Crown Point’s Cloud 9 Griptape a finalist for Nationwide’s Pitch To Win content

Times (Munster, IN)

Sep. 20--Crown Point-based Cloud 9 Griptape has been named a finalist for "Pitch To Win," a nationwide small business contest sponsored by Nationwide Insurance and BlueVine.

Cloud 9 Griptape founder Kyle Ayling is one of seven finalists and will travel to Nationwide's headquarters in Columbus, Ohio to make his pitch for a chance to win $100,000 to grow his business. A panel of executives from Nationwide, BlueVine's founder and CEO Eyal Lifshitz and Kelley Earnhardt Miller, co-owner of JR Motorsports and the sister of race car driver Dale Earnhardt Jr., will choose a winner, who will be announced on Oct. 3.

Cloud 9 makes skateboard grip tape with colorful graphics.

"While traditional plain black grip tape can limit how skateboarders show their individuality, Cloud 9 Griptape's designs enable them to express themselves and stand out," Nationwide said in a press release. "Founder Kyle Ayling is passionate about the skateboarding community and seeks to give skateboarders a better way to showcase their creativity."

Nationwide Insurance and BlueVine, a California-based online platform for business financing, opened the contest during Small Business Week in May and got more than 3,300 applications from across the country.

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"Nationwide once started as a small business aiming to provide trusted and fairly priced insurance coverage for America's farmers," said Tony Fenton, vice president of underwriting, product and new product development at Nationwide. "All of the 'Pitch To Win' finalists have demonstrated their industry expertise, commitment to growing their businesses and the unique market needs they are serving. We look forward to helping them take the next step with this contest and to partnering with BlueVine to continue supporting America's small businesses."

Finalists include ActivArmor, a Colorado-based company that 3D-prints casts and splints; Boolean Girl Tech, a Virginia-based company that makes computer engineering kits that help teach kids to code, build, invent and animate; Buckle Me Baby Coats, a New Hampshire-based company that designs children's coats that fit better in car seats; CurlMix, a Chicago-based manufacturer of organic flaxseed haircare gel for curls; Sonavi Labs, a Baltimore-based operation that makes AI-enabled digital stethoscopes, remote monitoring devices, apps and a "smart cloud system that can analyze body sounds and identify respiratory abnormalities independent of a doctor;" and TITAN Mixer Bottle, a Columbus-based company that invented a bottle that mixes protein shakes without shaking or batteries.

All of the finalists will get a chance to meet and consult with experienced business experts about how to grow their companies.

"As a third-generation small business entrepreneur, I was inspired by the thousands of contestants who submitted compelling proposals for an opportunity to accelerate their business growth with an influx of capital and leadership counsel," Lifshitz said. "Every day at BlueVine, we see how additional capital can take small businesses to the next level and I'm eager to join Nationwide in supporting the 'Pitch To Win' finalists in scaling their diverse businesses, supporting their local communities and achieving their goals."

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