Join us for the 2018 Startup Stampede pitch night + pop-up shops! The Startup Stampede is a two month consumer product incubator program led by American Underground thanks to support from NC IDEA and McKinney.

After two months of honing digital marketing strategies and branding, the nine participating teams will vy for the top prize of $100,000 in in-kind marketing support from award-winning marketing firm, McKinney. The schedule is below, please note the pitch event is invite only but the pop-up shops are open to the public, following the pitch event.

4-4:30 p.m. Doors open, registration

4:30-5:45 p.m. Private, invite-only pitch event

5:45-7:30 p.m. Public pop-up shops in the Full Frame Boiler Room

7:30 p.m. Event conclusion

Participating teams:

Beard and Lady (Creedmoor, NC): Beard and Lady sells apothecary inspired grooming products for men and women which enhance the chemistry of relationships through our unique flavors and scents creating intrigue and curiosity. @beardandlady

Brothers Vilgalys (Durham, NC): Brothers Vilgalys Spirits produces Krupnikas Spiced Honey and other craft liqueurs. @BrosVilgalys

Descalza (Raleigh, NC): Descalza is a handcrafted, latino-inspired clothing brand that fuses artisan textiles and modern fashion. @WearDescalza

Fillaree (Durham, NC): Fillaree is a small batch, organic, liquid soap manufacturing company, focused on providing refill services to consumers & businesses who want to reduce their waste in a more impactful way. @FillareeSoaps

Healthy Roots Dolls (Cincinnati, OH): Healthy Roots Dolls is a toy company that creates dolls and storybooks that teach natural hair care because every girl should feel empowered by the beauty of the kink of her curl; and the color of her skin. @RootsDolls

Nellino’s (Raleigh, NC): Raleigh-based Nellino's makes extraordinary super-premium all-natural, organic, and biodynamic pasta sauces. Nellino's is committed to helping in the fight against hunger through annual donations to the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina. @NellinosSauce

Sonoma West Beauty (San Francisco, CA): Sonoma West is an all natural beauty and cosmetics company founded in Northern California. @SWBeautyCo

Tracy’s Gourmet (Morrisville, NC): Tracy’s Gourmet® sells healthy artisan foods made from high quality ingredients that are clean, flavorful and fun without compromise. @TracysGourmet

Wotter (Cary, NC): Wotter is a modern athletic swim gear brand that celebrates and elevates female swim athletes. We employ tech crafted materials and female forward styling to foster individual expression, self confidence and lifelong retention of girls in the sport of swim. @WotterSwim