PRESS RELEASE: Winners of reSET’s 2018 Venture Showcase Revealed
–Three Connecticut Startups Awarded $20,000 in Unrestricted Funding–
(HARTFORD, CONN., MAY 11, 2018) – reSET, the Social Enterprise Trust (www.reSETCo.org), whose mission is advancing the social enterprise sector and supporting entrepreneurs of all stripes, revealed the winners of its 2018 Venture Showcase last night at the YG Club at Dunkin’ Donuts Park to a sellout crowd of 225.
The annual event recognizes the talented entrepreneurs and innovative businesses that have just graduated from reSET’s nationally recognized accelerator. 18 early stage enterprises graduated from the recent cohort, and last night, eight finalists competed for $20,000 in unrestricted funding. The applicant pool for the latest class was the most competitive yet with 110+ submissions from allover the world.
The entrepreneurs pitched their business models to an audience of founders, investors, and community and corporate stakeholders. An esteemed panel of judges, including Claire Leonardi, Former CEO of Connecticut Innovations; Alan Mattamana, Partner at Fairview Capital Partners; and Lalitha Shivaswamy, President of Helios Management Corporation, selected the ultimate winners. Recipients of the competition’s various awards are listed below.
reSET Impact Awards:
$10,000
Loki
$6,000
Florapothecarie
http://www.florapothecarie.com
$4,000
Bare Life
Superlative Award:
“Most Improved Pitch”
FieldOwler
Other finalists:
CNG Fit, LLC / Fit Party Me
Lioness Magazine
http://www.lionessmagazine.com
Noteworthy Chocolates
http://www.noteworthychocolates.com
RecordME
SKYWIREme
The Accelerator program and Venture Showcase was made possible by reSET’s partners and sponsors: CTNext (Platinum Sponsor), The Hartford Foundation for Public Giving (Platinum Sponsor), Travelers (Platinum Sponsor), The Walker Group (Founding Partner and Gold Sponsor), Bank of America (Gold Sponsor), The Hartford (Silver Sponsor), GoodWorks Insurance (Silver Sponsor), and People’s United Community Foundation (Bronze Sponsor). SnapSeat Photo Booths also provided in-kind services.
Since 2013, reSET has graduated 105 companies from its accelerator program and has awarded more than a quarter of a million dollars to scaling ventures.
About reSET
reSET, the Social Enterprise Trust is a non-profit organization whose mission is to advance the social enterprise sector. reSET serves all entrepreneurs, but specializes in social enterprise ― impact driven business with a double and sometimes triple bottom line. In addition to providing co-working space and accelerator and mentoring programs, reSET aims to inspire innovation and community collaboration, and to support entrepreneurs in creating market-based solutions to community challenges. reSET’s goal is to meet entrepreneurs wherever they are in their trajectory and to help them take their businesses to the next level.
