Tatiana Birgisson of Durham and the founder of startup Mati Energy drink, has raised her first institutional capital: More than $1 million. But she is looking for another $250,000.
According to an SEC filing, Mati has closed on $1,099.99 in equity funding.
The target is $1.35 million.
Among her investors is AOL founder Steve Case, who chose to back Mati with $100,000 after Birgisson took top honors at Google for Entrepreneurs Demo Day earlier this year.
Birgisson, an entrepreneur and Duke alumna, created the locally produced Mati Energy drink. The fizzy, tea-based drink is sold in 30 Whole Foods Markets across the southeast.
Her presentation and startup prevailed in a competition against 11 other startups from across the country.
In 2013, Birgisson took home the top undergraduate prize in Duke University’s yearlong Startup Challenge, a win that helped get her healthy energy drink into cans and onto local shelves.
She’s since pitched to NC IDEA, winning one of its $50,000 grants; Soar, earning one of four coveted mentee slots; and at DukeGen events, winning advice and support from Duke graduates in the beverage industry. She’s frequently shared her story to American Underground teams at HelpFest and wooed Google to earn her spot at this year’s Demo Day.
“I don’t fit the traditional model for pitching at Google or the traditional mold for who gets an NC IDEA grant,” she says. “But I’ll have the same mentality as any sales meeting I go into – believe in yourself and that your product is of benefit to the other side.”
Read the SEC filing at:
http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1649456/000164945615000001/xslFormDX01/primary_doc.xml
