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Women Startup Challenge
2015 DC

Grand Prize: On Second Thought
June 30, 2015 in Washington, DC
On Second Thought, a platform that allows users to take back text messages, chat messages, emails, and social media posts before they get to the recipient, won the $50,000 grand prize.

On June 30, 2015, Women Who Tech held the first-ever Women Startup Challenge at General Assembly/1776 in Washington, D.C. Twelve finalists from the Women Startup Challenge crowdfunding campaign presented their innovative and disruptive ventures to a panel of investors, who selected three winners. The crowdfunding campaign on Crowdrise raised over $315,000 for women ventures. An additional $50,000 was awarded to first place winner On Second Thought, co-founded by Maci Peterson.


First Place:

On Second Thought

Pitching Founder: Maci Peterson

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Maci Peterson of On Second Thought and Women Who Tech's Allyson Kapin

On Second Thought is the flagship Digital Reputation Protection Platform (DRPP) and ecosystem that protects the reputations of individuals via mobile application technology. It does so by allowing users to take back text messages, chat messages, emails and social media posts before they get to the recipient. On Second Thought won 1st Place in the UpGlobal and Kauffman Foundation’s #StartupOasis pitch competition at South by Southwest in 2014, and it was recently named “The Texting Savior” by AT&T. It is currently available in the Google Play Store and Amazon AppStore.
 


Second Place:

Fam-ess

Pitching Founder: Michelle Salesberry

Fam-ess is all about “Making the Unknown, Known.” It teaches kids what they don’t know about money and how to make better buying decisions, while bringing to light insights that help inform the planning of new products and services for kids. The mission of Fam-ess is to teach kids financial discipline long before they go off to college or get their first job, while helping inform the making of new products that are worth working for.
 


Third Place:

Kicker

Pitching Founder: Holly Epstein Ojalvo with Lisa Vehrenkamp

Kicker is news for people who don’t like news. It is designed to solve the key problems that keep curious, thoughtful people from getting in the know. They explain what matters, why, and what you can do about it. By making current events accessible, understandable, and actionable, Kicker engages and empowers millennials with a fresh voice on current events and relevant social action.


Thank you to everyone who attended the sold out Women Startup Challenge! See photos on Flickr.

Prizes

$315,000
In Crowdfunding
$50,000
Grand Prize
+OTHER
Critical Startup Services

Women Startup Challenge 2015 DC Finalists

Kim Butler Headshot
Amplify Loud
Kim Butler
Michelle Salsberry headshot
Fam-ess
Michelle Salsberry
Bernadette Hyland-Wood Headshot
GeoHealth.us
Bernadette Hyland
Holly Epstein Ojalvo Headshot
Kicker
Holly Epstein Ojalvo
Rachel Kimelman headshot
LGBTQutie
Rachel Kimelman
Shally Venugopal headshot
Myolo
Shally Venugopal
Maci Peterson Philitas Headshot
On Second Thought
Maci Peterson
lee fox headshot
PeerSpring
Lee Fox
erin witmer headshot
Primary Book Club
Erin Witmer
Rosanna Garcia headshot
Vijilent
Rosanna Garcia
Lea Yu headshot
Virtue.Us
Lea Yu
Julia Kurnia headshot
Zidisha
Julia Kurnia

Meet the Jury