Connor Friemuth of NEW Compost took first int he NEW Launch Alliance Pitch Contest Nov. 30.
The 12 participants making their pitch competed for prize money of $2,000 for first place, $1,000 for second place and $500 for third place.
The top winners will be invited to give an update to an even wider investor/business audience during the New North Summit June 6, at Lambeau Field.
Friemuth’s business centers on farming worms to create a sustainable, eco-friendly products including compost and liquid probiotic and plant booster. He markets the products to residential and commercial customers with the aim of growing the business to large-scale agricultural applications. Friemuth founded NEW Compost in 2022 after several years of vermicomposting as a hobby to improve his own garden without chemical inputs.
“We are all growers or gardeners. Whether we keep a nice lawn or landscape, or have a few houseplants inside, the soil is the foundation. And if we don’t support that foundation, it will crumble and leave us,” Friemuth said in a recent interview.
The second place winner was Preempt Physical Therapy and the third place winner was Kids in Combat Boots.
Sara Ziegele presented her business Preempt Physical Therapy which helps prevent workplace injuries as well as improve recovery through workplace risk analysis, employee educational seminars and corporate wellness support.
Kids in Combat Boots, presented by Deanne Herber shares military children’s stories in a manner that builds community through common experiences and resources, using a shared network and technology that recognizes students through award accommodation.
“We were excited by the wide range of creative business ideas…” said Barb LaMue, president and CEO of New North Inc. “It demonstrates the vibrancy of the entrepreneurial community across the New North region.”
The other finalists who made presentations were:
- AMW Arts, presented by Arianna McCormick-Wilson: Educates the local community in the value of art, both monetarily and in enriching people’s lives. It specializes in education, commissioned two-dimensional art, with a market towards seniors and retirees.
- Bodhi Bow Wow LLC, presented by Quentin Wood: Provides services to pet dog owners with the focus on teaching people to train their dogs, using behavior modification as opposed to behavior management and utilizes humane training techniques to give clients a better relationship with their dogs. It also provides walking, boarding and limited grooming for established clients.
- Food FIXR, presented by Grace Hameister: A Food as Medicine HealthTech company, it seeks to reclaim the health of people and the planet, one informed bite at a time, believing that Food as Medicine is a right for all and when given the right choices optimal health can be as easy as a trip to the grocery store and not the pharmacy.
- HeyGov, Inc. – ClerkMinutes, presented by Dustin Overbeck: Digital platform designed to modernize municipal operations by addressing the inefficiencies of handling forms and payments, while increasing user experience. This platform offers a reliable solution to streamline workflows, reduce errors and save time.
- Little Sips Play Café, presented by Mikala and Joey DeBone: This play café will serve as a safe, relaxing, educational play space and café for children ages 0-6. The play space will have an age-appropriate and aesthetically-pleasing, modern wooden play structure, as well as activity stations, with a secure gate designed to provide the customers with full view of their children. It also will have a party-planning wing, where dedicated space can be rented out for events, along with providing decorating services.
- Molo Asian BBQ, presented by Ping Cheng: Asian restaurant that will provide good healthy food and a unique experience to the community, offering customer involvement in the preparation process right at their table. Currently renovating its building, the space will have a unique customer-experience waiting area, plus displays for social-media posts and family memories.
- Protean Footwear, presented by Michaela Heling: Combines the advantages of three different pairs of baseball and softball shoes – metal, molded and turf – into one pair, using patent-pending technology. It reduces weight to athletic bags, saves space and lowers costs.
- SmartWell, LLC, presented by Christian Timm: Device that transforms a groundwater pump into a smart pump capable of tracking water usage, identifying water leaks, forecasting pump failure and increasing the life of a well through proper water-level management. Its features are made possible through an AI-powered SmartWell device.
- Vente Tours, presented by Emily Hubbard: Digital platform to redefine travel by bridging the information that a traveler needs with access to products and services a small business can provide, which may have limited or no online reviews. It connects travelers with local guides who share their interests and values, promoting responsible and community-centric tourism in Wisconsin and beyond.
