One of San Diego’s largest angel investor events will return with area startups competing for more than $75,000 in prizes.
The top 10 finalists were named Sept. 24 for the John G. Watson Quick Pitch Competition, including a range of companies from biotechnology, social platforms and software-as-a-service. They were picked from a pool of 280 applicants, a record for the event’s 12-year history.
The companies will have two minutes each to pitch their business to a panel of judges in this Shark Tank-like event. The top three winners will receive a combined $75,000 in cash. They may also find opportunities to receive funding from Tech Coast Angels, which has invested more than $3 million in past participants.
This year’s finalists include:
• OnePitch: A San Diego company that provides a platform for publicists to share their pitches with journalists
Founder and CEO: Beck Bamberger
• LEFT: A Los Angeles-based software solution for group travel organizations, such as study abroad programs
Founder and CEO: Shayanne Wright
• CB Therapeutics: A San Diego company that synthesizes cannabinoids from biosynthetic cannabinoids from sugar
Co-founder and CEO: Sher Ali Butt
• LynxBio: A San Diego company developing precision diagnostic cancer therapies
Founder and CEO: Dr. Chorom Pak
• DoWhop: A San Diego company that provides a peer-to-peer marketplace for shared experiences
Founder and CEO: Rae Lietzau
• The Atlas Marketplace: A Poway company that provides online community for city officials to share projects and ideas
Co-founder and CEO: Elle Hempen
• NeuraLace Medical: A San Diego medical device company providing a non-opioid alternative to pain management
Founder and CEO: Shiv Shukla
• Yembo: A San Diego computer vision AI for professional moving services
Co-founder and CEO: Siddharth Mohan
• Evasyst: An Irvine-based social platform for e-sports
Founder and CEO Justin Weissberg
• Galley Solutions: A San Diego platform for restaurants to help manage kitchen resources
Founder and CEO: Benji Koltai
The competition is sponsored by Tech Coast Angels, San Diego Venture Group and Cox Business. It will take place on Oct. 24, from 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Qualcomm Hall.
