The is backed by Revolution, an investment firm led by America Online co-founder, Steve Case. The fund invests in early-stage companies located outside of major startup hubs, like New York City or San Francisco.

Those in Louisville, for example.

Local startups , , and others each will have the chance to pitch when the fund comes to Louisville on Friday, May 11.

The is at 4 p.m. at the Speed Art Museum on the Belknap campus.

According to the Rise of the Rest website, the evening will include networking, an open bar and a fireside chat with Case and J.D. Vance, the seed fund’s managing partner and author of

After that, the Louisville entrepreneurs will pitch their their companies to the judges for a shot at $100,000. The judges include Case, Vance, Revolution partner David Hall, and Google for Entrepreneurs director Mary Grove.

This is a return for Case, who also came to with Rise of the Rest. Then, he attended an Innovation Showcase at the UofL Engineering Garage and spoke at the PNC Club at Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium.

Louisville is the last stop of the 2018 Rise of the Rest tour, after Dallas, Memphis, Birmingham and Chattanooga.