20 startups are heading to DC for the Challenge Cup finals

After pitch competitions around the world, 1776 and Revolution will crown a winner of the latest Challenge Cup in D.C.

The finals of the 75-city competition will be held March 22 at The Anthem, the recently-opened concert hall at the District Wharf. Twenty companies who made the finals will pitch on the big stage, and the winner gets a $100,000 investment from Revolution. Plus, there’s a closing celebration. As part of the Technical.ly community, use the code “challengedc2018” to get a ticket here.

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Among the finalists to be chosen from the 75 semifinalists who competed virtually on the UNION platform is Arlington, Va.–based Airside Mobile. According to CEO Hans Miller, the company began work on its Mobile Passport app in 2013, working with Airports Council International-North America and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

The app is designed to put info that travelers need to go through customs in one place. It allows travelers to scan passports and enter customs questions. Upon arrival at international destination, users get a receipt after submitting the data and have a designated line for approval.

Miller said the company is working with 24 airports, as well as the Port Everglades cruise terminal. Now with about a dozen employees, the company has worked with a number of local organizations like AOL Fishbowl, Accelerate DC and the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce as its grown.

“We see 1776 and others like CIT working really hard to grow the tech base here, and we are proud to be part of it,” Miller said via email. “Being part of the Challenge Cup finals is a huge honor, but we also see it as a chance to celebrate the DMV tech community overall.”