Travel, healthcare and blood testing businesses are big winners at Chandler Endeavor Venture Challenge

Chris Diehnelt has spoken in front of crowds many times. But the founder of Robust Diagnostics admits to still getting nervous.

And it was no different after Diehnelt pitched a panel of judges that would determine whether his custom peptide microarray services business was worthy of all or a portion of the $17,500 they would award that evening.

“I’m not a natural public speaker, so I do some deep breaths and just start talking,” Diehnelt says of his strategy.

Diehnelt was one of six emerging business founders that kept a standing-room-only crowd riveted as each one maximized the five minutes they were given to impress judges at the Chandler Endeavor Venture Challenge held May 21 at the ASU Chandler Innovation Center.

A much friendlier, more supportive, inclusive and intimate version of Shark Tank, the challenge is completely donor-funded and is open to anyone who wishes to apply online. The six hopefuls made the final cut out of 33 applicants.

Diehnelt’s deep-breathing method proved successful as he was one of three business founders who came away with a portion of the funds.

A former ASU research faculty member, Diehnelt was diagnosed with MS in 2015. His research into how to improve diagnostics led him to create his business in 2020. Currently, there is no blood test to detect MS. He aims to change that.

“I wasn’t sure it would work, but it looks like it is working,” says Diehnelt, who the judges awarded $7,500.

Hannah Pynn and her family’s personal experience with deciding whether to live aboard was the catalyst for Scoutly Plans, which curates scouting trips for families, retirees and digital nomads. She was awarded $2,500.

Pynn describes practicing her pitch at home with her toddlers running around her, offering her lots of experience delivering her script despite distractions.

“It’s a process to prepare, but I’m so passionate about our company and I'm so excited to see where this takes us,” Pynn says.

A conversation with a friend led to Wasif Bokhari co-founding MyScribe, an AI-powered transcription software that facilitates the charting process for healthcare professionals, allowing them more time for patient care than paperwork.

Bokhari’s model impressed judges, who awarded his company $7,500.

“All of the pitches were really good so it was a really good surprise to see myself as a winner,” Bokhari says. “But I do believe very strongly in my product so I think it’s a nice reward for all the hard work I’ve done in the last few months.”

Sean Gray was a spectator in the packed house. A member of the Chandler Chamber of Commerce and co-founder of the startup Hue Technologies, Gray regularly attends the Venture Challenge to show his support.

“It gives people who are starting out an opportunity to showcase,” Gray says. “It’s kind of like ‘America’s Got Talent’ but for business. Like, ‘Hey, I’ve got an idea,’ and this place helps you get it in a position where you can share it with the world.”

In its second year, the Chandler Endeavor Venture Challenge is the highlight of the Chandler Endeavor Venture Innovation Incubator program. A partnership between ASU's J. Orin Edson Entrepreneurship + Innovation Institute and the City of Chandler is responsible for this unique national model that is not replicated elsewhere in the country.

The average national incubator serves 10-15 business-minded individuals. Last year, the Chandler program served 1,400, says Kristin Slice, director of community entrepreneurship for the J. Orin Edson Entrepreneurship + Innovation Institute.

“None of this happens without the City of Chandler,” Slice says. “If it weren't for cities and partners like them, we wouldn’t be able to do this.”

In the past, candidates have run the gamut from high school students to retirees. Some are faculty, researchers, recent alumni, students or those with no ASU affiliation. For many this is their first time with entrepreneurship.

“The inclusive incubation model is unique, which allows it to serve a lot of people,” Slice says of the award-winning incubator. “All of them are people who are passionate about solving a problem and they want to solve it for a lot of people.”

Behind closed doors, three judges deliberated over which business had the most potential for the funding. After about 15 minutes, they emerged.

“With the pitches, I was incredibly impressed with the caliber this evening,” says Brian Ellerman, judge and executive director of XLR8 PBC. “The ability to drill into the actual problems, I loved that, that was fantastic, which is why we had such a hard job…”

Sam Brunner, manager at CliftonLarsonAllen, was so impressed that he kicked in an extra $2,500, pushing the total over the initial $15,000 pot.

Angela Garmon, CEO and business strategist for ARG Coaching & Consulting Group, is a repeat judge. What she and her fellow judges focused on was each founder’s explanation of how they would use the money and how they would leverage it to generate more. Garmon says the three winners were very specific and made their growth plans extremely clear.

Garmon believes the platform granted by the incubator and the challenge event is invaluable not only for the winning entrepreneurs but also for the communities they serve.

“So often, communities put out programs but they don’t necessarily think about how they can integrate the community into the program,” Garmon says. “Chandler Endeavor and the City of Chandler have done a lot of work to make sure that not only are they part of the community, but they are also creating a space for economic growth and development for small businesses, which is truly the cornerstone of the U.S.”