple.
The winner gets a $100,000 investment, an amount of money that can change the game for a startup.
One of the competitors is Kayla Graff.
Her company, Sweetbio, uses a type of honey to heal injuries. They’re starting in dentistry but plan on expanding to the whole human body.
$100,000 would help them accelerate their product launch.
“Imagine replacing the cotton pad on a band aid with a square piece of our material,’ the Sweetbio CEO said. “It actually activates your body and regenerates your skin.”
The competition is put on by Revolution, an investment firm run by billionaire and AOL co-founder Steve Case.
The firm is only doing this in a few cities, and Memphis made the cut.
It’s very exciting. It’s really a moment for Memphis where the startup community is bubbling, it’s growing. There’s still a lot of work to do to get the people to support the entrepreneurs and invest in the entrepreneurs, but what we particularly like is there’s entrepreneurs focusing on sectors that really build on Memphis’s strengths.
We’ll let you know who won the competition at 10 p.m.
