Thread by @MiamiHerald

Three tracks. Hundreds of pitch decks. Twenty-seven judges and 37 live presentations. Seven first-place entries.

Meet the winners of our 2019 Startup Pitch Competition. hrld.us/2ZHVb2i

Let's start with the teens.

In first place, we have High School Artists, an e-commerce site that enables students to sell their work directly to the general public. hrld.us/2ZMkWOW

Second place: CamBlok!, a simple product designed to foil digital hackers by covering the computer's camera. hrld.us/2ZI9rrZ

Third place: Luv by Lex, which makes and sells hand-crafted baby blankets. hrld.us/2ZB7iya

Next up, the @FIU track.

In first place is UFlex, a platform that can match so-called casual or contract workers with employers quickly and efficiently. hrld.us/2ZLjwVg

@FIU In second place, Guru Financial, which offers consumers with limited or no access to credit a better way to access fair rates for short-term loans. hrld.us/2ZB7EF0

@FIU In third place is Tripper, a ride-sharing service which only uses drivers with 10 years or more experience and newer, upscale vehicles. hrld.us/2ZSd52G

Now onto our community track, where the field was so strong that in some cases, the judges decided to designate a second company for a special shout out.

In our fintech category, sponsored by Wells Fargo, our first place winner is Digital SPV.

It automates the prcoess of managing a large angel investment. hrld.us/2ZIhYey

In our health/bioscience category, our winner is Open Seed, a large seed-like pod that serves as a meditation space built especially for offices. hrld.us/2ZIcFf9

In the real estate category, our winner s Tap2Open, which solves a very specific problem: It allows someone, say a repairman, for example, to open your home's guard gate with a one-time link. hrld.us/2ZK0e2g

Another company in the real estate category gets a special mention: CivicPro, a tracking platform for local legislation. hrld.us/2ZKnwoD

In the trade & logistics category, sponsored by Ryder System Inc., our winner is PQSecure, a cyber security startup with a quantum defense system. hrld.us/2ZHXBOq

Special mention goes out to Mikello Ventures, whose team wants to install battery- or solar-powered beacons atop buoys to create a navigation system to make boating safer. hrld.us/2ZITRMB

In the travel/tourism/hospitality category, winner Vendy sells goods to Lyft passengers. For each purchase, the driver gets a cut. hrld.us/2ZKMXXa

And a special mention to Wynwood Whiskey, a Wynwood-inspired whiskey with a honey ginger flavor. hrld.us/2ZIUfL3

Congratulations to our winners! And a special thanks to our judges, sponsors, mentors and collaborators!

Up next we have a May 3 event with @marceloclaure. What better way to end the week than a happy hour with an entrepreneurship star and free beer? hrld.us/2ZKqfhR