NYC-based Pathspot won $50K at Women Who Tech’s latest startup challenge

One female founder won big at Women Who Tech’s latest Women Startup Challenge pitch event on May 29.

The D.C.-based tech nonprofit launched in 2008 by Allyson Kapin to showcase and fund women-led tech startups through worldwide pitch competitions. Kapin told Technical.ly that more than 1,000 people RSVPed to attend the event but only 230 attendees could fit with standing room only.

The event took place at Google in New York City, where founders from 10 women-led startups pitched to a panel of judges and an audience to vie for a $50,000 equity-free cash grant and $280,000 in Google Cloud services. The panel of judges included Ellie Wheeler, partner at Greycroft, Esther Dyson executive founder of Wellville, Jen Wolf, partner and COO of Initialized Capital, Jenny Fielding, managing director of Techstars, Nashilu Mouen-Makoua, investor at First Round Capital and Nisha Dua, general partner at BBG Ventures.

Out of 832 applications and 10 finalists, Christine Schindler of Pathspot took home the $50,000 equity-free cash grant and a portion of the Google Cloud services credit.

Congrats @Pathspot, winner of the $50K #WomenStartupChallenge grand prize; @GoodCallNYC, the audience choice winner; and all the amazing startups! pic.twitter.com/iPHiEoqDld

— Kristin Johnson (@KSuzJ) May 30, 2019

NYC-based Pathspot created a scanner for restaurants to use that can detect foodborne illnesses on employees’ hands. The device was created to prevent harmful food contamination. Good Call NYC, curator of a centralized 24/7 arrest support hotline to provide legal support for those detained in under a minute, took home the audience choice award and $120,000 in Google Cloud services.

After the success of its first Women Startup Challenge in Europe, Women Who Tech will be launching a second one in June. The event will take place in Paris on October 7 and specifically be focused on health tech startups.

“By 2040, the world will spend $25 trillion every year on healthcare – a 150% increase since 2014. In order to accelerate health tech innovation and ensure the space is fairly represented, Women Who Tech is on a mission to foster a culture and economy that accelerates funding for women founders who are developing innovative solutions to the biggest health challenges,” Kapin told Technical.ly.

The health tech startup challenge will feature 10 early-stage companies founded by women in the U.S. or in Europe. Like this latest challenge, the women founders will compete for a $50,000 equity-free grant.