EquityMatch.co hosts Pitch Events, connecting investors and startups through more than 75 successful sessions. Guided by Max, these events empower founders to transform their ideas into compelling presentations, showcasing their capability to achieve objectives and turn dreams into reality.

Participate in our pitch events for insightful discussions every Tuesday and Thursday, airing live from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. GMT on Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube. On November 9th, Equity Match presented its 80th Pitch event, focusing on the sector Agnostic. Founders from Europe and the US took the stage to pitch their ventures.

Maximillian (Max) the founder of Equity Match, kicked off the session by introducing the participating founders.

Starting the pitch, Chris Phillips, the founder and CBO of Flux Tensor Corp. based in the US, is seeking an investment of $2 to 3 million in a Seed Round for the software development industry. The company, Flux Tensor Corp., aims to develop a detection and tracking system to enhance surveillance.

With over 25 years of experience in tech services supporting situational awareness in defence and intelligence, Chris highlights the challenge of properly monitoring the vast number of security cameras in operation, which exceeds a billion. In most cases, a single operator is tasked with monitoring 20 to 50 video streams, each with complex noises and motions, making it impossible to distinguish events from non-events. To address this issue, Chris proposes using algorithms, such as motion or sound detection, to identify and alert in real-time.

Chris emphasizes the massive data storage requirements for these video streams, estimating that a billion cameras operating 24/7 generate nine trillion video hours and 200 Exabytes per month. He points out that this amount of data is 100 times less than the entire YouTube library. Flux Tensor Corp.'s solution involves filtering and storing only valuable video streams, reducing the storage need significantly.

The project has secured non-dilutive funding from the Department of Homeland Security to install 500 cameras for their large security customers, aiming for high-value immediate response to reduce nuisance motions or false alarms. Chris requests $2- $3 million to further develop the project.

When questioned about the product's availability, Chris informs that it is currently in testing with the Department of Homeland Security and Transportation Security Administration (TSA). He clarifies that they are in the pre-revenue stage.

Chris goes on to explain that the business model involves SAS licensing, either on an operator seats basis or per camera hour basis. Additionally, there’re plans to collaborate with camera companies to enhance their products.

Moving on to the next founder, Max invited Andrei Dylenok, CEO and founder of CartaMe from Delaware. Andrei Dylnok is seeking $4 million in his Pre-seed Round. CartaMe operates in the Fintech/mobile app sector, positioning itself as the Digital Customer Passport.

The company offers a mobile app and a card designed to facilitate loyalty programs provided by retailers. According to Andrei, the card will connect customers with retailers and banks using a unique identity, allowing customers to benefit from the rewards and promotions offered by retailers. The mobile app provides information about supporting dealers, promotions, and more.

Despite facing competition in the field, Andrei highlighted that CartaMe has received the VISA Brand of the Year accolade for its record sales. The company generates revenue from VISA for every active card, as well as through advertising and from retailers for providing customer data. With over 200,000 registered users in three countries, CartaMe boasts a revenue of US$ 100,000, according to Andrei. The company plans further expansion into Western Europe, the USA, Canada, and the UK.

CartaMe has secured a lead investor from the Emirates. In response to a question, Andrei revealed that they attract users through the open market and digital marketing. Regarding revenue, he explained that they have two channels: financial support from VISA, which pays them for each card, and income from advertising.
Max inquired about the decision to introduce the product in East Europe when the company is based in the US. Andrei explained that Europe, including the UK, has a significant number of loyalty programs, and people in the region are more accustomed to using mobile applications.

The third founder present is Stephane Lavergne, Co-CEO of Meraki People Solutions, a platform designed to facilitate Human Resource Management and recruiting. The Texas-based company is currently seeking $2.5 million in a Seed Round. The AI-enhanced software offered by the company focuses on recruiting and integrated consulting services.

During his introduction, Stephane, with over 25 years of experience in HR and recruiting within both startup and Fortune 500 companies, emphasized the expertise of his team, all of whom share similar extensive experience. He proceeded to recount his challenging experiences in recruiting, citing the time-consuming nature of handling hundreds of applications for 10 to 15 positions, including the screening, comparison, and selection processes. Recognizing the need for a more efficient solution, he introduced Meraki People Solutions as an integrated system featuring AI-assisted candidate matching and CRM tools.

The business model revolves around a subscription-based approach, with pricing determined by the size of the client's workforce. The current market size in the US is estimated at around US$ 2.5 billion, with expectations for growth to reach US$ 4.1 billion by 2030. The company aims to capture a niche market valued at US$ 996 million, projecting growth to US$ 1.6 billion by 2030.

The requested $ 2.5 million will be allocated to the development of the system, with a targeted completion within 25 weeks and the creation of a minimum viable product (MVP). In response to a question, Stephane mentioned that they plan to initially target startup and SMB clients in the US and subsequently expand globally, starting with English-speaking countries.

The final pitcher of the day is Kris Venkatesh, CEO of Rayyar Capital, based in London, who is seeking an investment to the tune of £1 million in his pre-seed round within the finance sector.

With over 16 years of experience assessing companies of various sizes and government organizations, Venkatesh has gained extensive exposure to the financial sector. He has identified a significant gap in the market where SMEs and growth-stage companies struggle to access funding. These include businesses like cafes, small-time importers and exporters, and small supermarkets, which face challenges in obtaining the necessary funds to scale their products or services.

In response to this gap, Kris is launching his startup, Rayyar Capital, which aims to provide funding to such SMEs in the form of a loan or term loan without personal guarantees. The lending decision will be based strictly on business records, including operational period, turnover, and creditworthiness. Lending will be restricted to amounts ranging from £100,000 to £1 million.

The investment being sought is primarily for equity raise, intended for hiring staff and working capital.
When asked about how he plans to mitigate the risk of unsecured lending, Kris explained that he employs stringent criteria in selecting borrowers. Furthermore, he assured that receivables would be included in the company's assets. Kris plans to charge an annual interest rate ranging from 18% to 36% from borrowers. Additionally, he disclosed that he intends to secure £10 million from private credit funds to serve as lending capital.

Moving on to the Elevator Pitch Session, all pitchers were asked to state in 20 seconds, why their venture should be invested on.

Kris went first stating “Investors will be supporting the co-system while also investing in the field with a guaranteed good return since the model is profitable”

Andrei shared that CartaMe would become a billion-dollar company.

Stephen highlighted that the HR Tech world is expanding, and the team is ready to take the challenge so investors will find this a worthwhile investment.

Chris added this will be a unique investment opportunity as his venture is one of a kind with growth expectancy of phenomenal proportions.

With warm thanks to all that attended Max concluded the session.