At this year’s Sloss Tech Conference in Birmingham (a three-day celebration of tech, tenacity, and big ideas), WiNK Therapeutics emerged as the Grand Prize winner of the inaugural Sloss.Tech/Ideas Southeast Pitch Competition. The Florida-based biotech startup walked away with $50,000 in funding and some serious bragging rights!
Backed by a grant from the Regions Foundation, the pitch competition was a centerpiece of the expanded Sloss Tech event, which took over Birmingham’s historic theatre district from June 25 through 27. The competition spotlighted startups that launched after January 2020 and raised less than $5 million, offering a unique platform for early-stage companies ready to scale.
WiNK Therapeutics, co-founded by Dr. Warren Marcus and headquartered in Miramar, Florida, impressed judges with its pioneering work on RNA aptamer technology — science-speak for a next-gen platform that could potentially revolutionize treatment for Type 1 Diabetes and solid tumors.
Their pitch, focused on turning bold research into life-saving therapies, stood out among 16 finalists from across the Southeastern U.S.
“We’re honored to be recognized by such an inspiring community of innovators,” says Dr. Marcus. “This funding gives us a vital boost in our mission to develop treatments that can really make a difference.”
While WiNK took home the top prize, several other startups earned recognition, too. Atlanta-based HERide won the $10,000 People’s Choice Award for its women-first rideshare platform that prioritizes safety and empowerment by connecting female riders with female drivers. HERide also took home a $5,000 category award in Mobility and Transportation Technology, making it a double winner.
In the Agtech and Foodtech category, Atlanta’s Good Agriculture impressed with its AI-powered farm management tool, which is designed to help farmers spend less time on paperwork and more time in the field.
WiNK Therapeutics, already crowned the overall winner, also earned top honors in the Healthtech and Biotech category (because apparently, being brilliant in one lane just wasn’t enough!)
Rounding out the list was Giggs from Nashville, which won in the Emerging Tech category for its platform that connects vetted backstage professionals with live event gigs, bringing order and opportunity to the chaos behind the curtain.
Thanks to support from the Regions Foundation, Sloss.Tech/Ideas is quickly becoming a launchpad for rising tech stars across Alabama, Georgia, Florida, and beyond. Whether it’s curing diseases, making farming smarter, or revolutionizing how we get around, the Southeast’s startup scene is showing it’s got plenty of ideas and the talent to bring them to life.
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