A company that converts municipal solid waste into construction materials was the winner of the Wisconsin Startup World Cup Pitch Contest held Oct. 19 at the Stefanie Weill Center in Sheboygan.
The Sheboygan County Economic Development Corporation hosted the contest which gave entrepreneurs the opportunity to pitch their business ideas to a panel of judges, introduce their products to attendees, and compete for a place at the Startup World Cup Global Finals in San Francisco, where the winner will have the chance to compete for a $1 million investment prize.
Louis Structures, LLC, (louisstructures.com) represented by Benjamin Louis Horvat, earned first place in the competition and qualifies to advance to the Startup World Cup Global Finals in San Francisco. Horvat will represent Wisconsin and compete alongside fellow startups from around the world for the opportunity to win the $1 million grand prize.
“Congratulations to Benjamin Louis Horvat and Louis Structures LLC on earning first place and advancing to the Global Finals in San Francisco, and to all the entrepreneurs who shared their ideas with us,” said Justin Vannieuwenhoven, Chairman of the Innovation Council.
According to the company’s website, Louis Structures creates a lightweight aggregate — MSWagg — that meets EPA and DOT standards and can be used for foundation drainage, backfill, road fill, concrete production and infrastructure preojects.
The People’s Choice Award, as voted on by attendees, was won by Food FiXR (foodfixr.com), represented by Grace Hameister. Food FiXR is a food label scanning app that helps consumers avoid specific ingredients.
“Entrepreneurs play an important role in strengthening our economy, creating jobs, and bringing new and inspiring ideas to life,” said Ray York, Business Counselor for the SCEDC and Small Business Development Center at UW-Green Bay. “The Startup World Cup Pitch Contest gives founders an opportunity to share their ideas and connect with potential supporters.”
Contest judges were Chris Kennedy, UMB Bank; Barb LaMue, Pebble Rock Partners LLC; Jordan Koene, Previsible; Erik Falck, Johnsonville Sausage; Glenn Gottfried, South Branch Capital Partners LLC.
