On the eve of the highly anticipated CES 2018, a crowd of tech enthusiasts packed the Gold Spike Hotel in Downtown Las Vegas Fremont District to enjoy signature cocktails and networking opportunities, while listening to fifteen of the top startups from Eureka Park pitch as they competed to be the CES Startup Night winner, which came with a grand prize of a ticket into the Top 100 Startup of the Year Semifinalists at Innovate Celebrate 2018.
TechCo and CES teamed up again for 2018 to showcase innovative startups from Eureka Park before the conference begins. With a vote from a group of investor judges and tech leaders from around the country, Lishtot took home the win with Bartesian a close second. Both companies will be automatically fast tracked into the Top 100 semifinalists at the 2018 Startup of the Year competition which takes place during the Innovate Celebrate conference this fall.
Frank Gruber, Netanel Raisch, Jen Consalvo
While these two companies are at complete ends of the spectrum, from clean water all the way to cocktails, they certainly impressed the judges. Take a look at what they have to offer below:
Lishtot
Clean water is among one of the health crisis we face in this world. According to BBC UK, the ability to obtain fresh water is running low and one in five people do not have access to safe drinking water. This world water crisis is real. While celebrity Matt Damon and founder of Water.org is bringing awareness and action to this issue, the startup team from Lishtot is developing products to test the water we consume to ensure it’s safe.
Lishtot is an IoT product that empowers anyone to test three types of water (bottle, tap, and natural) for contaminants in seconds. The device will send information about the water via Bluetooth to one’s smartphone using their app. The device costs under $50.
Following the win, Netanel Raisch, CEO and cofounder of Lishtot, shared a few thoughts on the experience.
“This is the first time we are coming to CES, we’ve been under the radar for three to four years and I think CES is a great opportunity, and this event was the beginning of the opportunity for us. [There are] so many interesting people and great vibe, [and] great event. I recommend it to anyone that wants to be exposed to great people. People come from [around the country], VCs and media, this is the crowd you are looking for,” said Raisch.
What’s next for Lishtot? In 2018, they plan to release TeStraw, a pen-like water testing tube that a person can insert into a cup of water and test for concentration levels of potential contaminants. In addition, they are in development with TestPipe, a real-time water testing product that can monitor the quality of water from the faucets in your home 24/7 and alert you if there are any contaminants. Watch the winning moment at CES Startup Night here.
Bartesian
Depending on your preference, you certainly need clean drinking water for cocktails. But if you’re going for straight liquor, then Bartesian could be the answer. With this gadget, you don’t have to be a mixologist to make a decent drink in your home. The Bartesian is an on-demand, compact, premium cocktail machine that uses Keurig-like capsules and your preferred liquor to make your favorite spirits. This robot bartender can be preordered for $299.
“The event was fantastic I met really strong venture capitalists and amazing strategic partners that I wouldn’t have otherwise met,” said Ryan Close, cofounder of Bartesian. “It was fun chatting with companies and startup founders from various stages, and I learned about their business and they learned about mine. The event was packed with positive energy and I look forward to moving to the final round to showcase Bartesian on a larger stage.”
Top 5 Winners
Participating in CES Startup Night not only means getting noticed by investors, tech enthusiasts and other startup founders, but if you are one of the top five finalists, there are prizes too! While Lishtot and Bartesian will be in the Top 100 semifinalists at the 2018 Startup of the Year competition, the other startups are still in consideration for the Top 100. The best part is that all five startups will receive American Airlines BusinessExtra points. Here are the top five winners:
1st Lishtot
2nd Bartesian
3rd ICI Vision
4th Pebby
5th Fing
Interested in knowing more about who else competed against these winners and making moves at CES Eureka Park? Check it out here.
Get noticed by investors and partners through the Startup of the Year Competition. Learn more here.
CES Startup Night 2018 was supported by CTA, Pledge 1%, Startup Arlington, and Lighter Capital.
