The second annual Project Entrepreneur venture competition, presented by the Rent the Runway Foundation and UBS, has come to a close and the three winners have been announced. Buzzies, Lace & Liberty, and LOLI Beauty came out on top of 200 other all-female entrants.
Each of them will receive a $10,000 grant, $5,000 worth of legal services from Cooley LLP, as well as coaching, mentorship, and on-site training all bundled together under Project Entrepreneur’s accelerator program.
The Project Entrepreneur Intensive had 12 finalists that participated in a pitch competition, in which the companies pitched their business to a panel of expert investor judges that included the likes of Gwen Chenri of Pier 88 Investment Partners, Nisha Dua from BBG Ventures, and Sutian Dong of the Female Founders Fund.
Buzzies, presented by CEO and Co-Founder Vicki Mayo, is a wearable based in neuroscience, altering the body’s response to stressors to mitigate stress. Lace & Liberty merges made-to-order bridalwear with direct-to-consumer convenience, and was presented by CEO and Co-Founder Danielle Wen. Tina Hedges is the CEO and Founder of LOLI Beauty, the first BIY, or blend it yourself, green beauty brand.
The Co-Founder of Rent the Runway, Jennifer Fleiss, said that, “This year’s finalists represented innovation in the most diverse range of industries yet. The incredible talent showcased that each has the potential to completely disrupt their fields.”
