LOUISVILLE, Ky. (August 27, 2019) — Six local startups are the 2019 Vogt Awards recipients. Each winner will receive $25,000 in non-dilutive funding and an additional package of valuable services and mentoring for earlystage entrepreneurs as they develop their product idea into viable and successful businesses.

The winning companies are:

1. Borderless, a fintech company giving merchants a cheaper, faster and safer alternative to credit cards.

2. Forecastr, a platform that constructs a custom forecasting model for your business, which can be used for budgeting, cash flow management and raising capital.

3. Moolathon, a social fundraising platform and fitness tracker.

4. Raise the Bar Management, makers of a cloud-based learning management system designed to optimize hospitality training and staff performance.

5. TackleHack Outdoor, creator of an open-sourced e-commerce marketplace dedicated to small batch and custom outdoor gear.

6. Unitonomy, the first platform that helps companies grow, manage and measure their culture via SaaS software.

Vogt Award companies and founders receive not only funding but also dedicated mentorship and focused workshops. “Each company has incredible potential, but limited resources. We want to accelerate their growth and business acumen through investment of resources and expertise. Over ten weeks of training, Vogt Award winners are exposed to best of the best in marketing, sales, financial modeling, unit economics and more,” said Ellie Puckett, Vogt Awards Administrator for GLI.

The awards are made possible by Henry Vogt Heuser Sr., who established an endowment, the Vogt Invention & Innovation Fund, at the Community Foundation of Louisville in 2000. Heuser had a strong vision for growing innovation in Greater Louisville and pioneered the creation of multiple inventions during his career. The Vogt Invention & Innovation Fund was created to help support entrepreneurial efforts of inventors and innovators to fund the product development and commercialization of their ideas.

“Since 2000, more than 70 companies have received over $3 million in cash awards, plus countless hours of mentoring support, fueling the Louisville entrepreneurial community and supporting our mission of creating a thriving community,” said Susan Barry, President and CEO of The Community Foundation of Louisville. “I can’t help but think how proud Mr. Heuser would be of the innovation these award winners are bringing to life.”

GLI will conduct the Vogt Awards’ mentoring programming throughout the fall. Winners are introduced to a wide range of mentors and experts in Louisville’s business community, who dedicate more than 300 hours of unpaid consultation. Vogt Awards Demo Day will be held in November during Global Entrepreneurship Week and each winner will have the opportunity to showcase their business to the community and share the progress they are making thanks to the funding, collaboration, mentorship and support services.

For more information, visit www.vogtawards.com.

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About The Vogt Awards & Henry Heuser
Henry Vogt Heuser, who died in 1999, was an exemplary corporate citizen and a gifted inventor and entrepreneur. He was a native of Louisville who spent his entire career working for Henry Vogt Machine Company, including 28 years as its president. Whenever Henry had an idea about how to make something better, quicker, or easier, all he had to do was walk out to the shop floor to assess its viability and commercial potential. The endowment he created at the Community Foundation of Louisville to establish this award will allow engineers and entrepreneurs to access the same kinds of resources. The Vogt Award is intended not only to memorialize Henry’s legacy, but also to inspire more inventors to pursue their goals right here in Louisville.

About Community Foundation of Louisville
The Community Foundation of Louisville is a force for good. As a leader in philanthropy, we connect donors, nonprofits, and civic partners to create lasting impact in community so people and place thrive. Founded in 1984, the Community Foundation is the largest charitable foundation in Kentucky with more than $500 million in assets and more than 1,600 charitable funds. Each fund has its own name and charitable purpose as defined by its donors. In 2018, over 10,000 grants were made from these funds totaling $55 million, approximately 84% of which stayed in Kentucky and Southern Indiana to support area nonprofits. To learn how you can be a part of this force for good, visit www.cflouisville.org.

About Greater Louisville Inc.
Greater Louisville Inc. (GLI) – the Metro Chamber of Commerce is focused on growing the regional economy. As the region’s largest convener of business leadership, GLI leads economic and global outreach strategies focused on business attraction, nurtures the entrepreneurial eco-system, and champions the development of the community’s talent base. As the voice of Greater Louisville’s business community, GLI advocates for a probusiness environment and facilitates businesses engagement on issues that impact regional competitiveness. GLI is the 2019 national Chamber of the Year and is one of only three percent of chambers nationally certified with 5-star accreditation status by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, based on GLI’s dedicated policy efforts, effective operations, beneficial programs and overall positive community impact. Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn using @GLIchamber or visit www.GreaterLouisville.com