TechCrunch just hosted its first pitch-off in Detroit and we’re pleased to announce Diet ID won the event. The company, based in Detroit and founded in 2016 by Dr. David Katz, gives users a clinically tested approach to dietary assessment and management.
Diet ID competed against other Detroit-area startups, including Rivet Work, Plain Sight and FixMyCar. Local investors acted as judges: Jim Tenzillo, VP at Invest Michigan; Dawn Batts, Capital Strategist at TechTown and co-founder of Commune Angels; and Ben Bernstein, principal at Invest Detroit Ventures.
The entire pitch-off is embedded above.
The event also featured talks from local VCs on fundraising in Detroit, where Jonathon Triest from Ludlow Ventures and Patti Glaza from Invest Detroit Ventures spoke extensively on the growing startup scene. Ryan Landau, founder of Purpose Jobs, also spoke on startup hiring practices and trends in the Midwest. That video is found below.
This event is part of TechCrunch’s City Spotlight series, where we dive into the culture of growing startup ecosystems found throughout the United States. We’re going to Pittsburgh next and hope you can join us.
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Join 10k+ tech and VC leaders for growth and connections at Disrupt 2025
Netflix, Box, a16z, ElevenLabs, Wayve, Hugging Face, Elad Gil, Vinod Khosla — just some of the 250+ heavy hitters leading 200+ sessions designed to deliver the insights that fuel startup growth and sharpen your edge. Don’t miss a chance to learn from the top voices in tech. Grab your ticket before doors open to save up to $444.
