QueerTech Announces the Winner of the 2024 2SLGBTQIA+ Investment Prize at Startupfest

Montreal, QC – July 16, 2024 | Today QueerTech is delighted to announce Co-Founders Mary Richardson and Brandon Teller as the winners of the 2024 2SLGBTQIA+ Investment Prize at Startupfest. Out of over 40 remarkable pitches, Richardson and Teller stood out with their innovative venture, Bindr. The team will be taking home $60,000 to reinvest into their operations and growth. In its inaugural year, the 2SLGBTQIA+ Investment Prize was established to support and celebrate entrepreneurial excellence within the queer community. Beyond visibility and recognition, this Prize also aims to address the alarming inequity of funding allocation 2SLGBTQIA+ entrepreneurs experience across the country. This initiative, in partnership with QueerTech and Startupfest, was made possible by the contributions of 10+ angel investors. About the Winners: Mary Richardson (CEO) and Brandon Teller (CTO), the visionaries behind Bindr, captivated the judges with their groundbreaking work in the dating application space. Bindr is the fastest-growing, free-to-use dating app uniquely designed for bisexual and bicurious individuals. It distinguishes itself in the dating market by offering a dedicated platform tailored to the unique needs and experiences of bisexual users, with the ultimate mission of eliminating bisexual discrimination in the online dating space. The competition judges were also highly impressed by the AI-powered technology behind Bindr, recognizing it as a revolutionary advancement in the marketing and advertising industry. This investment prize will enable the Bindr team to scale their operations, grow their business, and expand their impact. Quotes: “I am so honoured and grateful to be the winner of the first ever Startupfest 2SLGBTQIA+ Investment Prize! There was a time not-so-long-ago that nobody in business could be openly queer but, thanks to prizes like this and organizations like QueerTech, we are able to be out and proud without fear of discrimination. It is such an amazing feeling to be not only accepted, but celebrated for being a queer woman founder. I now have an exceptional panel of investors from this competition that understand the struggles of being a queer entrepreneur - that is worth more than anything other competitions have ever given me,” said Mary Richardson, CEO of Bindr. “This isn’t the first pitch competition I have been a part of, but it is the first one where the other competitors were the first to congratulate and hug me. We were all just happy that this was happening, and that someone from our community was going to be the winner. QueerTech gives me hope for the future of queer entrepreneurship and hope for the people who feel like they couldn’t start their company because of fear of discrimination.” “Attending Startupfest was an amazing experience. We came to this event with the goal of meeting the people and organizations that are helping our community. To now say that these individuals and organizations are personally a part of our company is more than we could have ever imagined. QueerTech is what we need as a company, and what the world needs now more than ever,” said Brandon Teller, CTO of Bindr. “A group of people investing in 2SLGBTQIA+ founders seemed like an impossible concept not too long ago. Now, it seems like a destined future. Thanks to this initiative, I know I will be able to give back in the future - and so will every other founder who wins this award after us. That’s what it means to be a 2SLGBTQIA+ founder - to build the best companies, products and organizations in order to help others.” “The 2SLGBTQIA+ Investment Prize gave myself, and every other attendee at Startupfest, the opportunity to witness the relentless passion, tenacity and innovation present throughout Canada’s queer entrepreneurial community,” said Naoufel Testaouni, CEO of QueerTech. “A heartfelt congratulations to the Bindr team - your work in delivering queer perspectives and community-focused solutions in the technology space is commendable.” QueerTech looks forward to witnessing the growth and success of Bindr.' To learn more about QueerTech, visit www.queertech.org. For more information, or to schedule interviews, please contact: Lauren Hicks, Communications Manager, QueerTech. media@queertech.org