UMKC pitch competition brings validating relief, cash prizes for emerging founders with big ideas

A popular UMKC pitch competition awarded more than $80,000 in cash prizes to student and full-time entrepreneurs Friday — validating new ideas and emerging ventures alike. 

Dr. Brandy Archie, AskSAMIE, accepts an RVCC award from UMKC’s Ben Williams; photo by Nikki Overfelt Chifalu, Startland News

“I never saw anything like this when I was in college,” said Dr. Brandy Archie, founder of AskSAMIE, who competed in a category especially for established startups at the University of Missouri-Kansas City’s Regnier Venture Creation Challenge. “It’s super inspiring to be able to run a business as a student, win money for your own thing, and see what other people are doing and learn way sooner.” 

For Dr. Shelley Cooper, winning first place and a cash prize of $15,000 in the non-student, James and Rae Block Kansas City Startup awards category was a reminder to keep pushing herself, she said.

“You have these ideas, but you’re never sure if anybody else thinks it’s a good idea,” said Cooper, a serial entrepreneur who recently founded Remodel Relief. She previously has won numerous Kansas City pitch competitions with her brands Diversity Telehealth, SureShow and Come On Now.

Remodel Relief organizes the home maintenance and renovation process by keeping track of documents and reminders all in one place.

“I just didn’t think anybody else would believe in it, but they did,” Cooper said.

“We bought a house and we had a really bad foundation rebuild experience, and so I thought let’s just put everything in an app,” she added, describing the inspiration behind the new venture.

Dr. Shelley Cooper, Remodel Relief, center, accepts her first place award at UMKC’s RVCC; photo by Nikki Overfelt Chifalu, Startland News

Dr. Brandy Archie, AskSAMIE, center, accepts her second place award at UMKC’s RVCC; photo by Nikki Overfelt Chifalu, Startland News

AskSAMIE won second place in the category with a cash prize of $10,000. The company helps people age comfortably in their own homes with adaptive equipment.

“The thing that’s really invaluable is the other connections with people,” said Archie. “I have some people that I already knew in my track, and I met the ones that I didn’t know. I learned things from their experiences that are helping me right now.”

MD MatchUp accepts the third place award at UMKC’s RVCC; photo by Taylor Wilmore, Startland News

A third place prize of $5,000 was awarded to MD MatchUp. Founded by Jim Brown and Bob Waddell in 2019, MD MatchUp simplifies the process of finding the right doctor by using a personalized quiz, matching patients with suitable providers based on their individual needs and preferences.

Other award winners included:

The Regnier College Startup Awards

• First place, $15,000 — MedCurate (Ashley McClellan) revolutionizes staffing in healthcare, using technology to link providers directly with organizations and hospitals. 
• Second place, $10,000  — Brace Cap LLC (Sudiksha Singhal) a company that designs patented tools to prevent injuries that are caused by braces in orthodontic treatment.
• Third place, $5,000 — OfficeGenie (Hayden Smith, Aaron Monson) offers an AI personal assistant to simplify knowledge management and keep teams aligned.

“It’s energizing to be here,” said Ashley McClellan, founder of MedCurate and doctoral student at Oklahoma State. “Being able to continue to refine the business model of MedCurate with such great advisors and investors here is incredibly rewarding.”

The Regnier Midwest Social Entrepreneurship Awards

• First place, $15,000 —  Advotek LLC (Danny Moran, Bryce Wolff) Advoteck protects personal information with TypeSafe, their mobile keyboard app, for secure browsing.
• Second place, $5,000  — Festoon, details unavailable. 
• Third place, $2,500 —  TrashTroopers (Jack Pitts, Joshua Chan) Trash Troopers enhances college campuses’ sustainability and cleanliness through regular cleanups and student engagement. 

Honorable mentions and Special Awards

• Venture Development Most Improved, $2000  — Papis Tacos Food Truck (Raul Holguin) authentic style Mexican food from tacos, burritos, quesabirrias, and more.
• Venture Development Best Pitch, $2000 — SeatStock (Josh Cohen, Brady Stein) an app designed to streamline and safeguard the exchange of student tickets for various events. 
• Excellence in Innovation, $500  — ScanERG, details unavailable.
• Honorable mention, $500  — A Traveled Path Homes (Shapree’ Marshall) A tech startup in lodging, providing a solution for healthcare workers seeking safe, affordable, and convenient mid-term rental options.
• Honorable mention, $500 —  Cabaret, details unavailable.

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