Matthews-based startup named finalist in national competition

From a field of 283 applicants, Matthews-based startup MANA Nutrition was selected as one of eight finalists in the "Get in the Ring: The American Startup Clash" competition, hosted by the The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. 

MANA, which makes ready-to-use food designed to treat severe malnutrition and its effects, will compete against the other finalists Nov. 18 in front of a panel of judges and a live audience.

MANA has a 30,000-square-foot production facility in Georgia that makes a therapeutic peanut butter for aid groups such as UNICEF, the U.N. World Food Program, World Vision and USAID.

The top U.S. finisher will get $10,000 and travel to the global finals in the Netherlands Nov. 22. The worldwide winner will get a change to secure up to $1.3 million in angel investments.

"We are thrilled to make the final eight and will go to Kansas City planning to win it and show the country that Charlotte is an up-and-coming city for innovative entrepreneurs," says Mark Moore, CEO of MANA Nutrition. 

The panel of judges includes: global fashion mogul Marc Ecko; Dell president Steve Felice; serial entrepreneur, investor and author Lisa Gansky; consumer brand “turnaround” CEO Matthew Rubel; and broadcast and digital media guru Denmark West.

Get in the Ring was founded in 2009 by the Erasmus Centre for Entrepreneurship in the Netherlands to bring the world's most promising entrepreneurs together with those who can help them succeed and to inspire others to start their entrepreneurial journeys. The international finals are held each November during Global Entrepreneurship Week.

Video of the event will be livestreamed at www.kauffman.org/GITR.