Three Health Firms Dominate at Startup Connection

A trio of medically related companies dominated the Startup Competition for the fifth-annual Startup Connection this year, walking away with $100,000 in total. Nanopore Diagnostics, a producer of 30 minute-test doctors can use to detect bacterial infections, won the top prize of $50,000. Zymplr, the developer of a football helmet with the potential to significantly reduce concussions, took the runner-up prize of $30,000. Immunophotonics, a biotechnology firm, won the third-place prize of $20,000. About 70 different companies pitched their businesses at the event, which took place at Saint Louis University. In total, nearly 130 startups and service provider firms were on hand. Startup Connection is put on as a resource for entrepreneurs and a way to highlight St. Louis’ growing startup scene. The three big winners weren’t the only Startups who came away from the event with cash. Four other companies received Bright Future Awards – awards given to minority, women, veteran or immigrant-owned businesses- of $5,000: Better Weekdays (minority-owned), Blue Line Security Solutions (veteran-owned), HIPAAtrek (women-owned) and Zymplr (immigrant-owned). Moreover, a host of other companies won cash and prizes from the many service organizations on hand. These winners, and the organizations awarding the prizes, were: Prosper Women Entrepreneurs ($1,250 cash): Champio Simplify Commerce by MasterCard ($1,500 in-kind, free processing of $50,000 in transactions): Unique Metal Color Art ($1,250 in-kind): Gremln Mueller Prost ($1,250 in-kind): Hyde Bank of America ($1,250 cash): Immunophotonics Spry Digital ($1,500 in-kind): Arvegenix EO ($1,600 in-kind): Dabble CIC ($2,000 in-kind): BarrelFish Stone Carlie ($2,500 in-kind): Unique Metal Bryan Cave ($5,000 in-kind): Lipospectrum iSelectFund ($7,500 in-kind): TAKO Polsinelli (Three $4,000 in-kind): Dabble, Better Weekdays, Cast Hostirian.com ($5,000 in-kind): Love Will Inc. CreatiVenture Law (Two $1,250 in-kind): Lipospectrum, HIPAATrek BioSTL (Two $1,250 cash): Talariant, YourBevCo Cultivation Capital (Two $1,000 cash): Nanopore Diagnostics, PFITR Lewis Rice: ($2,500 cash): Champio