SEMA Launch Pad Down to Final 15 Entrepreneurs
The top 15 applicants in the 2019 SEMA Launch Pad have been selected to advance to the six-week online voting stage. The public will be invited to vote from July 29 to Sept. 8, thereby determining the finalists who will go on to pitch industry experts in front of a live audience on Nov. 4 at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas. One winner will reveive the top prize, including $10,000 and exhibit space at the show.
SEMA Launch Pad is presented by the Young Executives Network (YEN).
The 15 SEMA Launch Pad semifinalists, company name and entered products are:
- Eric Amato (Radial Dynamics); Vortex Steering Reservoir
- Alan Brentzel (Traveling Tint); Removable Sun Shades & Window Tint
- Jason Denney (RIGd Supply); UltraSwing
- TJ Hammerle (Trac-Top); Trac-Top/Jeep Wrangler Top
- Thomas Judge (GJ Motorsports); 3rd Brake Lights
- Riley Koidahl (The Paddock); The Paddock
- Andrew Lien (KeyCages); KeyCages
- Reid Lunde (Kaizen Speed); Kaizen Relay
- Christopher Owens (Last Drop Wrench); The Last Drop Wrench
- Wesley Poole (Forged Authority); Aftermarket Truck Bed System
- Alexander Reid (Seville Auto Trim); GloTrim/Fiber Optic Light Guide see OEM
- Zachary Saylor (The Wiper Group); Wiper Packs
- John Schurman (Voxel Evolution/dba Luxe Auto Concepts); Luxe LightWrap
- Sarah Smith (SoCur); UV Cure Undercoat System for Automotive Refinish
- Justin Urban (Urban Custom Fabrications); DIY Custom Flatbeds
The Launch Pad is a competition designed to help and support young entrepreneurs in the automotive aftermarket. All 15 semifinalists receive complimentary membership to SEMA, as well as registration and airfare (up to $500) to attend the SEMA Show Exhibitor Summit, set for June 17-18 in Las Vegas. At the Exhibitor Summit, semifinalists will learn new business strategies and film videos that will be used for the online voting which begins on July 29 at sema.org/launchpad.
The top five vote-getters will get to pitch their products during the SEMA Launch Pad Live event hosted on Nov. 4 by Aaron Kaufman of Shifting Gears with Aaron Kaufman on the Discovery Network and owner of Arclight Fabrication. The Live Launch Pad competition will include a panel of industry experts serving as judges.
Since 2013 the SEMA Launch Pad program has given young entrepreneurs, students, and business owners age 18-39 an opportunity to launch their products into the $43 billion automotive aftermarket industry. The program shows emerging business owners how to develop, market, and boost their automotive products or services by teaching them business strategies used by industry experts.
