Grand Canyon Times

The Arizona Commerce Authority (ACA), collaborating with Venture Madness, has announced the winners of the 2025 Venture Madness Conference, held on April 3 in Tempe, Arizona. This event, recognized as Arizona's longest-running pitch competition, is organized by Invest Southwest. It supports early-stage and emerging growth companies by providing them access to accredited angel investors and venture capital firms.

During this year's competition, 16 finalists were chosen from 125 applicants to deliver head-to-head pitches. The judges awarded the top three winners, with prizes of $12,500, $7,500, and $5,000 for first, second, and third place, respectively.

The first place winner is Ink'd Greetings, a startup based in Phoenix. This company offers automated greeting card kiosks where users can select designs, personalize cards, and add gift cards. HemaSense, a Flagstaff-based medical device company that develops a site monitor for early detection of bleeding during patient recovery, took second place. The third place was awarded to Parent Projects, a media and technology platform from Tempe that connects those advocating for senior citizens with relevant businesses.

"Congratulations to this year's exciting Venture Madness winners," stated Sandra Watson, President and CEO of the Arizona Commerce Authority. "Each year, Venture Madness showcases Arizona’s vibrant innovation ecosystem and highlights outstanding startups. We’re proud to continue to partner with Venture Madness to support our talented entrepreneurs."

Karen Katzorke, President and CEO of Venture Madness, said, “We are thrilled to welcome the selected presenting companies and attendees to this year’s annual Venture Madness Conference, where innovation and ambition collide. In addition to the companies pitching for prize money, we are excited to showcase four exceptional growth company presenters. These companies embody the very best of Arizona's entrepreneurial spirit."

The Venture Madness Conference also highlighted "Growth Track Companies" aiming to advance their business paths. These included Aventyn, NUE, MiiHealth, and Frites Street.

Gregory Shepard, a visionary entrepreneur and author, delivered the keynote speech. Presenting Company Finalists and other emerging growth companies showcased their products and services to accredited investors in a dedicated Expo area.

Since its inception, Venture Madness has facilitated over $1 billion in capital funding. Past winners include well-known firms like Ellucian, Televeda, Homie, and SaiOx.