Among my responsibilities as executive director of VisionTech Angels is screening startup companies. Each year, my committee members and I review more than 400 companies seeking investor dollars, selecting about 12 to pitch to our angel investors. It is, by design, a grueling process. I mention this because the Venture Club of Indiana took the same rigorous path for selecting the pitch companies for this year’s Innovation Showcase. Venture Club President Aaron Gillum and Pitch Competition Chair Travis Stegemoller took the “Road to the Showcase,” personally traveling to nine cities across Indiana to find the best of the best to pitch at the Showcase on August 22. My hat’s off to you both plus all of the folks who put on the local pitch competitions. Now, read on for details on the Innovation Showcase Pitch Competition!
The Venture Club of Indiana likes to say we have Indiana’s largest pitch competition, but this year it’s also among the most carefully curated. With the help of local sponsors in nine Indiana cities, we met many enthusiastic entrepreneurs who pitched a wide range of high tech and socially conscious solutions. Choosing the 20 we believed to be the most investor ready to participate in The Innovation Showcase was tough! Here are the 2019 pitch companies:
Evansville
Heliponix
Safekeeping
Fort Wayne
Bukal Beverage Co.
Cool Corp, Inc.
Greater Lafayette
Adranos
Amplified Sciences
Rogo AG, LLC
Indianapolis
AfterSchool HQ
Atlas Energy
Away Zones
Pinpoint Pharma
Plan Forward
Muncie
Tudr
What’s Up 24/7
New Albany
Moxie Girl
Total Mindcare
Northwest Indiana
FlykeArt
South Bend
Frost Control Systems
SIMBA Chain
Terre Haute
Zoro, Inc.
Here’s What You Need to Know About the Pitch Competition
Showcase pitch companies are competing for $20,000 in cash plus in-kind prizes. Equally important, they’re 
competing for the attention of the VCs, angel investors and individual investors in the audience. We’re looking for a big crowd. Have you purchased your tickets yet? Get them here.
We kickoff the Innovation Showcase with registration at 11 a.m. followed by lunch. After welcoming remarks by Venture Club President Aaron Gillum, we get down to business with great speakers, the Expo Hall, and the pitches. See the complete Showcase schedule here.
There are two pitch sessions, one at 2 p.m. and the second at 3:30. With Emcee Dr. Don Kuratko of the IU Kelley School of Business cheering them on, each startup will have three minutes to make their case to the judges. The scores will then be tallied and the judges will huddle before announcing the winners at 5:30.
The day ends on a high note with the VIP Reception and Expo Hall from 5:45 – 7:30p.m. Showcase attendees and entrepreneurs have plenty of time to connect for one-on-one discussions and networking.
The Venture Club of Indiana extends special thanks for our 2019 Innovation Showcase sponsors, without whom this event would not be possible.
Elevate Ventures
Allos
Barnes & Thornburg
Deftly Creative
50 South Capital
Innovation Connector
Katz Sapper & Miller
Lux-Writes
Novel Coworking
Ontario Systems
Purdue Foundry
Purdue Ventures
Signature Bank
VisionTech Angels
When You Leave the Room
Find more information on The Innovation Showcase here. Purchase tickets here.