WINSTON-SALEM, NC – April 1, 2023 – Winston Starts held their fifth annual Investor Forum sponsored by Bank of America on March 28, 2023, at their offices located at 500 W. 5th Street in Winston-Salem, N.C.
Seventeen companies competed in the annual pitch competition designed to provide exposure for early and growth stage companies to potential investors. A total of $8,000 was awarded to the top two companies based on scoring from a panel of startup industry experts and investors.
Founder Leah Wyrik and Three Strands Recovery Wear took first place honors and $4,000 in the pre-revenue stage competition. Three Strands is dedicated to uplifting surgery patients’ recovery one garment at a time.
The revenue stage competition was won by Beam Dynamics and founders David Kaszycki and Ryan DeMars who also took home $4,000 in prize money. Beam helps media and entertainment companies increase the ROI of their production technology.
“This year’s competition was our most successful yet. We had over 17 companies from a wide range of industries, business models and stages of maturity competing to win prize money and generate interest from investors from across the state and southeast,” said Stan Parker, president of Winston Starts. We congratulate all of the founders on doing an excellent job today, especially the two winners Three Strands and Beam Dynamics.”
“It was an easy decision to continue our support of the Winston Start’s Investors Forum,” said Greg Cox, Triad president and senior relationship manager at Bank of America. “Elevating pre-revenue and revenue startups helps create new jobs and the companies for our future. It is truly an investment in the small business pipeline that will increase the vitality of our region”
Winston Starts is a non-profit accelerator that helps startup companies successfully scale up their businesses. Located in Winston-Salem, N.C., the organization provides expert mentoring, customized coaching, state of the art office space and discounted professional services.
Bank of America is one of the world’s leading financial institutions, serving individual consumers, small and middle-market businesses and large corporations with a full range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk management products and services. The company provides unmatched convenience in the United States, serving approximately 69 million consumer and small business clients with approximately 3,800 retail financial centers, approximately 15,000 ATMs (automated teller machines) and award-winning digital banking with approximately 57 million verified digital users. Bank of America is a global leader in wealth management, corporate and investment banking and trading across a broad range of asset classes, serving corporations, governments, institutions and individuals around the world. Bank of America offers industry-leading support to approximately 4 million small business households through a suite of innovative, easy-to-use online products and services. The company serves clients through operations across the United States, its territories and more than 35 countries. Bank of America Corporation stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: BAC).