By Ashley Reyes
Video of the 2020 SEMA Launch Pad competition, presented by the Young Executives Network (YEN), is now available on the SEMA Launch Pad website. Featuring exclusive footage of this year’s competitors in action, the 45-minute video includes backstage interviews and discussions with the finalists and judges.
Watch the actual pitches made by Roland Hence of FrontLane Inc., Justin Bradshaw of REVER, Eric Rivera of Dirt Dynamix, Matt Rafeld of BeachComber Offroad and Khanjan Desai of Alchemy, and listen as the judges gives each competitor feedback, and discuss the presentations among themselves. With the judges grading on how well the ideas were presented, innovation of product, and overall business plan, decide for yourself who you think had the best product.
“The process that has led them to this point has been really intense,” said Launch Pad judge Melanie White of Hellwig Products. “But you can tell there is so much passion and that’s what I love about this. All of them are solving a problem in our industry.”
White was joined by Launch Pad host Aaron Kaufman, and judges Daryl Sampson of Turn 14 Distribution, Dan Kahn of Kahn Media, Jonathan Mill of Alloy Studios and Brian Reese of The Retrofit Source.
“What I was not expecting is how conversational the questions became,” said Hence, who was selected as Launch Pad winner for his product the Impulse – Emergency Brake Light. “It really felt like we were working together to find a way to make the product and the company better. I really appreciated that and it was a great surprise.”
Learn how the other four finalists are advancing the specialty-equipment industry, apply to pre-qualify for the 2021 competition, and sign up to receive program updates by visiting the SEMA Launch Pad website.