Rise of the Rest: Eight Birmingham Startups are Set to Compete for $100,000
Eight startups looking to take their businesses to the next level are set to compete for $100,000 in entrepreneurial seed money when the Rise of the Rest bus tour hits Birmingham May 9.
The fourth Rise of the Rest is a nationwide effort to promote tech startups in select cities. This year, the Washington D.C.-based Revolution fund, led by America Online co-founder Steve Case, is making stops in Dallas, Memphis, Chattanooga, Louisville and the Magic City.
The competing startups include:
Eugene’s Hot Chicken, a southern style restaurant, food truck and catering company.
Help Lightning, which uses mobile merged virtual reality video for problem solving.
Mixtroz, an app that helps people connect and engage at networking events
O3 solution, a SaaS application company that leverages interactive web and mobile technology
Shine E Solar, which offers community garden launch kits for neglected, tax-delinquent lots.
Smart Alto, creators of a text messaging program that helps real estate agents respond to leads
S(w)ervice, which provides enhanced digital experiences for auto shop owners and customers.
Tappas.io, which provides mobile app testing.
Josh Carpenter, Director of Economic Development for the City of Birmingham, said Rise of the Rest is a major opportunity for local startups because it “provides a national platform to showcase our talent and a conduit by which to increase our startups’ access to capital.”
“We are committed to making Birmingham’s entrepreneurial ecosystem inclusive, dynamic and catalytic, a place where all entrepreneurs, particularly women and people of color come to realize their ventures, because they know our infrastructure is built for them to thrive,” he added.
Rise of the Rest is a $150 million fund backed by entrepreneurs, executives and investors. Since the launch of the tour, Case and his team have traveled more than 8,000 miles to 33 cities to invest in local startups.
