RENO, Nev. (KOLO) – Nevada’s startup scene is heating up as seven Silver State companies prepare to pitch their businesses in hopes of securing a major investment at this year’s AngelNV finale. The event, hosted by StartUpNV, is set to take place in Las Vegas Saturday, March 29, offering entrepreneurs the opportunity to win at least $200,000—with total investments reaching up to $1 million.
But beyond the funding, AngelNV is about diversifying Nevada’s economy, says Jeff Saling, Executive Director of StartUpNV.
“When we do have a slowdown and people stop traveling, Nevada won’t feel like we’ve been punched in the solar plexus because we have another part of the economy that keeps on trucking,” Saling explains.
AngelNV is a program under StartUpNV, a nonprofit dedicated to economic development in Nevada. The competition follows a Shark Tank-style format, where accredited investors contribute $5,000 each to form a fund, which is then awarded to Nevada-based startups.
Saling says investors look for key indicators of success when choosing which company to back.
“We want to know how big the market is, how big the pain in that market is, and how they know that pain exists. Then, of course, we want to know their business model and how they plan to sell their product.”
While tech and AI startups are common in these competitions, Saling is particularly interested in one company this year: Cranel, a health and wellness brand tackling a major but often overlooked medical issue—urinary tract infections (UTIs).
Cranel was founded by Christine Jurzenski and Erica Schultz, who both have firsthand experience with chronic UTIs. They saw a gap in the market, noting that over 90% of UTI-related products were developed or run by men—despite the fact that women are disproportionately affected by UTIs.
“It’s coming from us—we started this because we needed it,” Jurzenski says.
Unlike traditional UTI products, which often contain sugary drinks and red dye #40, Cranel’s formula prioritizes clean ingredients and holistic benefits. In addition to treating UTIs, their product supports muscle relaxation and gut health, helping to break the cycle of repeated antibiotic use.
The company has grown from zero to $3 million in revenue in just three years, but they’re now facing a challenge: keeping up with demand. This is something they hope the prize money can fix.
“We’re selling out faster than we can make it, so a lot of the money will go toward inventory,” Schultz explains.
Their ultimate goal? To turn Cranel into a $100 million brand and a household name. And customers are already seeing additional benefits.
“All these other use cases really emerged from our customers. They were writing in saying this is the only thing that helped my gut health or helped my bacterial vaginosis. We also found out the Michigan State soccer team was taking Cranel for muscle recovery after games,” Jurzenski adds.
Now in its fifth year, AngelNV continues to grow, attracting more investors and offering larger funding opportunities than ever before. The competition provides Nevada startups with crucial resources, exposure, and a chance to scale their businesses.
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