About this Event
Kaplan Pitch Tank is the Startup Studio’s year-end event in which the top student-led startups at Illinois Tech will compete for a prize pool of over $50,000!
Here's what you can expect:
Audience Choice Competition
When you arrive at Kaplan Pitch Tank, you will receive three voting tokens which you can give to your favorite startups. You will have 30 minutes to explore the startup exhibition room to meet the founders and learn about their startups before deciding who to vote for.
Audience Choice Prizes:
1st place - $TBD
2nd place - $TBD
3rd place - $TBD
Finalist Pitches
Out of the following teams, we will select the top 5 that will compete as finalists:
- Blacksmith Studios provides resources to owners of personal 3D printers who don't have the skills or time to make things to print.
- Elevate aims to help young professionals create meaningful connections that enhance their overall ability to communicate by organizing monthly events.
- Green Grid gives energy utility companies the ability to leverage distributed energy resources to support the grid during times of extended peak demand and during power outages.
- HoneyCo seeks to mend the gap between video game development teams and their fans while supporting artists and creators.
- Neighborunity.com is a platform that serves as a social network with multiple services exclusive to residents in the same building that makes their life more convenient.
- StarPay provides a peer-to-peer payment network to efficiently settle payments in a simple, fast and secure manner for the unbanked and underbanked population in Mexico.
- Tech Organics is an at-home hydroponic kit that allows customers of all income levels to grow organic high-quality produce at home year-round.
- Upwards Aero scales existing drone technology to bring high performance, recreational sports vehicles into the 3rd dimension—no pilots license required.
Each finalist will deliver a 5-minute pitch, followed by 5 minutes of Q&A with the judges panel.
Special Keynote Speaker
Mark Achler, Managing Director at MATH Venture Partners and co-author of Exit Right, will be delivering the keynote presentation.
Award Ceremony
We will announce the three audience choice winners and the three grand prize winners of Kaplan Pitch Tank.
Kaplan Pitch Tank Grand Prizes:
1st place - $TBD
2nd place - $TBD
3rd place - $TBD
Networking Event
We will have an optional networking event following the Award Ceremony. This will be an opportunity to chat with the founders, judges, and fellow audience members!
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Ed Kaplan Family Institute for Innovation and Tech Entrepreneurship—Tellabs Innovation Alley, 3137 South Federal Street, Chicago, United States
USD 0.00