Watch a Live Startup Pitch Competition at SOLIDWORKS World 2019

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As design tools are becoming more and more democratized and TV shows such as “Shark Tank” gain popularity, it seems the idea of inventing and bringing that next great product to market is no longer just in the realm of reality for large corporations but for small startups and entrepreneurs as well.

This year at SOLIDWORKS World 2019, three startups will pitch their innovative business ideas to a panel of judges in the 3DEXPERIENCE Pitch. Each participant will be allowed to give a five-minute pitch, during which they will identify both the problem and opportunity addressed by the product, the history of the company, and how they use SOLIDWORKS in the design of the product.

Flipping the script on the traditional format of “Shark Tank” type shows, the contestants, in lieu of asking for money or a percentage of profits, will ask what Dassault Systemes and the audience can provide to help in the success of their respective startups. After each pitch, the judges can ask specific questions.

After all three startups have given their pitches, both the judges AND the audience will vote for their favorite startup pitch. The winning startup will be eligible to enter the 3DEXPERIENCE Lab Accelerator.

The Contenders

This year’s startups will be:

  • Spark Charge, a company developing portable and ultrafast charging stations for electric vehicles with the goal to “reduce range anxiety for drivers of electric cars.” Joshua Aviv, CEO and Founder of Spark Charge, will be presenting.

  • Rise Robotics is a startup developing a new type of linear actuator that replaces whole hydraulic cylinder systems. Arron Acosta, CEO and Founder will pitch the RISE Cylinder that provides motor-to-movement solutions from subsea to space.

  • Skelmet is a startup that designs customized sunglasses. Rain Wang, CEO and Founder, will explain how each pair of Skelmet sunglasses is custom designed per each customer’s unique facial structure using state-of-the-art 3D scanning.

On hand to moderate the event is Emily Reichart, CEO of Greentown Labs, and Greg Smith, Director of the SOLIDWORKS for Entrepreneurs program. Judges will be Bernard Charles, CEO of Dassault Systemes, Steve Romine, VC at Bose Ventures, Stuart Constantine, Founding Partner and COO of Core77, and Landon Taylor, CEO of Base 11.

The 3DEXPERIENCE Pitch competition will take place during General Session on Wednesday.

Don’t Miss Tuesday’s Tech Sessions Dedicated to Startups

The 3DEXPERIENCE Pitch competition won’t be the only event at SOLIDWORKS World that addresses the needs of startups and entrepreneurs. Tuesday afternoon will feature several sessions dedicated to the needs of startups. Here’s what you can expect:

Hardware Startup Stories from the Great State of Texas

In 60 minutes you’ll learn hear from some of the best Texas hardware startups in a fun and fast-paced session.  Austin, Dallas, Houston and others are fast becoming top locales for entrepreneurs in the U.S.  Texas has a long hardware history and lots of raw talent producing IoT and wearable startups.  Come see what everyone’s so excited about!

The moderator of this session will be Todd Watts, Director of Web Applications and Cloud Solutions, Dassault Systemes SOLIDWORKS. The panel will consist of Josh Aviv, Founder and CEO, SparkCharge, Justin Gilfus , Founder and CEO, Abraxas Technology, and Matthew Fiedler , Founder and CTO of re:3D.

This session will take place Tuesday 2:45-3:45pm in Room C3 Ballroom.

Startup Accelerators, Incubators and Co-Working Space: What startups need to know

Dropbox and AirBnb are both successful businesses that got their humble beginnings in startup accelerators but what are they?  There’s no single path to entrepreneurial success; there are many ways to take your amazing idea and turn it into a thriving business. There are, however, some programs and frameworks that can give your venture a big boost if you get into them at the right time.

Startup accelerators and incubators are two options for fast-tracking and deep-diving. What exactly are incubators, accelerators and co-working spaces, anyway?  If you’re not sure, I don’t blame you. The terms get thrown around a lot, often interchangeably, however, there are some key differences between them, which impact whether one or the other (or neither!) is what you need to go for with your startup. Don’t miss this session, which will be moderated by Jillian Friot, Program Manager SOLIDWORKS for Entrepreneurs.

This session will take place in Room C3 Ballroom on Tuesday from 1:30-2:30pm CT.

Don’t miss Office Hours and Pitch Practice with the 3DEXPERIENCE Labs Startup Accelerator

If you have a startup or startup idea and would like to get feedback and guidance from top local entrepreneurs, then join this exclusive and public “Startup Office Hours” event. At the event, attendees will have the opportunity to pitch expert CEO mentors and ask them questions about their business strategy, key decisions, next steps, and more. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn how experienced entrepreneurs would tackle the problems you or others are facing.

Office Hours and Pitch Practice will take place in Room C3 Ballroom on Tuesday from 4:30-6:00pm CT.

As you can see if you are a budding entrepreneur or a startup, SOLIDWORKS World 2019 is the place to be to learn how you can take your great idea for an innovative new product and turn it into a thriving business.

Greg Smith

Greg Smith

Greg Smith is the Director of Community Applications and Startup Advocate at SOLIDWORKS helping promote entrepreneurship, startups, and accelerators. Prior to SOLIDWORKS, Greg was founder and CEO of Immersive Design, Inc. Plays tennis to stay fit, drinks coffee to stay awake, and experiences wine to chill out.