There are some intriguing machinations in business right now. The ongoing tariff fluctuations, the Iran war, gas prices, the whipsawing of the markets—it’s all just a daily blur of, “What next?”
In the midst of these internal and external macro challenges we’re facing, there is some hope for the future, at least locally. One of the bright spots in Nevada is the $50,000 Sontag Entrepreneurship Competition. It’s administered by the College of Business at the University of Nevada, Reno. As an entrepreneur in residence for the U, I am a mentor and preliminary-round judge for this contest.
The goal of the competition is to build great companies in Nevada that stay in Nevada, give back to the local community, hire other locals, and help perpetuate our diversifying local economy. The triple-helix collaboration we have in Northern Nevada includes the university, effective government and effective business leaders who all help make the business ecosystem work.
In the Sontag competition’s preliminary rounds, more than 30 startups competed. Often, the competitors who reach the final round are still in ideation or pre-revenue. This year, there are five, all of which are already in business and have customers. Let’s take a look at these startups, in alphabetical order:
Better WASD—A new gaming controller combining the best of keyboard and joystick in an ergonomic design that increases dexterity and reaction/movement of players in real time. This product has been in development for four years. The developer has built and sold 30 controllers, to rave reviews. The latest version will be on Kickstarter in July. Visit betterwasd.com to sign up for updates.
Breadgirl—A popup bakery specializing in unique, aesthetically pleasing, delicious Asian-Latin fusion baked goods. The founders meld their cultural roots into wonderful desserts. They are a local viral sensation that sells out every time they announce a location or event. They typically sell out 200 to 300 units in a matter of hours. Learn more at breadgirlbakery.com.
Call Synch—A call aggregator for the small service business. If a mobile mechanic is under a car working when a call comes in, they may have just lost a customer. Call Synch uses AI voice tech to answer the call, discover the problem and schedule a callback, just like a live person, but for a fraction of the price. This startup has two paying customers and is soliciting other small service businesses looking for some relief—and more customers.
Deviant Cocktail Club—A subscription model for gift-boxed recipes, ingredients and essentials delivered for the perfect cocktail every time. You just bring the booze. The proprietor—a pro bartender of 10 years—has come up with a beautifully packaged box for anyone who wants to make cocktails just like the ones they get in swanky bars, even if they have no skills, like me. Learn more on Instagram @deviantcocktailclub.
Rosen Systems—This is a backend call-management system originally designed for gyms and trainers that requires no management or training for the customer. Once layered in, the system does everything in the background and handles ordering and scheduling, with some CRM capabilities. This startup has a gym as a customer, and it is expanding into other markets for seamless, automated call management, scheduling and customer service. Go to rosensystems.io.
These founders will be presenting their pitches to a brand-new set of judges on Friday, April 24, from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Tulloch Business Building auditorium. The event will be awesome, and the public is invited to come see the next generation of entrepreneurs in Reno. These companies will build, hire and locate right here, further solidifying our region as a startup hotbed.
For more info, please visit the Sontag Entrepreneurship Competition rules page at www.unr.edu/business/initiatives/sontag/rules-and-registration.
I am back from South by Southwest (SXSW), the Austin, Texas, tech, music, entertainment and crypto-bro conference that highlights all kinds of tracks and trends in the aforementioned categories. There are movie premieres, book signings, album releases, tech rollouts, product announcements—and on and on. People from all over the world descend upon Austin for this weeklong party to network, rub elbows with the famous, and learn from influencers. It’s a funky vibe there—arguably a cross between Memphis and San Francisco.
I was invited to be on a panel for international tech companies wanting to do biz in the U.S. Most of the European Union countries had headquarters down on the famous Sixth Street or nearby. There were pavilions by the Irish (in an Irish pub, of course!), the United Kingdom and the French. My friends from Poland and Slovakia were all hosting parties, too. My little company sponsored the Polish House for 300 guests, and we bought all of the beer. (I haven’t hosted a kegger in three decades! It was a hoot.) There were startups, NGOs, government agencies, investors and diplomats from various countries, all intermingling.
This year’s South by Southwest program was a bit different than in years past, as the convention center was torn down last year, so the programs were spread throughout the city. Many of the hotels focused on specific tracks. The Omni was centered on tech, the Marriott on art, the Hilton on entertainment, etc. The movie houses were all sold out with premieres and discussions. The bars all had live music with shows all over the city, all day and all night. The whole production is incredible and can be overwhelming if you don’t know how to navigate the city and the events.
It is impossible to see and do everything you want in seven days, especially if you have multiple interests. They now have track tickets, which only allow you into the tech programs, or music programs, or art programs. It’s still easy to miss events, though, since they are spread out.
It’s also easy to remember that it really is a small world. I pulled up on my first morning to find the venue where I was to speak on Sixth Street. When I got out of my Uber, the address and entrance were not evident at all. A security lady on the corner asked if she could help. When I responded, the security guy with her said, “Professor Westfield, it’s me, Evan. I was in the Sontag competition last year. … I graduated and moved to Austin.”
What are the odds? Better than you may think.