Alice Announces Cloud 9 as 2019 Pitch With Purpose Winner
Alice, Johnson & Johnson, Dell Technologies and Global Entrepreneurship Network award cash, mentorship, prizes to help companies achieve UN Sustainable Development Goals Judges from Dell Technologies, Mastercard, Salesforce Essentials, BELLE Capital selected the first place prize
NEW YORK, October 25, 2018 (Newswire.com) - On Wednesday, Cloud 9 was named as the winner of Alice’s 2019 Pitch with Purpose competition at the Fast Company’s Innovation Festival in New York City. First held in 2016, Pitch with Purpose is the first-ever purpose-based pitch competition for diverse entrepreneurs leading high-growth, scalable businesses that contribute to the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Three finalists, Cloud 9, NeedsList and re:3d, beat out hundreds of applicants from four continents to earn the chance to compete live this week.
“At Alice, we have seen a shift in businesses moving towards a triple bottom line of people, planet and profit,” said Elizabeth Gore, president and chairwoman of Alice. “What excites me most about a competition, like Pitch with Purpose, is that the business owners who aren’t traditionally recognized by Silicon Valley can be celebrated and rewarded for their impact on solving some of the world’s biggest challenges.”
At Alice, we have seen a shift in businesses moving towards a triple bottom line of people, planet and profit. What excites me most about a competition, like Pitch with Purpose, is that the business owners who aren't traditionally recognized by Silicon Valley can be celebrated and rewarded for their impact on solving some of the world's biggest challenges.
Elizabeth Gore, President and Chairwoman, Alice
The 2019 Pitch with Purpose finalists represent positive change on many fronts, including behavioral health, humanitarian crises, disaster response and the environment. Cloud 9 is a mobile app that helps physicians, hospitals and law enforcement provide people with behavioral health needs the proper care in real time. NeedsList is the first marketplace for communities in crisis, connecting urgent on-the-ground needs with individual and corporate responders who can fulfill the needs. And re:3d develops industrial 3-D printers available at affordable prices. The printers have been used for disaster response, like in Puerto Rice after Hurricane Maria, and can accept recycled plastics as feedstock.
Access to capital and brand awareness are the top challenges facing business owners today, according to data on Alice, a free website that helps business owners find the right path to start and grow their companies. Pitch competitions are an avenue for entrepreneurs to receive much-needed cash infusions, while also garnering exposure to audiences that can lead to customer acquisition and growth.
The first-place Pitch with Purpose finalist took home a prize package that includes $15,000, thanks to Johnson & Johnson, a Dell Technologies computer, mentorship and a scholarship ticket to the 2019 Circular Summit. The runners-up each earned $2,500 and a scholarship ticket to the 2019 Circular Summit.
The Pitch with Purpose final competition was held at the Rebecca Minkoff Soho store and judged by Georgie Benardete, investor, CEO of Align 17 and co-founder of Orchard Mile; Erik Day, VP and GM, Dell Small Business North America; Rosie Roca, VP, SalesforceIQ; and Ginger Siegel, North America Small Business Lead, Mastercard.
“Entrepreneurs drive innovation around the globe. Not only is entrepreneurship part of the lifeblood of Dell since our early days in Michael Dell’s dorm room, we are tremendously honored that our products are there helping these world changers continue to improve communities,” said Day.
Applications were open to any business with diverse representation on the founding team and services or products that contribute to the resolution of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The past Pitch with Purpose winners are Miraculum Inc., innovators of environmentally safe fire safety products, and Saathi Pads, manufacturers of 100 percent biodegradable sanitary napkins.
ABOUT ALICE
Alice is a free, AI-driven website that helps business owners find the most effective path to start and grow their companies. Founded by serial entrepreneurs Carolyn Rodz and Elizabeth Gore, Alice is built on the premise that by matching business owners with the right opportunities at the right time, they will have a better chance at success, save time and make money. Alice supports equal access and opportunity for all business owners, no matter where they come from or who they know. www.helloalice.com
Source: Alice
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Tags: behavioral health, diverse entrepreneurship, female founders, pitch competition, social enterprise, startup, UN Sustainable Development Goals
