P&G Ventures Announces Four Finalists in Latest Innovation Challenge

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CINCINNATI, June 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- P&G Ventures, the early stage startup studio within P&G (NYSE:PG), has announced the four finalists in its latest Innovation Challenge, which will be held online on Wednesday, July 14 at 1pm ET.

These four finalists were chosen from a competitive pool of applicants whose products are solving consumer pain points in categories such as active aging, safe and effective germ protection, non-toxic home and garden, as well as other consumer packaged goods spaces where P&G doesn't currently compete.

The finalists will pitch their businesses to a panel of expert judges who will determine the winner. The panel includes Alex Betancourt, Vice President, P&G Ventures; Anu Duggal, Founding Partner, Female Founders Fund; Mike Jensen, Senior Vice President of Research & Development, P&G Ventures; Michael Olmstead, Chief Revenue Officer, Plug and Play; and Clarence Wooten, Co-founder and General Partner, Revitalize Venture Studio.

The winner will receive a $10,000 prize and the opportunity to continue developing their product with P&G Ventures.

The 2021 P&G Ventures Innovation Challenge finalists are:

• NanoSpun Technologies, based in Los Altos, CA and represented by Founder & CEO Ohad Bendror (Bendas), develops and produces disruptive, first-of-its-kind, live-active biological tissues for skincare, medical and industrial applications.
• One Skin, based in San Francisco, CA and represented by Co-Founder Juliana Carvalho, is the first topical supplement designed to extend your skin's lifespan on a molecular level, improving skin health and strength, giving users youthful skin for longer.
• Ready, Set, Food!, based in Los Angeles, CA and represented by CEO & Co-Founder Daniel Zakowski, is a ground-breaking solution to early allergen introduction, making it easy for families to follow new food allergy prevention medical guidelines.
• Wellesley Pharmaceuticals, based in Newtown Grant, PA and represented by CEO & President David Dill, designed Nocturol™ – a pill designed to provide 8 hours of protection for those who suffer from frequent bathroom trips overnight.

Bill Birgen, winner of P&G Ventures' Innovation Challenge held in January 2021 during CES, said, "Being selected as a finalist by P&G Ventures gave the SAVRpak team access to some great P&G resources, specifically with regards to sustainability. Winning the P&G Ventures competition brought with it another level of validation and credibility."

Birgen and his cohort of finalists are the most recent additions to the P&G Ventures Innovation Challenge alumni group— more than a dozen previous winners and finalists who receive access to ongoing training, support and resources from P&G Ventures.

For more information about how to tune in and watch the challenge on July 14 from 1:00-2:30 PM ET, please visit ventureschallenge.com and register on Eventbrite. To stay up-to-date on all Innovation Challenge timing and news, follow P&G Ventures on LinkedIn and Twitter.

About P&G Ventures
Established in 2015, P&G Ventures partners with entrepreneurs, inventors, and startups to discover and create consumer products, brands, and businesses that solve consumer needs in areas new to P&G. Each P&G Ventures partnership is unique, providing funding and access to P&G's experts, resources, and capabilities to help partners prove their technology and create their brand.

About Procter and Gamble
P&G serves consumers around the world with one of the strongest portfolios of trusted, quality, leadership brands, including Always®, Ambi Pur®, Ariel®, Bounty®, Charmin®, Crest®, Dawn®, Downy®, Fairy®, Febreze®, Gain®, Gillette®, Head & Shoulders®, Lenor®, Olay®, Oral-B®, Pampers®, Pantene®, SK-II®, Tide®, Vicks®, and Whisper®. The P&G community includes operations in approximately 70 countries worldwide. Please visit http://www.pg.com for the latest news and information about P&G and its brands.

Media Contact:
Jennifer Byrne, [email protected]
Taylor Anderson, [email protected]

SOURCE Procter & Gamble