Capitalize

-- Neural Lab Inc. and Matrubials Inc. Named Second and Third-Place Finalists Receiving $3,000 and $1,500 Respectively --

Yesterday, as the team took on the Golden State Warriors, the Sacramento Kings announced EyeRate as the winner of the 2022 Capitalize contest, presented by Dialpad, 3STEPS4WARD, and Sacramento Urban Technology Lab, a City of Sacramento initiative.

“We are thrilled to announce that EyeRate has been selected as the winner of the 2022 Capitalize contest,” said Sacramento Kings President of Business Operations John Rinehart. “Over the last seven years, Capitalize has served as a launching point for start-ups in our region, every year we are tremendously impressed by the innovative entrepreneurs and wish all the best to everyone who competed.”

“Congratulations to EyeRate, an exciting startup poised to do great things in the Sacramento area and beyond,” said Dialpad founder and CEO Craig Walker. “We are honored to support local entrepreneurs through the Capitalize contest. We thank the Sacramento Kings for its commitment to the community and are excited to see what EyeRate does next.”

“Capitalize allows us to deliver on our responsibility to ensure the long-term preservation of our local community entrepreneurs, small businesses, and startups,” said 3STEPS4WARD Founder and CEO Doug Younger. “Awarding $10,000 and 6-months of marketing services to EyeRate will help achieve minimum viable product and product market fit appropriate enough for commercialization success.”

"Programs like Capitalize encourage more innovative companies to grow in our region,” said City of Sacramento Assistant City Manager Michael Jasso. “We are proud to support this program and encourage more innovation in our city. Congratulations to the finalists and EyeRate."

EyeRate is the new way for service employees to earn more. The first to market customer interaction, EyeRate is an employee rating platform that pays service employees with cash when they get mentioned in online reviews and social media content. Their mission is to accelerate the world's transition to income equality.

“EyeRate is humbled to win such a competitive and renowned competition,” said EyeRate CEO Raymond Weisberg. “We are honored to have been part of this process amongst some of Sacramento and Northern California’s most innovative thinkers.”

In addition, Neural Lab Inc. was named as the second-place finalist, awarded $3,000 and Matrubials Inc. was named the third-place finalist and awarded a prize of $1,500.

The year’s competition saw 140 applicants, a pool of which was first narrowed down to the “Select 16” and then eight semifinalists who competed in pitch workshops produced by Monique Brown of The Growth Factory. Their guidance helped the semifinalists prepare presentations for Pitch Day on March 21, in which they presented to a panel of esteemed judges. By the end of the day, the judges selected the four finalists – EyeRate, Matrubials Inc., Neural Lab Inc. and RevShopp – who created pitch videos to showcase their companies for fan voting. Voting ended at halftime at yesterday’s game where the winner, second-place and third-place finalists were announced.

For more information on the Capitalize contest, visit Kings.com/Capitalize.

To learn more about EyeRate and what’s next, visit EyeRateBusiness.com.

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Sacramento Kings Announce EyeRate as the 2022 Capitalize Contest Winner

The 2022 Capitalize contest is now down to its four final companies!

Yesterday, the eight semifinalists presented their companies during Pitch Day at Golden 1 Center to a panel of successful entrepreneurs, executives and investors.

The four finalists created pitch videos for fan voting, which runs until halftime of the Kings game on Sunday, April 3. The judges will tally their final votes along with fan votes to determine the 2022 Capitalize winner.

The winner will be announced during the game and awarded $10,000 towards the development of their startup, three years of access to Dialpad communication services and six months of free marketing services from 3STEPS4WARD. In addition, a prize of $3,000 and $1,500 will be awarded to the second place and third place companies, respectively.

In February 2022, the Sacramento Kings&nbsp;launched&nbsp;the seventh annual&nbsp;Capitalize&nbsp;contest, presented by&nbsp;Dialpad,&nbsp;3STEPS4WARD&nbsp;and&nbsp;Sacramento Urban Technology Lab. As part of the ongoing competition, the four finalists now need the help of fans to crown the winner.&nbsp;

Check out the four finalists (in their own words) and make your pick on who should be crowned the 2022 Capitalize winner at&nbsp;Kings.com/Capitalize:&nbsp;

EyeRate is a customer communication platform that turns feedback into powerful marketing by incentivizing employees to get mentioned online.

Matrubials Inc. develops milk-inspired therapeutics for infectious diseases, starting with women’s health and consumer solutions for skin health. An ordeal for ~1 billon women globally, recurrent bacterial vaginosis and concomitant clinical complications remain unresolved with current antibiotics. Antimicrobial peptides in Matrubials' portfolio can be developed into topical products to reduce these healthcare burdens with the core mission of addressing drug-resistant infections.

Neural Lab is bringing the air gesture you see in Minority Report to life!&nbsp; Our patent-pending products utilize common cameras to translate hand/body motion into mouse, keyboard, or controller inputs for application, on any device.&nbsp; Use cases include replacing touch surfaces for Point of Sales checkout, critically sterilized environments such as OR, Dr. offices, and metaverse for gaming or training, or even at home as a replacement for TV or game controllers.

Just because an item of clothing “fits” doesn't mean it looks great on every body shape. Over 3.5B items are returned each year in the US alone. Consumers are left confused, retailers margins are squeezed and the planet is suffering. By serving the $1T apparel industry, RevShopp unlocks a new category of personalization and digital growth with our patent pending Body Shape IntelligenceTM platform.

Fans can visit&nbsp;Kings.com/Capitalize&nbsp;to view each of the final pitch videos&nbsp;and vote by:

Fans are encouraged to vote daily for their favorite company until Sunday, April 3, at halftime. Fan votes will be tallied together with the judges’ votes to determine the 2022 Capitalize winner.

The Capitalize contest is just one of the franchise’s commitments to support innovation and entrepreneurship in the Sacramento region. By highlighting the local emerging innovation economy, the Kings continue to look for ways to foster future creativity in the #SacramentoProud community.

For more information on the Capitalize contest, visit&nbsp;Kings.com/Capitalize.

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Capitalize Contest Four Finalists Announced and Fan Voting Begins

On February 8, Capitalize 2022, presented by Dialpad, 3STEPS4WARD and Sacramento Urban Technology Lab was announced. Capitalize is the league’s first crowdsourced startup contest, which offers local entrepreneurs a chance to gain publicity, receive mentorship and secure funding for their business.

The winner will be awarded a $10,000 cash prize towards the development of their startup, threeyears of access to Dialpad communication services and six months of free marketing services from 3STEPS4WARD.

The competition is revving up as today the Sacramento Kings selected and notified the “Select 16” contestants who will go onto continue to compete in the 2022 Capitalize Contest. The contestants will compete over the next five weeks to determine the winner of this year’s contest.

To tip-off the process, the 16 companies will participate in interviews March 3 to March 4. From there, the top eight will be selected. They will receive additional coaching at Pitch Workshop on March 15 as they prepare for Pitch Day on March 21. At Pitch Day, a panel of successful entrepreneurs, executives and investors will judge the eight semifinalists’ pitches and select the four finalists to move on to the Capitalize Finals. The four finalists will create pitch videos that will be displayed on Kings.com/Capitalize and will be used for fan voting via Twitter. The judges’ votes, along with fan votes, will be tallied and the Capitalize grand prize winner will be announced during halftime when the team hosts the Golden State Warriors on April 3.

Meet the 2022 “Select 16” Capitalize Contestants:

For more information on the 2022 Capitalize contest and to stay up-to-date as the competition progresses, visit Kings.com/Capitalize.

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Sacramento Kings Tip-off 2022 Capitalize Contest with the Announcement of the “Select 16”

Today, the Sacramento Kings announced the return of the seventh annual Capitalize, the league’s first crowdsourced startup contest, which offers local entrepreneurs a chance to gain publicity, receive mentorship and secure funding for their business. In addition, Capitalize extends the Kings commitment to providing opportunities for up-and-coming innovators, providing the platform to showcase new products and services on the NBA’s global stage. This year, the contest will be presented by Dialpad, the world’s most advanced business communications company, 3STEPS4WARD, a full-service marketing consultancy group and Sacramento Urban Technology Lab, a “living laboratory” for entrepreneurs, advanced technology businesses, and academic institutions to test, develop, and scale their ideas, products, and services.

“Each year we have seen tremendous participation in Capitalize and we are excited to see what innovative ideas and business models the seventh year of the competition will bring,” said Sacramento Kings Present of Business Operations John Rinehart. “Through this contest, talented entrepreneurs in our region are given the space to showcase their talents and receive valuable resources to grow their companies.”

Applications for this year’s contest are open now and close on Friday, February 25 at 11:59 p.m. Startups located within 75 miles of Sacramento are eligible to apply. On April 3, as the Kings take on the Golden State Warriors during Tech Night, the winner will be announced and awarded a $10,000 cash prize towards the development of their startup, 3 years of access to Dialpad communication services and six months of free marketing services from 3STEPS4WARD. In addition, a prize of $3,000 and $1,500 will be awarded to the second place and third place companies, respectively.

“The Capitalize contest further embodies the mission of our partnership with the Kings, to deeply invest in the Sacramento community and support groups that are committed to closing the digital divide and removing barriers,” said Dialpad Co-Founder and CEO Craig Walker. “Everyone at Dialpad is excited to witness the innovation brought to Capitalize by small businesses, and we are honored to be co-presenting this event.”

“Our entire team is honored to be a part of this groundbreaking contest once again,” said 3STEPS4WARD Founder and CEO Douglas Younger III. “Capitalize is crucial to further expansion for small businesses and entrepreneurs. We encourage all those eligible to enter, and we look forward to assisting in crowning the 2022 Capitalize grand prize winner.”

Applicants will be narrowed down to the “Sweet 16” on Monday, February 28. The Kings will then host a Pitch Workshop from Thursday, March 3 to Friday, March 4 to select the “Elite 8.” The Elite 8 will be announced on Saturday, March 5 and will receive additional coaching as they prepare for Capitalize Pitch Day on Monday, March 21. At Pitch Day, a panel of successful entrepreneurs, executives and investors will judge the eight semifinalists’ pitches and select the “Final Four” to move on to the Capitalize Finals.

The judging panel will consist of local business professionals, executives and entrepreneurs, including: 

The four finalists will create pitch videos that will be displayed on Kings.com/Capitalize and will be used for fan voting via Twitter. Fans will have the opportunity cast a vote by tweeting support for their favorite company starting on March 22 until halftime of the Sacramento Kings vs. Golden State Warriors game on April 3. The judges’ votes, along with fan votes, will be tallied and the Capitalize grand prize winner will be announced during the game.

Last year, Credder, the world’s largest news review platform, aggregating credibility reviews on articles, was crowned the winner of the 2021 Capitalize contest.

“Winning Capitalize 2021 was a game-changer for our business,” says Credder Co-Founder and CEO Chase Palmieri. “Just being part of the competition was valuable, but winning unlocked a flood of new investors, partnership opportunities, national press attention, and other resources that have been propelling Credder forward ever since. I can’t wait to see what innovative companies get discovered in this year's competition!”

The Kings are proud to highlight the ever-growing technology and innovation community within the Sacramento region. Since the inaugural launch of Capitalize in 2016, hundreds of applicants from around the area have submitted their business ideas to be considered in this contest, with many expressing how valuable the contest has been for the growth of their emerging businesses.

For more information and details on how to enter, visit Kings.com/Capitalize. 

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Sacramento Kings Launch Seventh Annual Capitalize Crowdsource Startup Contest

Yesterday, as the team took on the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Sacramento Kings announced Credder as the winner of the 2021 Capitalize contest, run in collaboration with 3STEPS4WARD, the City of Sacramento Office of Innovation and Economic Development’s Sacramento Urban Technology Lab Initiative and EY.

“We are pleased to announce Credder as the winner of the 2021 Capitalize contest,” said Sacramento Kings President of Business Operations John Rinehart. “Each year, we learn about the innovative ideas developing throughout our region and the sixth year of Capitalize saw tremendous business models, services and products and we wish all of the companies who competed the best of luck as they continue to grow.”

“United we stand to accelerate small business,” said 3STEPS4WARD Founder and CEO Doug Younger. “We are proud of the accomplishments of Credder and look forward to bring accountability to news platforms worldwide.”

Credder is the world’s largest news review platform, aggregating credibility reviews on articles, authors and outlets, rated by verified journalists and the public. Credder’s credibility scores help readers avoid time-wasting clickbait and quickly find the most trusted news and sources on any subject. Credder’s scores can be licensed by social media, search engines, web browsers and news aggregators who are under increasing pressure from their users, the media and regulators to address content credibility issues on their own platforms.

“The Credder team is thrilled to be recognized in such a competitive start up competition in the local Sacramento and northern California community,” said Credder Cofounder and CEO Chase Palmieri. “It’s been amazing to see people respond so positively to our mission to make news compete for credibility, not clicks.” 

This year’s competition saw startups apply for the opportunity to advance their ideas to the next level in business. The competition was narrowed down to a group of eight semifinalists, who then participated in a pitch workshop and coaching sessions produced by Mark Haney and Monique Brown of The Growth Factory. This guidance helped the companies prepare for Pitch Day on April 19, in which the eight semifinalists presented their business ideas to an expert panel of judges. By the end of the day, the judges selected the four finalists – Credder, EVLife, FloraPulse and Humaxa – who then created pitch videos to assist fans in voting for their favorite company. 

For more information on the Capitalize contest, visit Kings.com/Capitalize.

To learn more about Credder and their next steps, visit Credder.com.

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Sacramento Kings Crown Credder as 2021 Capitalize Contest Winner

As part of a collaborative effort, the Sacramento Kings, 3STEPS4WARD, the City of Sacramento Office of Innovation and Economic Development’s Sacramento Urban Technology Lab Initiative and Ernest &amp; Young have launched the sixth annual Capitalize contest. As part of the ongoing competition, the four selected finalists now need the help of fans to be chosen as the winner.

Check out the four finalists (in their own words) and be sure to make your pick on who should be crowned the 2021 Capitalize winner:

CredderCredder is the world’s largest news review platform, aggregating credibility reviews on articles, authors and outlets, rated by verified journalists and the public. With today’s record levels of distrust in online news, Credder’s credibility scores help readers avoid time-wasting clickbait and quickly find the most trusted news and sources on any subject. Credder’s scores can be licensed by social media, search engines, web browsers and news aggregators who are under increasing pressure from their users, the media and regulators to address content credibility issues on their own platforms.

EVLifeEv Life is on a mission to make it easy for drivers to find and finance an electric car that saves them money and the planet. Our solutions support the EV buyer’s unique customer journey from end to end, making buying an EV as simple as buying a gas car.

FloraPulseBased on Cornell University technology, FloraPulse has developed implantable microchip sensors that directly measure the water status of agricultural crops, to provide--by far--the most accurate irrigation recommendations. Our technology will help growers worldwide make an extra $100B in fruits and nuts. We have been funded by $1.2M in non-dilutive awards, sold product in 9 countries and have ongoing sales with large multinational companies.

HumaxaIt’s almost impossible to predict and prevent workforce issues – until now. Humaxa’s anonymous AI Assistant encourages employees to open up and share authentic feedback. For employees, it offers immediate solutions, right in the flow of work. For employers, it acts as an “early warning system” that prevents workforce issues from ever becoming issues in the first place.

Fans can visit Kings.com/Capitalize to view each of the final pitch videos and vote by:

Fans are encouraged to vote daily for their favorite company until Sunday, May 9, just before halftime. Fan votes will be tallied together with the judges’ votes to determine the 2021 Capitalize winner.

help-select-our-2021-capitalize-winner

Help Select Our 2021 Capitalize Winner

Today, the Sacramento Kings announced the start of the sixth annual Capitalize contest. Capitalize, the league’s first crowdsourced startup competition, offers local entrepreneurs a chance to gain publicity, receive mentorship and secure funding for their business. This year, the contest will be run in collaboration with 3STEPS4WARD and the City of Sacramento Office of Innovation and Economic Development’s Sacramento Urban Technology Lab Initiative. 3STEPS4WARD is a full-service marketing consultancy group based in Pleasanton, California and founded on principles for positive social causes. Sacramento Urban Technology Lab aims to transform Sacramento into that of a “living laboratory” for entrepreneurs, advanced technology businesses, and academic institutions to test, develop, and scale their ideas, products, and services. The Kings, 3STEPS4WARD and the City of Sacramento will announce the 2021 Capitalize winner during the game on Sunday, May 9, as the team hosts the Oklahoma City Thunder, and will award them with $10,000 and six months of free marketing services by 3STEPS4WARD.

“We are excited to welcome back the Capitalize contest for the sixth year in-a-row,” said Sacramento Kings President of Business Operations John Rinehart. “Through this contest, the Kings help showcase the ever-growing startup community here in the greater Sacramento area and provide them with valuable mentorship, feedback and resources.”

“The entire 3STEPS4WARD team is honored to partner with the Kings and is proud to sponsor this year’s competition,” said 3STEPS4WARD Founder and CEO Douglas Younger III. “The Capitalize contest furthers our vision of helping small businesses increase their visibility and enhance their growth. We encourage local entrepreneurs to enter and look forward to helping the 2021 Capitalize winner take their startup to the next level.”

Startups within 75 miles of Sacramento are eligible to apply online starting today until Monday, April 5, at 11:59 p.m. 

Upon closure of the application process, eight companies will be notified that they have been selected to participate in the 2021 Capitalize contest. Those eight companies will then prepare for Pitch Day by participating in both a pitch workshop and pitch coaching session.

On Pitch Day, Monday, April 19, the eight semifinalists will virtually deliver pitches, defining their company and product, making their claim as to why they should be chosen as the 2021 Capitalize winner and taking questions from the judging panel. The judging panel will consist of local business professionals, executives and entrepreneurs, including:

Together, these judges will help select the four finalists to be announced on Tuesday, April 20.                                    

The four finalists will create pitch videos to be debuted on Sunday, May 2 at Kings.com/Capitalize. Fans will be able to vote for the company they want to see crowned the winner starting at 10 a.m. on May 2 until halftime of the Kings vs. the Oklahoma City Thunder game on May 9. At that time, the judges’ votes will be tallied and combined with the fan vote to determine the winner of the 2021 Capitalize contest.

Last year, Sacramento- and Seattle-based Humanly was crowned the winner of the 2020 Capitalize contest for their hiring platform that streamlines the screening and scheduling of job candidates while providing the best experience for every applicant. To read more about Humanly, click here.

"The Kings Capitalize competition was such a cool experience last year,” said Humanly Co-Founder and COO Andrew Gardner. “This innovation recognition by peers has propelled Humanly.io's brand awareness with local Sacramento business leaders. I’m excited to see the next cohort come through this year, I’ll be fan voting for sure!"

The Kings are proud to highlight the ever-growing technology and innovation community within the Sacramento region. Since the inaugural launch of Capitalize in 2016, hundreds of applicants from around the area have submitted their business ideas to be considered in this competition, with many voicing how valuable the contest has been for their emerging businesses.

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Sacramento Kings Launch Sixth Annual Capitalize Crowdsourced Startup Contest

Today, as the team took on the Dallas Mavericks, the Sacramento Kings announced Humanly as the winner of the 2020 Capitalize contest, powered by Accenture and Sacramento Urban Technology Lab.  

“We are pleased to announce Humanly as this year’s winner of the Capitalize contest and recipient of the $10,000 grand prize,” said Kings President of Business Operations John Rinehart. “This fifth year of the competition has continued to showcase the new and exciting ideas and business models developing throughout our area. Congratulations, Humanly, and we wish all of our four finalists the best of luck as they continue to grow and create innovative products and services.”

Humanly, based in both Sacramento and Seattle, is a hiring platform that streamlines the screening and scheduling of job candidates, while providing the best experience for every applicant. By creating two-way conversations for high applicant volume roles, Humanly enables companies to quickly begin discussions with the candidates through many different channels available to connect. Humanly saves hiring teams, on average, over 60 hours per open role, and reduces bias early in the process.

"We are so excited to be announced as the 2020 Kings Capitalize winner! As a Sacramento native, I have seen the massive impact the Kings organization has had on our community for decades, and we are honored to be recognized by them and their amazing fans,” said Humanly Co-Founder and COO Andrew Gardner. “While there have always been challenges in hiring, COVID has increased these issues exponentially, and we are looking to help bring a fresh perspective and new solution to help upend the broken process."  

This year’s competition saw startups apply for the opportunity to advance their ideas to the next level in business. With many applications submitted, the competition was narrowed down to a group of 16, who then received a marketing and business development pitch workshop and coaching session to help refine their ideas. This guidance helped the companies prepare for presentations from which the eight semi-finalists were chosen. In March, before the NBA season was suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic, eight companies took part in Pitch Day at Golden 1 Center, presenting their business ideas to an expert panel of judges. By the end of the day, the judges selected the four finalists – Drinjk Wines, Humanly, Sama Learning and Sparck. With the help of Mark Haney and Monique Brown of Haney Biz Marketing, pitch videos were created to assist fans in voting for their favorite company. 