Med tech, energy storage companies from Orlando win money at pitch competition
Two Orlando companies are a little bit richer today after impressing a panel of judges at a venture capital conference last week.
The medical device company SegAna won $25,000 and energy storage tech firm Capacitech Energy took home $10,000 at the Florida Venture Forum on Friday.
“In addition to providing access to capital, these events provide a vital opportunity to showcase Florida’s flourishing startup ecosystem,” Space Florida CEO Frank DiBello said in a news release.
Orlando is home to a growing startup community and last month hosted a visit from former America Online CEO Steve Case, who spent a day here to highlight startups in the region.
Over two days last week, the Florida Venture Forum hosted its Early Stage Capital Conference at the Omni ChampionsGate in Orlando.
Twenty companies from a variety of industries pitched to an audience of investors, professionals and entrepreneurs.
Boca Raton’s SaferWatch, which allows residents to send pictures, text, video and audio files directly to law enforcement and public safety agencies, won the top prize of $50,000.
Orlando’s SegAna, which has a cloud-based software that uses artificial intelligence to enhance radiation treatment of cancer, took home the second-largest prize of the competition.
More than 150 businesses applied to be a part of the conference.
“The overwhelming number of applications for presenting slots at this year’s conference is a sign of an increasingly healthy seed and early stage startup ecosystem,” Florida Venture Forum President and CEO Kevin Burgoyne said in the release.
STAT3 Therapeutics of Coral Springs took home $15,000 and Capacitech, which has commercialized UCF technology for energy storage, rounded out the list of winners.
Source: orlandosentinel
