On Thursday of NOLATech Week, the leading publication for tech news TechCrunch held its second Meetup + Pitch-Off in the big easy. Seven startups had 60 seconds to pitch to a panel of expert judges for a shot at a table in Startup Alley at the next TC Disrupt conference.
The pitch-off was moderated by Jordan Crook of TechCrunch. Photo by Julia Ballard.
After the question and answer rounds and then judges deliberations, the winner of the evening was announced.
Blake Haney of Locally (also the co-founder of Dirty Coast), the new online platform for discovering products and brands to then locate in stores near you, took home the top prize. The startup is bringing Main Street online. Launched in July 2014, Locally now has 4.2 million in-stock product units tracked from 2671 brands in 162 cities.
The runner-up was Fantastic Casket, a company providing funeral consultation with a focus on remembering the characteristics, soul and spirit of deceased loved ones.
Audience choice award went to Meusu, a platform that provide individuals a way to take their unwanted task and chores, and turn them into income opportunities for members of their community.
Judges included: Jon Atkinson, director of Loyola University’s Center for Entrepreneurship; Colin Grussing, co-founder of 52businesses; Leslie Jacobs, CEO of the New Orleans Startup Fund; Gerard Ramos, founder of development shop Revelry; and Chris Reade, president at LookFar, an idea acceleration company.