Sorcero, Localized advance to Vinetta Project pitch finals

Startups focusing on career guidance and workforce training advanced to the finals of this year’s Vinetta Project DC Venture Challenge.

The organization supporting female founders held its latest round of semifinal pitches was held June 20 at Booz Allen Hamilton’s Innovation Center. The event was emceed by Hatch Apps cofounder Amelia Friedman.

Here’s a look at the founders who pitched:

• Dipanwita Das, CEO of Sorcero, is looking to make sure training information picked up on the job isn’t forgotten. The startup provides tools to help a company’s team members to make it easier to find answers to questions, including the AI-powered KnowledgeBot.

Most workplace training and resources are forgotten. @SorceroEd is an AI tool that helps workers find them by answering questions, says CEO @dipanwita_d #VinettaDC pic.twitter.com/mHsaM4wWOI

— Technical.ly DC (@TechnicallyDC) June 20, 2018

• Ronit Avni, CEO of Localized, talked about the company’s work to use technology to bring career guidance to college students in emerging markets. The multilingual platform helps students connect with mentors and associations as they seek employment after college is complete.
• Kimberly Moore, CEO of Go Together, pitched Carpool to School. The platform has an algorithm that matches families to help provide transportation for children based on a variety of factors. It’s offered through schools, initially focusing on charter and private schools.

How do you build enough trust to convince parents to use a mobile app to build carpools? @gotogetherinc cofounder Kimberly Moore sells to schools (44 of them across the country) to reduce afterschool congestion pic.twitter.com/flFLnAWmPj

— Technical.ly DC (@TechnicallyDC) June 20, 2018

• Dawn Musil, cofounder of HiveLend, is looking to make it easier for beekeepers to connect with farmers who are seeking out pollination to increase crop yields. The platform uses tech to make it easier to connect amateur beekeepers to farmers, and formalize contracts.

Judges picked Localized and Sorcero to pitch at a final showcase event on September 26, along with two more finalists chosen at a separate event held in March. The winner at that event will receive $20,000 in cash.