The fourth year of IO2020: The New Innovators’ Summit, an event for startups and entrepreneurs, went virtual due to the coronavirus pandemic. Hosted on an interactive platform, leaders in the startup and enterprise innovation scene were able to connect, learn and experiment. The program focused on three different groups of attendees: startups, business leaders and enterprise teams. Individual investors and community innovators also attended the event.
Husch Blackwell Session
Experienced in helping startups and entrepreneurs (both private companies and individuals) navigate an oftentimes challenging legal environment, Husch Blackwell attorneys Casey Kidwell and Myers Dill participated. Their informal interactive session, “No Regrets: A Checklist of Legal Must-Dos for Startups and Entrepreneurs,” allowed attendees to ask key questions to ensure their new business ventures will be protected and legally sound. A recording is available for on-demand viewing.
Pitch Competition
One major aspect of the Summit was the Get Started Showcase and Startup Pitch Competition which highlighted 100 select innovative companies in a digital showroom. Each team had a virtual video “booth” for one hour to connect, network and interact with attendees. The Startup Pitch Competition featured a select group of startups and entrepreneurs. Key sponsors donated $50,000 in grants, prizes, and in-kind services for the competition. From there, twelve startups were chosen to make a formal pitch which included a three-minute pitch video followed by a three-minute live Q&A session.
Congratulations to winner Maxwell app and to all of the other finalists:
- NEER
- Dynamex
- Humaxa
- Certified Cell
- ParticleSpace
- PopBase
- Vyril
- BirdsEye
- Cultured Decadence
- TaxTok
- JobShareConnect
We are thrilled to be a platinum sponsor and collaborator of this innovative and forward-thinking program. We are excited to see what they do next year to foster and encourage startups and entrepreneurs. In the meantime, check out our Startup Diagnostic Tool which will lend itself to deeper insight and a consultation from a Husch Blackwell Startups attorney.