IMMAD, a company focused on safety and the responsible use of cannabis, was selected as a finalist in the Social Culture category for the 14th annual SXSW Pitch® (formerly SXSW Accelerator).
SXSW Pitch is the marquee event of South by Southwest® (SXSW®) Conference & Festivals (March 11 – 20, 2022) Startup Track, where leading startups from around the world showcase some of the most impressive technology innovations to a panel of hand-picked judges and a live audience. Out of the 655 companies that applied to present at SXSW Pitch 2022, IMMAD was selected among the 50 finalists spanning 10 separate categories.
The two-day event will be held the first weekend of SXSW Conference & Festivals, Saturday, March 12 and Sunday, March 13, on the fourth floor of the Downtown Hilton Austin, Salon D/E. The event will then culminate with the 2022 SXSW Pitch Awards Ceremony on Sunday evening, March 13, where winning startups from each category and a Best in Show winner will be announced and honored.
SXSW Pitch will feature finalists across the following 9 categories: Artificial Intelligence, Robotics & Voice, Enterprise & Smart Data, Entertainment, Gaming & Content, Extended Reality & Immersive Technology, Future of Work, Health, Wearables & Wellbeing, Innovative World Technologies, Smart Cities, Transportation & Logistics and Social & Culture.
IMMAD will present among four other companies in the Social Culture category on March 12, 2022.
Denise A. Valenti, OD, CEO and owner of IMMAD, has 30 years of clinical and research experience related to sensory systems and driving. When it comes to marijuana use, “It does not matter if you are for cannabis, or against its use, we all need to be advocates for public safety. IMMAD protects measure visual functions that are already known to be essential for safe driving. We are excited to be part of SXSW and able to discuss our products.”
IMMAD is a small bioscience company based in Quincy, Massachusetts. With a background in neuroprocessing such as research in Alzheimer’s disease, the company is developing technology for roadside use by law enforcement to objectively detect actual impairment to drive with marijuana use. Dr. Valenti is a certified social equity business owner certified by the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission.
“Since its beginning, SXSW Pitch has significantly helped shape the early-stage venture ecosystem and connected promising companies with the resources they need to thrive, giving promising companies the resources they need to succeed when it matters most,” says SXSW Pitch Event Producer Chris Valentine. “Of the 572 companies who have participated since the competition’s inception, over 82 percent have gone on to secure funding and 17 percent have been acquired by the likes Google, British Telecom, Huffington Post, Apple, Live Nation, OpenTable. We’re excited to see this year’s impressive group of startups take to the stage and show us how their innovations will change the world.”
For more information about SXSW Pitch and to view the complete list of finalists visit https://www.sxsw.com/pitch.
