SXSW Release It Pitch Competition Announces Potrero Medical as Winner

Ten national startup companies competed fiercely for the chance to be the winner of this year’s SXSW Release It, a live pitch competition for startups that took place on Friday, March 9. Release It’s goal is to create a platform for companies to launch new innovations and the event had a well-qualified panel of judges to ensure that happened.

The judging panel consisted of Susan Amat, CEO and founder of Venture Hive, Felecia Hatcher, Co-Founder of Code Fever, and Andy Stoll, a Senior Program Officer at the Kauffman Foundation. Susan, Felecia, and Andy were joined by emcees Jen Consalvo, Co-Founder and COO of Tech Cocktail, along with Trey Bowles, Co-Founder and CEO of the Dallas Entrepreneur Center. Finalists were allowed 3 minutes to showcase their new innovations in front of a panel of experts who decided if they had what it takes to be successful in the marketplace.

This year’s set of startup teams spanned from coast to coast and their pitches were as different as their locations. To explore information about these startups, check out the SXSW Release It page.

Among these startups, a plethora of new and exciting ideas were presented to those on the Judges panel. The only question is, who among the startups would take home the winner’s trophy? Each team presented a unique pitch that ranged from home healthcare improvements to artificial intelligence to new food ordering services. Just to give you an idea of whose innovations sparked my interests, here’s a list of some of my personal favorites:

The winner was Portrero Medical, second place was Swift Shift, and tied for third were Neuro Rehab VR and Partake.

Partake – Tied for Third Place – Partake is a new mobile platform that is used to order food directly from your seat at sports events, concerts, and festivals like SXSW. Their goal is to give every fan, music lover, or guest a seamless ordering experience.

Neuro Rehab VR – Tied for Third Place – Neuro Rehab VR creates VR/AR cognitive and physical neurological therapy games leveraging the breakthroughs in neuroplasticity. Their games are designed by physical therapists and customized according to each patient’s needs with a goal to bring down the costs of therapy, make it more efficient and within the reach of everyone who needs it.

Swift Shift – Second Place – Swift Shift is revolutionizing home healthcare by producing real-time digital communications for those who work within the industry. This company’s goal is to help home healthcare providers quickly find qualified nurses and caregivers to staff visits in less time.

Potrero Medical – 2018 Winner – This company makes predictions about critical illnesses. Potrero’s goal is to enhance human care with machine insights.

Each team fought with a fiery passion to clinch the win, but in the end, there could only be one winner. After two hours of competition, Potrero Medical was announced as the winner of this year’s Release It. Potrero Medical creates early predictions of acute kidney injury, sepsis, and hemorrhaging using proprietary sensors and data from the bladder.

Congratulations to Potrero Medical, and good luck on their road to success!

Contributed by Elizabeth Boone