LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Render Capital, a $15 million regional fund of Access Ventures that is focused on providing early-stage risk capital for entrepreneurs in Kentucky and Southern Indiana, announced the opening of applications for their second annual Render Competition. The competition aims to make funding more accessible to local early-stage startups in the Louisville region, and will also help attract new entrepreneurs to Kentucky that, through Render Capital’s support, are positioned to grow locally. Eight winning startups will be selected and awarded an investment of $100,000 each to help them grow.
“The Render Competition opens the door for early-stage startups to gain access to capital that has traditionally been difficult to acquire at this level,” said Marigrace Ragsdale, senior associate with Render Capital. “In addition to the investment the eight winning startups will receive from Render Capital, they will also receive free office space, over fifteen hours of one-on-one pro bono consulting, and memberships, discounts, and perks valued at over $1 million dollars, made possible through the support of our generous partners.”
Last year’s competition saw nearly 200 applicants from 18 states, five countries, and four continents, all from a variety of industries. The group was then narrowed down to 15 finalists that were invited to pitch their ideas via the Virtual Pitch Event. Of this group, the eight winners were: BrainSTEM, Briocare, Moxie Girl, Roborus, SplitGym, Stuccco, True Adherence and Unitonomy.
“With the Render Competition, Render Capital has been able to draw a number of talented entrepreneurs to Kentucky and the Southern Indiana region, including from Dallas, Texas; Salt Lake City, Utah; Chicago, Illinois; and New York City, New York,” said Patrick Henshaw, managing director of Render Capital. “We’re putting our community on the map as a region where startups and entrepreneurs can thrive and receive meaningful support as they grow. This competition is one of the many ways we are doing our part to support these entrepreneurs.”
Companies from any industry can apply for the Render Competition, which aims to fund high-growth startups that are typically technology-forward, that can also grow quickly and significantly. These are companies that will most likely seek venture capital funding in order to fuel their growth into other markets. Startups from any location can apply; however, winners who do not live in Kentucky must relocate their headquarters to this area.
Sponsors for the Render Competition include Amplify Louisville, Louisville Future of Work Initiative, UPS, Greater Louisville Inc. and Samtec.
To learn more about the Render Competition or to apply, visit: https://render.capital/competition/. Applications will be accepted through May 6.
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