Startup Wednesday puts founding teams together and pushes them to build scalable products and services.
The initiative was created by 19 Ideas partner Dan Gigante and supported by a $50,000 grant from Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation's Springboard NY program.
A team led by Buffalo-based entrepreneur Kelechi Chillis-Ihenko won the top prize in the inaugural Startup Wednesday competition, an event designed to channel the grassroots energy around tech startups and innovation in Western New York.
The company, Lowball AI, won $2,500 as it built and tested an AI-powered platform that negotiates used car purchases on behalf of buyers, helping them avoid the back-and-forth with dealerships.
More than 90 people and 15 teams participated in the four week startup-building exercise in Buffalo. The prizes were awarded following final pitches to a panel of four judges.
Startup Wednesday was created by strategic marketing agency 19 Ideas and its partner/CTO Dan Gigante, a longtime tech entrepreneur in Buffalo. It is supported by a $50,000 grant from the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation's Springboard NY competition.
Startup Wednesday started in Buffalo but version of the event will happen in Rochester as well, slated for a June 3 launch.
"Startup Wednesday began as an idea rooted in a simple belief: reimagining the three-day hackathon model into a scalable, four-week initiative," Gigante said. "Seeing that idea come to life through this inaugural program has been incredibly rewarding and is a rong reflection of the startup ecosystem that continues to grow across Western New York."
The other prize winners included:
* 2nd place ($1,000): This is Syc, a creativity-focused toy and coloring book line featuring Boomy the Boombox, a blank character children can color, customize, and make their own through imaginative storytelling.
* 3rd place ($500): Print Pal, an on-demand, courier-led printing service for people who don’t own a printer.
* Best Brand New Idea ($500): Eastside Market, an initiative to connect individuals with better access to fresh, affordable groceries produced by local growers in an indoor market.
* Community Favorite ($500): In Your Neighborhood, a career-readiness program that gives middle school students early exposure to local businesses and helps them explore future career paths.
In Your Neighborhood: How Buffalo rallied around a budding tech entrepreneur
The event was hosted at the University at Buffalo's Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Life Sciences (CBLS) on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus. Judges included Juweria Dahir, Jon Ebel, Kevin Dawidowicz, and Lauren Washington.
Participants also benefited from hands-on mentorship from experienced founders and operators, including David Brenner, Stephanie Argentine, Mike Dawidowicz, and Megan Kelly.
