Five tech startups — two with direct connections to UToledo — will pitch their innovations during the annual Pitch & Pour competition and networking event hosted by The University of Toledo Business Incubator on Thursday, Nov. 2.
One of northwest Ohio’s largest entrepreneurial competitions, the Pitch & Pour competition features five regional entrepreneurs battling for more than $10,000 in business funding.
One of northwest Ohio’s largest entrepreneurial competitions, the Pitch & Pour competition features five regional entrepreneurs battling for more than $10,000 in business funding.
The free, public event begins at 5 p.m. in the Nitschke Technology Commercialization Complex on Main Campus.
Among the tech innovations this year is a device created by faculty member, Dr. Mouhammad Jumaa, a professor of neurology and program director for Vascular Neurology Fellowship, and his team, as well as UToledo medical students, Neejad Chidiac and Benjamin Record, who are cofounders of Pipnote.
Competitors will have five minutes to pitch their concepts to a judging panel of local entrepreneurs, tech experts and investors.
This year’s teams at the Pitch & Pour event:
• MEDevicE. The telestroke eye examination tool developed by Dr. Mouhammad Jumaa, a professor of neurology and program director for Vascular Neurology Fellowship, and his team to assess visual fields and monitor eye movements of suspected stroke patients. The head-mounted device was designed to contain a camera that faces the eyes of the wearer and allows medical professionals to remotely evaluate the patient’s field of vision without relying on observations from a bedside assistant.
• NEEZ21. Developed by Dr. Kemi Azeez, a Mercy Health physician, NEEZ21 is a rechargeable device that makes rinsing your nasal cavity quick, easy and comfortable. The cleaning system moistens a disposable soft cotton tip with a gentle saline flow. The tip lightly spins to rinse any allergens, viruses or bacteria from the nasal cavity.
• Pipnote. An AI platform built by a team of UToledo students to redefine the accessibility of medical knowledge, Pipnote navigates a comprehensive database of verified medical resources to provide students and clinicians with prompt, accurate, up-to-date answers and a list of corresponding source citations. The interactive tool also adapts to the users’ learning style, transforming the engine into a personalized study aid, helping increase information comprehension and retention.
• TackBox. An app created to connect equine event vendors and attendees, TackBox delivers convenience right to your stall or trailer. The 24/7 digital marketplace lets users coordinate show pre-orders, deliveries, and pick-ups, navigate product lists by location or event, and complete purchases from the palm of their hands. Vendors receive access to a secure portal where they can manage product listings for multiple events, view sales analytics and set hours of operation.
• The Koolpad. A patented case design that provides optimal temperature control for iPads in the most extreme environments. Users can slide specialized heating or cooling packs into the integrated, condensation-free compartment to protect devices from physical damage, operating delays and rapid battery drain.
The judging panel consists of Dr. Anne L. Balazs, dean of the John B. and Lillian E. Neff College of Business and Innovation; Dr. Liang Cheng, professor and chair in the Department of Electrical Engineering; Ebony Carter, Toledo Chamber of Commerce vice president of Minority Business Services and director of the Minority Business Assistance Center; Jessica Sattler, senior project manager for the Northwest Ohio Regional Growth Partnership; and Troy Szopo, valuation advisory director at Stout Risius Ross and director of Woodward Angels, an angel investing group in the greater Detroit area.
All competitors are invited to join UToledo’s Business Incubator program, which nurtures innovation in northwest Ohio by providing access to capital, professional advising, resources and frameworks crucial to success.
Pre-registration for the event is required. For more information and to register, visit the Pitch & Pour website.
