On Tuesday, June 3 the Big D witnessed five teams of entrepreneurs pitch their businesses in an effort to win $20,000 at the Miller Lite Tap the Future live pitch event. Teams took the stage of the Dallas City Performance Hall to impress the audience and a panel of renowned judges, including Daymond John from ABC’s “Shark Tank.”
Three teams from Texas and two from Colorado presented their ideas, but it was Christian Nitu and Cory Finney who swept away the judges with SnowGate LLC. This business from Boulder, Colorado, provides secure storage for people in active-lifestyle environments such as ski resorts, universities and beaches. Pending a background check, Nitu and Finney will receive $20,000 for their business and will advance to the final round of Miller Lite Tap the Future to compete for the grand prize of $200,000.
Finney (left) and Nitu (center) celebrating their victory with Steve Canal (right), manager of community commerce and partnerships for MillerCoors
The other teams that competed were:
- NeedTo Inc. (Austin, Texas)
- Determined Nation (Fort Collins, Colorado)
- UrbanTVs (McAllen, Texas)
- Creole Crumbs (Cedar Hill, Texas)
In addition to John, the judging panel included Jennifer Chang, associate editor of Dallas-based SUCCESS Magazine; and Roberto Torres and Chris Findeisein, founders of apparel brand Black & Denim. The remaining Miller Lite Tap the Future semifinalists are scheduled to present their ideas in Atlanta, Philadelphia, Los Angeles and Miami later in June and July. Interested parties can RSVP at MLTaptheFuture.com.
