New Wave Programs- Grand Prize Winner $10,000!

In June 2019, the California State University of Monterey Bay hosted their first round of pitches for the annual Startup Challenge Monterey Bay. Companies from all over central California met at the Embassy Suites in Marina, CA, to pitch about their businesses and business ideas.

In a similar fashion to NBC’s hit tv show Shark Tank, a series of judging panels ultimately decided who would make it through to the next round, and who would have the chance to win some major startup-money at the Final Event. Out of 100s that arrived, only a handful was selected to return back for two more rounds of grueling pitches on May 5th. 

“We didn’t make it to the Final Event in 2018, so we were determined to try again this year. Mostly I think I was just extremely eager to share all about the growth our company had made over the last year, and to show the judges that we really listened to their advice.”

-Michael Handley, Founder NewWave Programs, LLC  

To keep it short, not only did we make it through to the Final Event, we’re beyond excited to say that this was our year to take it all! Our efforts to increase Social-Emotional Learning in schools and to strengthen communities through our programs put the crowd on their feet and persuaded the panel of judges in the treacherous Otter Tank that New Wave Programs was “the one.”

You got it! New Wave Programs walked away with the title: Grand Prize Winner of the Social-Venture Division Award and $10,000 in start-up funds!