Last weekend we had the pleasure of setting up shop (a.k.a. our booth), at the Milky Way - Tech For Good Pitch Out! This pitch competition brought leading entrepreneurs under one roof with the goal of supporting, encouraging, and providing new and equitable funding opportunities to these entrepreneurs.
To be considered, entrepreneurs (from any industry) had to be currently leading an early-stage technology startup, with the aim of making a positive impact in Milwaukee and/or their local city.
Seven startups competed for:
- $10k equity-free funding
- Free tech startup consulting
Finalists were selected based on a range of criteria, including:
- Innovation: What is new or innovative about your tech product or service?
- Impact: What positive impact does your business have for Milwaukee and/or other cities?
- Business Model: (For-profit startups only) Your startup is “venture-scalable;” there is potential to grow into a billion-dollar venture.
- Theory of Change: (Nonprofit startups only) Your startup has a strong and clear theory of change; there is contextual knowledge of public policy, economics, and/or technology.
Congratulations to the first-place winner, DiasterMed, a location-based platform aiming to assist people in finding aid during a natural disaster.
Milwaukee is the Milky Way Tech Hub.
Jet Constellations’ Milky Way Tech Hub initiative works to transform Milwaukee into a tech hub that represents the city’s diverse population through community workshops, panels, talks, hackathons, and design thinking sessions. It is evident that diversity in STEM spurs innovation and plays a significant role in ensuring the best ideas and solutions see the light of day. An inclusive tech scene in Milwaukee will help the city reach its full potential. Milwaukee will be known as The Milky Way, a tech hub made up of creators and innovators that are representative of its population.
Brilliance is extremely proud to be the Milky Way Tech Hub's first official partner. We can't wait to see what the future brings to this out-of-this-world initiative!
