Pitch X: Launch Into A New Decade Recap
YBF teamed up with Academy Xi and Melbourne Silicon Beach for the final pitch night of 2019 (and the decade!) at YBF Melbourne. Focused on jump-starting local up-and-coming ventures, the pitch night invited ten startups to present in front of a 100-strong audience and judging panel.
YBF Ventures was well represented on the night with two of the three judges being members of YBF Melbourne: Rory Manchee, Head of Business Development at Brave New Coin and Michelle Bourke, CEO of Foresight Digital. Melbourne Accelerator Program’s Abena Ofori rounded out the judging panel. YBF’s Chief of Staff, Jason Lim emceed the evening.
The competition played out across two rounds: the first round had startups delivering a 90-second pitch, followed by a rapid fire Q&A from the judges. The top three pitches were selected to present again in round two, where finalists had five minutes to win over the judges and the audience. To increase the night’s intensity, the Pitch X team opted for a ceremonial gong over a hand bell to hurry contestants to wrap up their presentations.
Winner — Sola.io
Sola.io’s Rory Gollow delivered the night’s winning pitch. The startup’s mission is to “bring power back to people” by providing easier access to clean energy for all Australians. Sola.io installs rooftop solar systems free of charge on a user’s home in return for the user purchasing the energy produced from the startup.
Second Place — MotionAI
MotionAI’s primary service, Smart Suite, is a remote monitoring system for individuals requiring care in case they fall. The machine learning artificial intelligence uses motion sensors to track a user’s daily routine and detect any unusual movements. If an emergency is detected, an alert is sent to the user’s support network — a nearby volunteer.
Third Place — CARi
CARi presented on a customised CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) solution for premature babies which also targeted infants with sleep apnoea.
As part of their winnings, Sola.io and Motion AI will be joining the YBF Community and will have access to Academy Xi courses.
YBF Ventures would like to wish a hearty congratulations to the winners and all participants. See you at the next one!
Read a recap of Pitch X’s last pitch night here.
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