The Creative Coast, a local organization committed to catalyzing the innovation economy in coastal Georgia, will soon host their annual GRIT Conference, taking place Feb. 29 through March 1 at the Savannah Civic Center. During this two-day conference, attendees will participate in engaging workshops and hear from esteemed keynote speakers during presentations and panel discussions. A major facet of the GRIT Conference is the Startup Stage Pitch Competition, during which finalists will pitch their business startups to a panel of judges, including angel investors and venture capitalists, in front of a live audience to compete for a grand prize worth up to $10,000. The competition is sponsored by Savannah Economic Development Authority and the Advanced Technology Development Center.
This year, 67 applicants from throughout the Southeast entered the competition, and the Startup Stage committee narrowed it down to nine finalists, all of whom have innovative, scalable tech startups. The finalists include Lindsay deOliveira of Soothe Beginnings, Morris Nguyen and Kody Roza of Predicate, Garrett Stigall and Guy Gober of Pool Protection Technologies, Jessica King of FlowIntell, Mariah Hay and Kylie Dunkley of Allboarder, Conrad Niedzielski and Milton Crispin of Tale Innovations, Skyler Reep of No Sleep – Tupelo Labs, Chirag Shah of Made Equal Clothing Company, and Jacob Nicolson of ScoopMe App.
Each entrepreneur will have an opportunity to give a brief presentation about their startup and answer questions from the panel. The judges will be looking for key qualities regarding the business concept, fundability, and the quality of the presentation, ranking the finalists according to certain criteria. The competition presents a compelling opportunity for entrepreneurs to get in front of potential investors and partners who can help them bring their ideas to life. It’s also a great way for these founders to generate buzz and raise awareness about their businesses.
That was part of the appeal for one of the finalists, Garrett Stigall of Pool Protection Technologies.
“We’ve created a device that actively kills and prevents algae growth in residential pools. . . We’re the only product in the residential pool market space that utilizes this technology because of the patent we have on it,” said Stigall.
He learned about Startup Stage after participating in and winning SCORE Savannah’s BizPitch competition back in November.
“They told us all about the GRIT Conference Startup Stage and how they thought we would be a good fit due to us being a technology-based company. So we did more research into it and were like, this is perfect. It’s right in our wheelhouse. We’re native Savannahians, and it just brings a spotlight on the tech world in Savannah,” he said.
Winning the Startup Stage competition would help Stigall in a number of ways.
“Right now we’re in that growth startup stage. We’re taking on the pre-orders and we’re working on our manufacturing capabilities. So in terms of the prize money that’s available, that would definitely increase our manufacturing capabilities,” said Stigall. “But just being there and being announced as the winner of this prestigious competition, that would do huge numbers for us in terms of the PR and publicity side, helping us raise the awareness of our brand as we look to grow.”
Stigall was eager to participate in the competition and learn about the ways in which the Creative Coast works to support local tech businesses and innovation.
“I didn’t know that Savannah had this tech spotlight. After diving deeper into this, I was excited to see that Savannah was bringing more of this tech spotlight and more national attention to this realm as being inclusive to startups,” he said.
A major aim of the Creative Coast with this competition and its other initiatives is to engage with and provide support to local businesses here in the Coastal Empire.
“Historically, Savannah’s startups have looked to Atlanta for funding and mentorship. We’re trying to build that community here to grow and scale businesses, which can contribute to employment in our area and attract new talent and opportunity,” said Liz Lientz Macfadyen, the director of the Startup Stage Pitch Competition.
The Creative Coast seeks to empower budding entrepreneurs not only with funding but with support from local mentors who know what it takes to succeed.
“A lot of successful entrepreneurs give back to their community, especially coaching from experience and passing on practical guidance. . . They’re willing to jump in and offer mentorship to others as they start out. It’s a strong, tight-knit startup community, a fellowship of founders and investors — all risk-takers — willing to take a chance on an idea they’ve bought into and supported. I worked for three early-stage startups and it’s a 24/7 grind, but you also build really strong relationships of trust and learn quickly on your feet with advice from founders, investors and mentors. For our community to build that infrastructure and support for startups would significantly benefit Savannah and the surrounding communities. It’s really exciting,” said Macfadyen.
The Startup Stage Pitch Competition will take place Thursday, Feb. 29 from 4 to 6 p.m followed by a networking happy hour. Tickets to view the competition are available on Eventbrite for just $30. Beyond the competition, the GRIT Conference will feature more than 20 sessions and more than 70 speakers on the subjects of entrepreneurship, technology and creativity. The conference — which showcases Savannah’s achievements in business, tech and the arts — will close with a dynamic performance from up-and-coming singer-songwriter Dacian Lovell.
For more information and tickets, visit thegritconference.com/.
