https://www.affinipay.com/AUSTIN, Texas—The Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with South by Southwest, has announced the 2022 A-LIST Awards finalists.

A-LIST is designed to recognize homegrown companies in various growth stages. These companies are developing new ways to connect with customers while transforming their industries and creating a robust culture for their employees.

“A-LIST is the premier event honoring startups on the cutting edge of technology and innovation," said Hugh Forrest, Chief Programming Officer for South by Southwest. “Providing a spotlight to both emerging and established businesses is something South by Southwest is passionate about. We are excited to partner with the Austin Chamber of Commerce to give these great companies exposure and resources to grow their business.”

The A-LIST Awards Event keynote features a discussion with Janice Omadeke and Albert Swantner. They will be speaking on the power of mentorship and preserving Austin's collaborative spirit through the rapid changes the city is undergoing.

Janice Omadeke is the Founder and CEO of The Mentor Method, software that helps companies build mentorship programs at scale. Omadeke has been inducted into the Techstars Class of 2022, won the 2021 Best CEO Award by Austin Business Journal, the 2021 Profiles in Power from the Austin Business Journal, and the Moontower Rising Changemaker Award. Albert Swantner is a serial entrepreneur and a partner in The Fund Austin. Swantner also serves as the Vice President of Engineering for the Mentor Method.

The categories for the A-LIST Awards are:

- Bootstrapped (Self-funded businesses)
- Angel & Seed ($10,000 to $2 million in investment)
- Early Stage (A or B Series funding, $2 million to $33 million)
- Later Stage (C series or later, greater than $33 million)
- Investor of the Year (Open to angel investors and venture capital firms)

Winners will be honored at the A-LIST Awards celebration on August 3 at the Long Center. Tickets for the event are on sale.

The finalists in each category are:

BOOTSTRAPPED

Electra Beverages
Digital iTechnology
IREP Junk Removal
KUNGFU.AI
Talroo

SEED & ANGEL

Afia
Boutiq
Clusiv
Lumaegis, Inc.

EARLY STAGE

FloorFound
L7 Informatics, Inc.
Living Security
Pinwheel

LATER STAGE

Affinipay
AlertMedia
ESO
TrustRadius

INVESTOR OF THE YEAR

ATX Venture Partners
LiveOak Venture Partners
Lontra Ventures
Midnight Venture Partners
Moonshots Capital

Winners will also receive various benefits, including access to a network of A-LIST mentors and other prizes from multiple sponsors, including 2023 SXSW Platinum Badges, Austin Chamber membership, three months of co-working space at Capital Factory, Oracle Cloud credits ($25K for companies and $100K for investors and their chosen portfolio companies), Central Texas Angel Network application fee waiver, among other prizes.

About A-LIST

Brought to you by the Austin Chamber and South by Southwest, the A-LIST Awards celebrate Austin’s innovative entrepreneurs and most promising high-growth companies. A-LIST is in its 11th year and honors companies at various growth and funding stages. This year, the awards will also feature an investor category meant to recognize the Angels and VCs funding A-LIST companies and other Central Texas companies.