Stage III: PITCH CONTEST
Participants presented their refined innovations to a virtual audience
September 15 – 16, 2020
Award Announcement: September 25, 2020
Three Grand Prize Winners and a Prize Pool of $700,000 in Cash and In-Kind Prizes
Participants presented their concepts in the form of a 10-minute pitch and 10-minute question-and-answer period during the virtual American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting.
The finalists were judged based both on their pitch and their required technical submission; evaluation criteria included technical innovation, technical feasibility, market feasibility, and the proposed research and development plan.
The PITCH CONTEST was scored by a panel of reviewers selected by WPTO and Reclamation. The Prize Administrator, in consultation with WPTO and Reclamation, selected the contest winners. Prizes were distributed between the three grand prize winners:
- First Place: $200,000 cash and $100,000 in voucher support
- Second Place: $125,000 cash and $100,000 in voucher support
- Third Place: $75,000 cash and $100,000 in voucher support
Congratulations to our Grand Prize Winners!
Three Grand Prize winners were selected based on their innovative ideas, winning pitches, and strong submission packages.
| entry title | team (listed alphabetically) |
|---|---|
| Deal with the Devil Fish: Biometric Screen | Alden Research Labs – Benjamin Mater (PI)Former ORNL Aquatic Biologist – Charles Coutant (Co-PI) |
| Fish Diversion Materials and Inspection Improvement Coating | Nicholas LaBry’s team / Prometheus Innovations, LLC |
| The Center Sender | Sterling Watson’s team / Natel |
