Newport News-based ivWatch, a medical device innovator, won the Virginia Startup World Cup Regional Final in Virginia Beach on Aug. 28, the event organizer announced.
Innovate Hampton Roads partnered with the city of Virginia Beach to host the qualifying competition. Now, ivWatch will advance to the global finals in San Francisco on Oct. 4 to compete against startups from around the world for a $1 million prize.
Nearly 100 founders from across Virginia applied to pitch their business ideas for the regional event at Zeiders American Dream Theater but only 10 made it to the final round, according to Innovate Hampton Roads.
Each competitor delivered a four-minute pitch to an audience filled with fellow startup founders, investors and five secret judges, Innovate Hampton Roads Executive Director Tim Ryan reported. The judges included Himalaya Rao-Potlapally of The BFM Fund in Hampton, Aurelia Flores and Dustin Dunbar of Virginia Venture Partners, Craig Snodgrass of Valor Ventures and Kate Byrne of The Tulle-Box.
The judges selected ivWatch, which developed patient monitoring devices to enhance IV safety, for the life-changing impact of its technology and potential for global influence, Ryan reported.
