This week, PayPal hosted the Startup Zone and pitch competition at Dx3 2018.
While 13 startups were featured in the Startup Zone, only seven were chosen to pitch in front of judges Douglas Soltys, editor-in-chief of BetaKit; Erin Bury, managing director of eighty-eight; Janet Bannister, general partner at Real Ventures; and Nancy Sahota, partnership marketing lead at PayPal Canada.
The seven pitching startups included:
“The really cool thing was seeing companies that were not only working to innovate around commerce, but using commerce to fuel social good,” said Soltys.
In the end, Nudnik, which creates ethically-produced clothing for children, took the top prize. The startup will receive two tickets to Dx3 2019, a $1,000 deposit into their PayPal account, and a social media profile from journalist Amber Mac.
“Having been an entrepreneur and startup founder, I know how hard it can be to find a meaningful platform to elevate your business,” said Sahota. “I’m thrilled to see an e-commerce industry leader like PayPal enabling entrepreneurs to develop essential business skills and foster innovation within the tech community by championing for collaboration.”
PayPal has been hosting its pitch competition and Startup Zone at the conference over the past three years, allowing startups to get access to potential partners and customers.