Entrepreneur Nicholas McGovern of NJM Consultants won a $6,000 grand prize at Gateway Technical College’s Launch Box pitch competition last week.
The contest was held at the SC Johnson integrated Manufacturing and Engineering Technology Center in Sturtevant. McGovern and entrepreneurs from five other Racine startup companies that completed Gateway’s 12-week Launch Box accelerator program pitched their companies to a panel of judges at the event. Organizers were able to increase the grand prize from $5,000 last year to $6,000 this year with the help of a grant from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp.
McGovern established a technology consulting business for those who need assistance setting up a smart home. Initially, McGovern was focused on helping seniors use smartphones and tablets, but by conducting market research during Launch Box, decided to pivot to smart homes.
Jacinta Lagos and Victoria Enviado of Cake My Day Bakery, which sells Argentinian desserts called alfajores, took second place and received a $5,000 seed grant.
Charlie Davidson Jr. of Destroy Iron, an athletic clothing line, came in third and received a $4,000 seed grant.
Marc Sprang and Lucia Carlin of Marc’s Floor Installations came in fourth and received $3,000. And two runners-up companies each received $2,500: Shelly Pederson of Wishful Collections, and Brian Repa, Zach Prieaux and Stephen Lion of Square One Solutions.
