At Open Works’ recent 2023 EnterpRISE Pitch Competition, Shawna Stepp-Jones, founder and CEO of Divaneering Lab, pitched alongside an electronic design company specializing in bringing bar-napkin ideas to life and a 2023 RealLIST Engineer showcasing his stroke-survivor technology.
An email to Technical.ly announcing Stepp-Jones as the winner of $10,000 and Open Works’ 3-D-printed golden squirrel trophy noted her vision to “revolutionize the wig and weave industry” through hair products and inventions.
One step in her 10-year journey is the creation of Spundle, a no-heat dryer designed to dry detachable hairpieces or wigs in minutes. This invention helped Stepp-Jones land a spot in this year’s Techstars Equitech Accelerator cohort.
https://twitter.com/OpenWorksBmore/status/1730669431074791858?s=20
Second place, with a $5,000 prize, went to Flash Prototypes and founders Matthew Guenette and Adrian Choy. They focus on mechanical fabrication and sensor arrays in conjunction with electronic design.
Third place, with a $1,000 prize, was awarded to aforementioned RealLIST Engineer Rafael Casas and his health tech startup SpringWear. The company aims to develop affordable and customizable devices for home rehab practice, extending healthcare beyond the clinic.
In the announcement, the Maryland Dept. of Commerce, Abell Foundation, M&T Bank and PNC Bank were named as partners in the event.
EnterpRISE wasn’t your final chance to celebrate with Open Works and its makers this year. You can also join them for a holiday happy hour at Baltimore’s Christmas Village in West Shore Park at the Inner Harbor on Dec. 15.
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