Winning element: KU-linked startup mines critical spot-cash support at Pure Pitch Rally
October 27, 2026 | Nikki Overfelt Chifalu
Bri Farris, co-founder of Electravera, shares her pitch during the Pure Pitch Rally; photo by Nikki Overfelt Chifalu, Startland News
Bri Farris was a little surprised at the backing — and stack of novelty checks — given to Electravera at Monday’s Pure Pitch Rally, she said, even though her startup’s innovative electrochemical process to recover high-purity lithium and cobalt derivatives tracks well with the region’s momentum around critical materials.
Bri Farris, co-founder of Electravera, second from left, sits alongside her fellow competitors during the 2026 Pure Pitch Rally; photo by Nikki Overfelt Chifalu, Startland News
“I didn’t think there would be this much support in Kansas City,” the co-founder and COO continued. “We knew that with UMKC and with Panasonic, there’s a lot of talk about critical minerals. We’re really excited about our work and our research and being able to see this many people also excited is just amazing.”
Spun out of research at the University of Kansas, the Electravera process helps strengthen the domestic supply of critical minerals through energy-efficient, sustainable recovery and refinement.
The startup earned $20,000 in checks from “Land Sharks” during Monday’s Pure Pitch Rally competition at the Lifted Logic Event Space. The pitch contest places five emerging startups on stage with the opportunity to win spot-cash prizes from a crowd of investors from the civic and business communities. (Individual Land Sharks each award $1,000 to the startup of their choosing.)
“It’s really cool to see the impact that we’re having,” noted Shelby Atherton, co-founder and CTO of Electravera. “And that it’s clear to everyone else, as well, that there is this need for critical mineral circularity. So it’s awesome to see that everyone is on the train.”
Now in its 11th year, Pure Pitch Rally sent five sets of founders home with more than $58,000 and access to high-value resources and professional networks.
“Year 11 is a powerful milestone,” explained Karen Fenaroli, founder of the Pure Pitch Rally. “Actually, in numerology, the name for 11 is mastermind. It’s a prime number, too, and mastermind to me means one to one. It’s one human to another human, which is really what this pitch is about.”
Farris said the checks Eltravera received would help toward finding a space — outside of KU — where the team can build out its pilot reactor.
“We want to scale up from the lab to more of a pilot scale,” she added.
Zaydan Ahmed, founder of AcuSera, pitches his smart wristband company during the 2026 Pure Pitch Rally; photo by Nikki Overfelt Chifalu, Startland News
AcuSera — a smart wristband that automatically responds to acute stress, founded by 18-year-old Zaydan Ahmed — took home $15,000 in checks, plus the $2,500 people’s choice award. That support, on top of the support he’s received in the past, helps Ahmed to feel confident he will continue to be supported in the future, he noted.
“I think KC does a great job supporting each other,” he continued. “It doesn’t feel like a competition. It really feels like we’re all a team working together here.”
The funding boost from Pure Pitch Rally, Ahmed said, will help him launch version five prototype.
“This money is going to technical development to get this on the wrists of people who need it as soon as possible,” he added.
Here’s who received Pure Pitch Rally funding:
(Editor’s note: Funding totals are based on amounts announced on-site during the Pure Pitch Rally event. Final, official funding totals had not yet been released by organizers Tuesday afternoon.)
Bri Farris, Electravera
Electravera, Bri Farris and Shelby Atherton — $20,000
Spun out of research at the University of Kansas, Electravera uses an innovative electrochemical process to recover high-purity lithium and cobalt derivatives, helping strengthen the domestic supply of critical minerals through energy-efficient, sustainable recovery and refinement.
“As we all know, lithium-ion batteries are a part of our everyday lives,” Farris explained. “From the smartphones that are in our pockets, the laptops on our desks, and even some of the electric vehicles we drive, lithium-ion batteries power most of today’s technology, but there’s a slight problem with these batteries. What’s going to happen when they reach their end of life?”
“Today, the United States relies on foreign sources of critical minerals,” she continued. “And a lot of those critical minerals we don’t have here. We don’t have mines to mine the lithium or the cobalt, so we need a solution to get those critical minerals back into our supply chain.”
Zaydan Ahmed, AcuSera
AcuSera, Zaydan Ahmed — $15,000 + $2,500 people’s choice award
A smart wristband that automatically responds to acute stress, AcuSera combines real-time biometric monitoring with targeted vibration therapy and guided breathing to help users manage stress as it occurs.
“We start with the 3.4 million Americans with epilepsy where stress is the most commonly reported trigger for seizures,” Ahmed said. “The natural expansion is PTSD, anxiety, and migraine disorder.”
Fred Neis, RESCUE ID
RESCUE ID, Fred Neis — $8,000
Through a secure, scannable QR code, RESCUE ID gives emergency responders immediate access to critical personal and medical information while automatically notifying designated emergency contacts, helping improve communication and decision-making when every second counts.
“Rescue ID was built by responders: police, fire, EMS, mental health responders, emergency clinicians, and even the medical examiner have put their fingerprints on this product,” Neis noted.
Hemkesh Agrawal, RestaurantMate
RestaurantMate, Hemkesh Agrawal — $7,000
An AI-powered purchasing and operations platform for independent restaurants, RestaurantMate connects existing vendor accounts, inventory, sales and pricing data to automate ordering, identify cost-saving opportunities and help restaurant owners make more informed purchasing decisions.
Agrawal — who was represented by his advisor John Mejia — pitched via video to the Land Sharks because he is currently in India to renew his visa.
“Think of your favorite local restaurant,” Agrawal said on video. “Got one? Hold on to it. That owner probably opened it to make a great chicken sandwich, not to run spreadsheets. Every week, they’re buying over 50 items from 10 different vendors an hour before the order cut-off. So they just reorder and they overpay, and that’s why I built RestaurantMate.”
Matthew Leming, Enhance Health
Enhance Health, Matthew Leming — $6,000
Enhance Health is developing BREEZE, an FDA-designated device that measures ammonia levels through a simple breath test, giving patients with liver and kidney disease and their healthcare providers greater visibility into potential health complications between visits.
“To this day, patients with these diseases see their physician about a handful of times every year, with little insight in between each of those visits, if at all,” Leming explained. “So they’re running blind between physicians’ visits at the moment, which leads to unnecessary and preventable ER visits and hospitalizations.”
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