“I’m out.” Those are two words every person pitching an idea, business or product hopes to never hear. Thankfully, the Innovation District’s Investor Showcase is more about learning than feeding you to the sharks.
The Investor Showcase, held Nov. 3, 2022 at the Delta Innovation Hub, is a chance for UGA startups that have put in the blood, sweat and tears to take on a chance on the big stage and pitch their businesses to potential investors. Not only could these pitches lead to real funding, but they help further prepare startup leaders by offering advice for when they are out of the nest and fighting for investment.
This is Innovation Gateway’s second time hosting the Investor Showcase with the assistance of mentor-on-roster Ravi Sinha. Sinha is the co-founder and CEO of an early-stage business in the social media space and has served as chief executive for multiple ventures since 1999. He has led equity investments in tech and non-teach for investors, as well as for Hewlett-Packward, which resulted in favorable exits.
The three UGA startups to brave a swim in the deep end were Infrared RX, SG Endocrine and Chiktopia, with a surprise pitch at the end of the night by undergraduate Ashley Galanti. Galanti is the most recent winner of the Quick Pitch Competition, an event held in conjunction with the Terry entrepreneurship program. This year’s investors were Ross Kimbel, managing director and partner at Silicon Road Ventures; De’Havia Stewart, investor at Anthemis; and Paul Lopez, co-founder and partner at 11-11 Ventures and board chair at TiE Atlanta.
