HOPKINTON, Mass. – TechSandBox, a science and tech incubator, hosted its last pitch competition on July 10, pitting seven startups against each other in front of a panel of Boston-area investors.
Each entrepreneur gave a five-minute presentation to convince the investors to meet with them further to discuss potential funding options for their startups. Each investor offered feedback and then voted to indicate if they would grant a follow-up meeting, introduce the startup to another investor, or pass on the startup at this time.
Panelists included Sophie Chapelle and Catherine White of Golden Seeds, Lisa Frusztajer of Converge Venture Partners, Charlie Hipwood of MassVentures, David Kessler of Boston Harbor Angels, and Ben Littauer of Walnut Venture Associates.
The pitch event was designed as an opportunity for less-experienced entrepreneurs to practice and receive feedback on their presentations, as well as a celebration of TechSandBox, which will close its doors on July 31.
Michael Miller, board member of TechSandBox, attributed the closure to a lack of sponsorship and funding from area companies in a press release last month.
TechSandBox CEO Barbara Finer, who founded the incubator in 2012, said “time will tell if this was as big a missed opportunity for MetroWest stakeholders to step up to the plate as we think it is.”
In addition to its periodic “informal” pitch contests, TechSandBox also hosts an annual Pitch Fest competition at its headquarters in the Hopkinton Innovation Park in Hopkinton, Mass. Care Thread, a Providence startup specializing in mobile-care coordination for health care providers, was one of five winners in the December 2016 Pitch Fest.
Kaylen Auer is a PBN contributing writer.
