Miami-based Caribu wins 1776 Challenge Cup

Entrepreneurs from 20 cities around the world took the big stage at The Anthem on Thursday night.

They were at the concert hall at The Wharf for the final round of the Challenge Cup, hosted by 1776 and Revolution.

Earning the $100,000 investment from D.C.–based Revolution was Caribu, a Miami-based company that makes a livestreaming platform allowing parents and other loved ones or mentors to read and draw with children when they aren’t together. CEO Maxeme Tuchman talked about how the platform is used by military service members who are deployed.

Big congrats 🍾🎉 to @caribu -one of our favorite #startups to mentor today #1776Challenge who won the @revolution 💯 k prize money! Terrific job! @AnnaMasonDC @1776 pic.twitter.com/LrHFJNFyLl

— SilverStrategy (@SilverStrategy) March 23, 2018

A couple of other big checks were written on the spot:

• MyHappyMind, a Manchester, U.K.–based startup that developed a curriculum focused on proactive mental health education, picked up $20,000 in Amazon Web Services credits after a pitch by Founder Laura Earnshaw.

Still coming down from an incredible week in Washington DC with #1776Challenge @1776 @revolution @AWS_edu .Amazing to have got to the final 20 having beat off thousands. I was was thrilled to represent the 🇬🇧 and come home with second! Thank you @awscloud ! pic.twitter.com/vFAP8S4BUN

— myHappymind (@myHappymind_) March 24, 2018

• Airside Mobile, the Arlington, Va.–based mobile passport company, won $1,000 by topping the Fan Favorite Vote which was conducted via app at the event. We talked to CEO Hans Miller about the company’s recent happenings prior to the event.

The 20 finalists were chosen after pitch competitions in 75 cities, and further judging in a semifinal round earlier this year. Judges for the event included Rise of the Rest Seed Fund Partner Anna Mason, 1776 Chief Strategy Officer Penny Lee, Amazon Web Services’ Tricia Davis-Muffett, 1776 cofounder Evan Burfield and 3Pillar Global CTO Jonathan Rivers.

Among the other startups that pitched were a Tel Aviv, Israel–based commercial grasshopper farming company in Hargol Tech, Bangkok-based English education program Globish and Novulis, a Quito, Ecuador company creating preventative dental care clinics. Find the full list here.