SHRM Announces Finalists for 2022 Better Workplaces Challenge Cup

​ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Today, SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management) announces the four finalists who advanced to compete in the 2nd annual SHRMLabs' Better Workplaces Challenge Cup (BWCC) Finals at SHRM's Annual Conference and Expo in New Orleans. This year, the competition will feature guest judges Kevin Harrington and Cindy Eckert and will take place on Tuesday, June 14. A competition to highlight the most innovative human resource (HR) technology solutions from companies, the BWCC aims to bridge the gap between companies creating workplace technologies and their end-users: HR professionals, people managers, and their workforces.

The four competitors that are advancing to the finals in New Orleans include:

• Automation Workz: An institute that offers postsecondary certification based in Detroit, MI, US.
• Inclusivv: An engagement platform that facilitates conversations that matter based in Atlanta, GA, US.
• Vinco: An ed-tech company that helps companies pay for blue collar education based in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, MX.
• Included: An AI platform to operationalize and scale DEI based in Redmond, WA, US.
  

The four finalists advanced from over 150 initial submissions and stood out among 20 semifinalists. This year, there has also been a global expansion to include international rounds outside the US, making a competition of this nature fit for the global workforce. Each of the finalists will then make their last pitch to a panel of judges, including Cindy Eckert and Kevin Harrington. Cindy Eckert is a self-made serial entrepreneur, a vocal advocate for women, and the CEO of The Pink Ceiling/Pinkubator. And Kevin Harrington is a successful entrepreneur and an Original Shark on the ABC hit, Emmy-winning TV show Shark Tank. The competitors will be in front of an audience of potential investors, leading HR professionals, fellow innovators, and the media.

"This year, we're making the competition even bigger and better than before," said Guillermo Corea, managing director of SHRMLabs. "The competition has gone global, and our finals will occur in a hybrid environment. This new format will give startups an even wider net to have their ideas heard by the people who know the workplace the best – HR."

Each finalist will receive an all-expenses paid trip for two company representatives to SHRM22 in New Orleans. Each of the finalists will have exposure to five hundred in-person potential future users, along with other audiences attending virtually. The winner will also be awarded a cash prize of $50,000.
"Since the beginning of the pandemic leading to forces reshaping the world of work, we have seen a steep rise in the level of innovation and impact needed by workplaces across the globe," said Alexander Alonso, Ph.D. SHRM-SCP, Chief Knowledge Officer at SHRM. "The Better Workplaces Challenge Cup has provided a vital avenue for innovators to offer creative solutions to those forces, and this stage was no exception. Each competitor was afforded a chance to speak directly to industry leaders to help foster our mission to build better workplaces."

The winner will be announced at SHRM's Annual Conference and Exposition (SHRM22) on June 14th. To learn more about the BWCC, please visit betterworkplaceschallengecup.com. To register to attend the SHRM22 annual conference in New Orleans on June 12-15, please visit annual.shrm.org.

About SHRM
SHRM, the Society for Human Resource Management, creates better workplaces where employers and employees thrive together. As the voice of all things works, workers, and the workplace, SHRM is the foremost expert, convener, and thought leader on issues impacting today's evolving workplaces. With 300,000+ HR and business executive members in 165 countries, SHRM impacts the lives of more than 115 million workers and families globally. Learn more at SHRM.org and on Twitter @SHRM.