El Paso, TX – On Saturday, November 6th ten startup entrepreneurs from El Paso and New Mexico pitched their businesses for an opportunity to win $200,000 in prizes. 

Upon completion of the competition, a group of six established investor judges chose the top three winners of the event. Each company received a $250 stipend to participate.

First Place: Champria (Zeke Chavez) is a web platform that allows grassroots esports/gaming programs to have a data-backed organized environment for teams/players to recruit top talent, practice against skill-relevant teams, and compete in community-based tournaments.

$15,000 cash and prizes including:

1 Year office space at Pioneers 21

New Mexico Angels entrepreneurship membership

Interview on Techquila podcast

UTEP mentorship services & podcast interview 

Custom Paracho guitar from Audaz Capital

Second Place: Parabeac (Ivan Huerta) is a software company that offers a continuous design/integration conversion tool that makes it easy for both designers and developers to launch software products.

$10,000 cash and prizes including:

1 Year Incubation at Pioneers 21  (office space not include)

6 Months of office space at STTE Foundation

Blanco Ordoñez Mata & Wechsler, P.C. – $1,500 in legal services

Custom Paracho guitar from Audaz Capital

Opportunity to present to the New Mexico Angels in December 

Third Place: ORC Tech LLC (Andrea Garcia and John Chavez) is a technology development company that is currently developing a portable, wireless signal booster.

$5,000 cash and prizes including:

6 Months of office space at STTE Foundation

UTEP mentorship services & podcast interview

Kemp Smith Law – $5,000 in legal services

Opportunity to present to the New Mexico Angels in April 2022

“We are looking forward to witnessing what transpires with the startups that pitched at Día de los Muertos and how providing a platform to access capital spurs our region’s economic development.” Joseph Sapien, STTE Executive Director.

“Events like this signal to the rest of the country that investors should look at the promising startups that are building solid companies in underrepresented investment markets like El Paso.” Jeff Villalobos, Senior Attorney at Vela Wood PC and organizer of the El Paso Día de los Muertos Pitch Competition. 

The competition, led by STTE Foundation in collaboration with various funding organizations, was created as an event to celebrate startups throughout El Paso’s entrepreneurial community and beyond. Organizers see the contest as an opportunity to connect regional companies with national investors while simultaneously inspiring the next wave of regional entrepreneurs.