The regional finals of the National Hardware Cup were in DC the other night—a business pitch competition for hardware startups looking for fame, fortune, and funding for their burgeoning enterprise. Here’s what went down.

About the cup

The National Hardware cup is a funding competition for hardware companies started by Pittsburgh based startup accelerator alphalab gear. Anyone with a startup focusing on a physical product can enter one of nine regional competitions. From the online pool of applicants, six are chosen to pitch their idea to a panel of local VCs and market leaders who will select one to