Local Startups Vie For $7,500 In TCNewTech Pitch Competition
Four local startups were named finalists in the TCNewTech pitch event at 20Fathoms in Traverse City on November 6, competing for a $7,500 prize pool that will be split among the top three teams. The competition highlights growing entrepreneurship in Grand Traverse County, with innovations spanning environmental cleanup and dementia caregiving that could have direct community impact.
On November 6, four startup teams pitched their businesses as finalists in the TCNewTech competition hosted by the 20Fathoms incubator in Traverse City. The event awarded a total prize pool of $7,500, allocated as $5,000 for first place, $2,000 for second place, and $500 for third place. The competition format and awards were designed to accelerate early stage ventures and to spotlight local innovation.
Among the finalists was Lacuum, a company building autonomous surface vessels intended for aquatic and shoreline environmental cleanup. Another finalist, Memory Bright, is developing digital tools to assist caregivers of people living with dementia. The original report listed the remaining teams and their pitches, and described organizers and the local startup support infrastructure behind the event.
The prize distribution gives first place 66.7 percent of the pool, second place 26.7 percent, and third place 6.6 percent. While modest in absolute dollars relative to venture capital rounds, these sums are often critical at the prototype and pilot stage. For local founders, $5,000 can cover a focused engineering sprint, a usability study, or the materials for a demonstration that helps attract follow on funding. The competition also provides non monetary benefits, including exposure to mentors, potential customers, and the visibility of a regional incubator.
For Grand Traverse County residents, the finalists highlight two areas of clear local relevance. Lacuum’s focus on aquatic and shoreline cleanup connects to the county’s lakes and bay areas where water quality and shoreline health are ongoing priorities. Memory Bright’s caregiver support tools speak to the practical needs of an aging population and the economic and social costs of long term care. Both sectors attract public and private attention and can create local testing and employment opportunities if products reach commercialization.
The event underscores 20Fathoms’ role as a lead organizer and a hub for entrepreneurship in the region. Incubators provide early stage firms with workspace, connections, and programming that help convert local ideas into scalable businesses. For policymakers and civic leaders, supporting such infrastructure can be a lever for job creation, technology adoption, and addressing community problems with market based solutions.
As the local startup ecosystem matures, competitions like TCNewTech serve as a practical bridge between concept and commercialization. Residents and local stakeholders will be watching how the winning teams use the awards and the visibility to take next steps, and how incubator supported ventures translate innovations into tangible local benefits.
