Startups

Aperiomics takes home $20,000 grand prize at 2018 Vinetta Project final

The pathogen-testing company won the top prize at the pitch competition for women founders.

Aperiomics takes home the grand prize at the Vinetta Project's final 2018 pitch competition. (Photo by Michelai Graham)

Four female founders presented at the final Vinetta Project pitch challenge in D.C. on Wednesday evening at Booz Allen Hamilton, where the #dctech community gathered to see who took home the $20,000 grand prize.

Before the pitch competition kicked off, Vinetta Project CEO Vanessa Dawson shared some kind words, followed by a panel moderated by Lyft Marketing Manager Kate Glanz and joined by the night’s judges — George Farha of GSP Financial, Julie McPherson of Booz Allen Hamilton, Maggie Dorn of Motley Fool and Alex McManus of Eyrus.

Then the main event kicked off with pitches from:

Each founder had three minutes to pitch followed by a Q&A with the judges and one minute of advice from the judges.

Aperiomics CEO Crystal Icenhour came out on top and took home the $20,000 grand prize.

https://twitter.com/Aperiomics/status/1045341929645342720

Aperiomics is a pathogen-testing company that uses genomic analysis to detect every known pathogen from a sample of any nature in one test. Aperiomics has done testing for patients in 18 countries to date.

“I feel great,” Icenhour told Technical.ly DC. “This is a great way to get visibility for our company to help people understand that this is possible.”

Aperiomics wasn’t the only victor of the night, Booz Allen Hamilton presented a $5,000 bonus to Knonap CEO Danya Sherman for what it calls “the young social innovators award.”

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