Investors Jillian Manus and Phil Nadel patiently heard pitches from three Philly-based startups last month, as part of an episode of Gimlet Media’s “The Pitch” podcast at Wharton.
Strella Biotech — led by University of Pennsylvania undergrad Katherine Sizov — won the pitch competition, beating out Swirl cofounder Munir Pathak and Rezzio Learning founder Jessica Sarkisian. Though no real dollars were up for grabs this time around, Sizov did win a spot in an upcoming episode of the podcast, where she’ll compete with others for a chance at seed investments.
The startup makes a proprietary biosensor that can predict the ripeness of fruit in packing and distribution centers, which in turn helps reduce food waste in the supply chain.
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