P&G Ventures, the early-stage startup studio within Procter & Gamble, has revealed the four finalists of this year's Innovation Challenge. Finalists will present their ideas to a panel of expert judges at CES in January 2022 for the chance to win $10,000 and the opportunity to work with P&G Ventures to continue developing their product.
 
The finalists are:
 
Cybele Microbiome, San Diego, CA, provides high efficacy natural solutions for human health through patented technologies. Nicole Scott, Co-Founder and CEO, will pitch. The company contends says it is a  “team of expert scientists, visionaries, and architects of the future of the skincare industry.”
 
Kushae Naturals, Lake Work, FL, is an all-natural, pH balanced, doctor-formulated feminine hygiene product line made by women for women. Co-Founder and CEO Kimba Williams will pitch. Kushae offers a range of personal care products from washes to deodorant to after-wax and shave products.
 
Lady Patch, El Segundo, CA, is the only drug-free feminine patch that prevents bladder leaks and the frequent urge to urinate. CEO and Founder  Cindy Santa Cruz will pitch.
 
Ryp Labs, Kirkland, WA, is an award-winning food and crop protection company developing and commercializing biomimicry solutions to combat global food waste, naturally and safely. Moody Soliman, Co-Founder and CEO, will pitch.
 
Submissions reached record numbers, as did the percentage of submissions with a female founder (60%), and the number of submissions from Black and Latinx founders (30%), according to P&G Ventures.
 
The finalist pitch event will be held at 9:30am (PT) on Thursday, January 6 at CES in Eureka Park, the space for startup exhibitors. The event will be open to all CES attendees and will also be live-streamed. Free registration to view the finals online can be found here.

P&G Ventures participates at CES with Procter & Gamble. 
 
The panel of judges includes Victor Aguilar, chief R&D and Innovation officer for P&G; Guy Persaud, president of new business, P&G; Saeed Amidi, founder and CEO, Plug and Play Tech Center; Sarah Anderson, founding partner, Vault Fund; and Lee Henderson, Americas EY private leader and executive sponsor, EY Entrepreneurs Access Network.
 
"The P&G Ventures Innovation Challenge provides a fantastic opportunity for us to connect with entrepreneurs and startups who could partner with us to build new brands and businesses that improve consumers' lives," said  Persaud of Procter & Gamble. "We are inspired by the enthusiastic response to this year's Challenge. We congratulate our finalists and can't wait to see them pitch live at CES, the most influential tech event of the year."
 
Past Innovation Challenge winners include Sana Health, a wearable device using audio and visual stimulation to relieve chronic pain and reduce anxiety levels;  SAVRpack, a patented packaging technology to keep food from going soggy; Healium, a mental fitness channel that uses augmented and virtual reality apps for the self-management of stress and anxiety; Morari Medical, a wearable device to prevent premature ejaculation; and Nanospun Technologies, which produces disruptive, live-active biological tissues for skincare, medical, and industrial applications.

Last year's winner was a maker of live-active biological tissues for skincare.