Green Businesses Prepare to Pitch Potomac Piranhas

Six local entrepreneurs and inventors are preparing to bait a school of Piranhas, on Piranha Tank, the latest live studio show from Potomac Piranhas, in hopes of winning capital to propel their startups from the incubator to the tank.

On Friday at 2 p.m. at the US Patent and Trademark Office, each competitor will have 30 minutes to convince a Piranha investor, or maybe more, to open their mouths and bite off a chunk of their business.

The six companies competing for money are:

• AcreBnB, an app for matching urban farmers with gardens;
• GreenEase, a mobile app that connects consumers to restaurants, cafes, and grocers that buy from local and/or sustainable resources;
• Hy-Tek Bio, an emerging global leader in reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and generating oxygen and algae to produce high value products;
• Iron Goat Tech, an automated in-field manufacturing technique to produce pelleted products from hay and other grassy crops;
• Safe Plate, a microwave safe product to prevent burns from handling; and
• Tumalow helps companies and schools pay for less power by using a battery powered storage device that can also keep the electricity on in an emergency.

“I was compelled to compete because the opportunity presented itself. I was not 100 percent certain I would be ready but the challenge motivated me to push myself. I had some fear ...but my desire to get my product to market far outweighed any uncertainty I may have had. So far, the advice from the mentors has been priceless and invaluable. I have learned so much and I am very optimistic and excited about the next steps,” said Bridget McLaughlin, creator of the Safe Plate.

“There are many investment firms in the market place that are willing to provide project financing, but when one researches their portfolios it is rare to find one with a true, practical understanding of environmental project funding. For example, at Hy-Tek Bio we eliminate or drastically reduce fossil fuel carbon emissions. We are searching for those investment partners that not only provide us with CapEx financing, but can guide us through regulated opportunities. We believe that members of the Piranha Tank have that experience,” said Vince Scarfo, principal, Hy-Tek Bio.

Piranhas swimming in the tank are various DC area business people dedicated to creating a sustainable future. They include: Gore Bolton, daGroupUSA, Nayda Melton, NaydaMelton.com, Christopher King, King Connections, David Goodenow, Dragonfly Landing, Jennifer Rohleder, daGroupUSA, John Melton, MyDuplicationAcademy.com, Eugene St. Clair, Humanproof. Their profiles can be found on the Potomac Piranhas website.

“We’re excited to learn more about the businesses who will be pitching the show on Friday,” said Gore Bolton, CEO, daGroupUSA. “We’re a dedicated group of investors looking for companies who push the envelope to benefit the planet, people, and generate a profit. We see big things ahead for this group of competitors and we can’t wait to hear what they have to say. It’s deal or no deal, with live audience feedback, in under 30 minutes, with no commercials and no Hollywood edits. Just like a real conference room.”

Learn more about the competitors, Piranhas and buy tickets to the event: www.piranhatank.com.