Nizel Pradhan
WellMoney, Providing an Alternative to Predatory Loans and Performative Crowdfunding, is One of Only 200 Companies Selected from Thousands of Applicants to Exhibit as Part of the TechCrunch Disrupt Startup Battlefield 200.
WellMoney, a membership-based money-sharing community app designed to deliver an equitable, debt-free emergency fund alternative for personal financial emergencies, announced today that it has been chosen for the first-ever Startup Battlefield 200 cohort, featuring exemplary startups on this year’s show floor at TechCrunch Disrupt in San Francisco October 18-20.
Per TechCrunch: “From across the globe, these 200 companies are the top in their respective industries.”
Selected by TechCrunch editorial staff out of thousands of applications, Startup Battlefield 200 companies each receive a free, VIP experience of master classes, pitch deck teardowns, curated receptions, and access to investors and international media. These will be the only startups allowed to exhibit at Disrupt on the expo floor for all three days of the show. From those, 20 will be selected to compete for TechCrunch’s $100K equity-free prize.
“It’s a huge honor to be selected from thousands of applicants and an incredible endorsement of WellMoney, as we’re in the very early startup stage,” says WellMoney Founder Kortney Ziegler, PhD. “TechCrunch Disrupt is such a great springboard for so many reputable and successful companies and we see this as validation for our mission to fill the gaps between charitable, governmental, religious, and other crowdfunding options, and deliver an alternative to predatory loan debt.”
WellMoney officially launched October 1 after a soft opening in June, in honor of Juneteenth. The app pools member contributions and distributes funds to members who need help for emergencies, with no repayment required and no strings attached—helping break the cycle of spiraling debt from predatory lenders, high interest credit card debt, or loans from family and friends that can be difficult to repay for struggling households.
“Through WellMoney, everyone pitches in with cash to help those encountering a hard time, while helping to prevent future financial obstacles by sharing education and resources,” says Dr. Ziegler. “We believe that people deserve dignity and grace, so we created WellMoney as an alternative to the often predatory payday loans, the sometimes humiliating public nature of crowdfunding, and the requirements often linked to charitable and governmental support.”
If interested in joining WellMoney, go to https://Well-Money.com. Members must live in the United States and be at least 18 years of age to join.
Startup Battlefield alumni represent more than 900 companies with over 121 successful exits (IPOs or acquisitions) and over $9.7B in funding raised. Discounts on passes can be found here: https://tcrn.ch/3BUuT2D
About WellMoney
WellMoney was founded by Kortney Ziegler, PhD, an entrepreneur who develops simple tech solutions that increase financial and social prosperity for users. WellMoney is a membership-based community that connects people who want to give directly with people who are in need. Before launching WellMoney with the support of ideas42Ventures, Dr. Ziegler co-founded crowdfunding platform Appolition, raising over $1 million to pay bail for people who can’t afford it. Appolition was named one of the World’s Most Innovative Companies by Fast Company. Dr. Ziegler also founded Trans*H4CK, an organization focused on creating tech for transgender sustainability and visibility. Visit: https://well-money.com/.
