At the PitchMI semifinal held Thursday at NMU’s Northern Center, five companies competed for a $425,000 prize, delivering seven-minute pitches to four judges. Gaia Predictive’s C.E.O., Andrew DiMaggio, expressed excitement about the strong competition and the opportunities the event offers for entrepreneurs.
Among the competitors, OmegaCool, led by President Jim Burton, showcased a groundbreaking cooling product for the machine tool industry, enhancing tooling life and improving safety for operators. The event not only provides capital to the winner but also fosters connections among founders, investors, and business leaders, while offering entrepreneurs valuable pitching skills.
DiMaggio emphasized the importance of storytelling and transparency in pitches. OmegaCool ultimately won the competition, securing the $425,000 and qualifying for the statewide championship, with a chance to win $1 million, despite Burton stepping in at the last minute to pitch.
Burton highlighted that the prize money would help accelerate the company’s growth and technology deployment, which is crucial for reshoring American manufacturing jobs. Significant contributions from JM Longyear, the MSU Research Foundation, MEDC, and 20Fathoms helped raise the total prize amount to $425,000.
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