San Diego startup incubator EvoNexus returned to in-person events Monday with the first signature “Demo Day” for new startups since the pandemic.
Twelve startups each gave seven-minute pitches to several hundred members of the local technology community gathered at Irwin M. Jacobs Qualcomm Hall, seeking to interest potential investors, partners and customers.
EvoNexus has assisted over 250 startups since 2010, helping them with workspace, strategic advice and access to capital. Those startups have received a cumulative $1.7 billion in investments, and created $10 billion in valuation.
“We’re seeing more and more rounds of $100 million or more,” said EvoNexus co-founder Rory Moore. “That’s money for the San Diego economy, creating jobs.”
The nonprofit incubator receives support from Qulacomm, Viasat, and many other top technology companies, as well as investors and law firms. Moore said they’re interested in EvoNexus startups because “we’re really a periscope into a lot of early-stage innovation.”
The 14 startups that pitched Monday were:
- Advanced Image Robotics — Remotely controlled video produciton
- Tag-N-Trac — Automation for supply chain efficiency
- Sensoride — Enhanced radar for self-driving vehicles
- Ixana — High speed wireless surrounding the body
- CRISPR QC — Optimized gene editing
- DeepWater Exploration — Underwater cameras and other sensors
- Falcomm — Power amplifiers for wireless communication
- MeCo Diagnostics — New diagnostics for antifibrotic breast cancer therapy
- Oculi — Efficient machine vision technology
- RYBODYN — RNA therapy for cancer
- CARA Ai — Artificial intelligence for beauty products
- CARI Health — Real-time medication monitoring
After the pitches, the audience voted using a smartphone app, selecting CARI Health as the winner of this Demo Day. CARI wowed the audience with plans to use its technology to fight opioid addiction.
