The final 43North finals went off on a high note Thursday night in front of a packed house at Shea's.
Five more ambitious teams were chosen to build their high-growth businesses in Buffalo on Thursday evening during the final 43North $5 million pitch competition.
That list included hometown startup JECA Energy Bars, which also won the $25,000 People's Choice Award, sponsored by Highmark BlueCross BlueShield.
The event's theme was "Talkin' Proud," based on the 1980s commercial for Buffalo that has become a favorite among Buffalo enthusiasts.
Airbuild INC. – Portland, OR
Airbuild turns wastewater treatment plants into fertilizer microfactories, recovering the nutrients cities discard and returning them to the soil as Terraforming Fertilizer.
JECA Energy Bars – Buffalo, NY
JECA is a Buffalo-based food manufacturer & CPG brand producing energy bars with a focus on clean-label and real, non-ultra-processed whole-food ingredients for retail & direct to consumer distribution.
LeanSite – Arlington, TX
LeanSite is an AI-powered facilities operations platform that helps multi-site organizations manage maintenance, vendors, assets, compliance, and work orders from one system.
Playground – Rochester, NY
Playground is a 15X award-winning brand building the trusted destination in women's intimate wellness in one of the largest yet most underserved categories in consumer health.
Valene Health – New York, NY
Valene Health’s AI-native clinical operating system automates clinical, operational, and financial workflows for health systems and payers to reduce readmissions, lower costs, and expand care capacity.
Airbuild INC. – Portland, OR
Airbuild turns wastewater treatment plants into fertilizer microfactories, recovering the nutrients cities discard and returning them to the soil as Terraforming Fertilizer.
JECA Energy Bars – Buffalo, NY
JECA is a Buffalo-based food manufacturer & CPG brand producing energy bars with a focus on clean-label and real, non-ultra-processed whole-food ingredients for retail & direct to consumer distribution.
LeanSite – Arlington, TX
LeanSite is an AI-powered facilities operations platform that helps multi-site organizations manage maintenance, vendors, assets, compliance, and work orders from one system.
Playground – Rochester, NY
Playground is a 15X award-winning brand building the trusted destination in women's intimate wellness in one of the largest yet most underserved categories in consumer health.
