On the evening of March 27, the Chicago Connectory welcomed back AlphaLab Gear, to host the 2019 Hardware Cup Midwest Regionals. Six hardware startup semi-finalists gathered to pitch in front of six qualified judges, investors and audience. The six semi-finalists competed for a spot in the International Finals in May where they have the chance to win a $50,000 investment grand prize.
The pitch competition kicked off with the hardware finalists presenting their product and business model in four minutes. The floor then opened up for a Q&A session between the judges and startups.
First up was Psyonic, a startup who creates affordable, advanced bionic hands. They redefine human with advances in bio-integrated technologies, which allows users to easily control and provide touch feedback.
Next up was Nouvo Health, a smart pacifier for babies that connects to an app through your mobile device. The smart pacifier’s purpose is to track and monitor the baby’s health as it displays real life data on your mobile device. Nouvo Health’s focus is to detect and alert parents via the app when the baby’s temperature is feverish or if there is acidity levels in their salvia.