Sacramento is home to bright ideas and innovative thinkers working hard to create the next game-changing invention and business. Three years ago, the Kings launched the NBA’s only startup contest to celebrate and support the visionaries who are willing to take risks, fail fast, and eventually launch a product to change the world.
This year’s annual tech contest, powered by the Sacramento Urban Technology Lab, had 75 local applicants who were narrowed down to a group of 16 for a one-day pitch contest to judges with backgrounds in investments, marketing, business operations and more. The judges then selected the Final Four to be shown in Golden 1 Center during a Kings game.
Last week, the Final Four competed for fan votes at Golden 1 Center during the final round of the contest. With the help of HaneyBiz Marketing, the four finalists developed pitch videos for fans to pick their favorite.
“Sacramento Urban Technology Lab has continued the City’s ongoing efforts to encourage businesses to expand their intellectual and creative capacity within the region by supporting the Capitalize contest,” said City of Sacramento Chief Innovation Officer Louis Stewart. “During this contest, it was inspiring to see the numerous unique ideas and help them jumpstart their business goals.”
The final round judges, with all of the fan votes counted, selected Protxx as the winner for their wearable sensor that is geared to help monitor athletes to reduce the risk of impact injuries.
Kings Owner and Chairman Vivek Ranadivé, with City of Sacramento Chief Innovation Officer Louis Stewart and Countsy’s Head of Technology Service Center Kathy Castillo, presented Protxx Chief Revenue Officer Rick Spencer with the Grand Prize check for $10,000.
“We look forward to working with Protxx as they take the next steps in their business,” said Chief Technology Officer Ryan Montoya. “The third year of Capitalize was an incredible success that saw many cutting-edge inventions and business models and we look forward to continuing to invest in local startups.”
Protxx will also receive consulting services provided by Countsy and future opportunities to pitch to leading angel investors.
"The Capitalize contest was a world-class experience that exposed us to a large audience and really leveraged the innovation ecosystem in Sacramento," said Protxx Chief Revenue Officer, Rick Spencer. "The Kings selected some great companies. We were truly inspired, and it really required us to be creative to expand our ideas. Also, as we prepare to launch our large athletic pilot in Sacramento, we have benefited from leveraging the Capitalize brand in our messaging. This is only possible because The Kings have built tremendous support in the community."
For more information about Capitalize and to learn how to be a part of it next year, visit Kings.com/Capitalize.