Job-skills sorting software wins Cape-based startup contest

The second winner of the 1st50k, a competition for early-stage technology-based startup businesses, has been selected.

Local business incubator Codefi has announced St. Louis-based startup Impress Software is the winner and will receive a startup grant worth $50,000 and pro-bono support services.

According to a news release, the startup, co-founded by Kyle Miller and Stephen Myers, is “tackling the increasingly complex problem that individuals and companies face assessing and matching talents and skills” during recruitment.

“The traditional resume requires constant reworking to highlight specific skills and link them to specific project experience. There isn’t a specific platform that automates this process, so we decided to build one,” Miller said in a news release.

“Impress will offer companies an automated toolset to match internal and external talent and skills to projects and positions, focusing on granular details that typically require one or more interviews to uncover,” Myers said in the news release.

James Stapleton, competition director, said the problem with resumes is in the details.

“People just create generic resumes that give a kind of broad overview of the kind of things they’ve done,” Stapleton said. In the more tech-based fields, “they really need to have specific information about what kind of tools you use and how you use them. So this system will improve efficiency for companies looking for that talent, and for those with that talent to continue to attract work.”

The 1st50k Competition Committee still is in conversations with other finalists from this round of competition and may announce additional awards or investments in the future.

The 1st50k is endorsed by Arch Grants Global Competition in St. Louis and is designed to bring tech-based businesses to the region. Winners of the competition agree to locate or relocate the business to Cape Girardeau at least one year.

This round included applicants from 20 countries and 27 states.

The next 1st50k competition is underway. Applications are due May 1.

bbrown@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3630

Pertinent address:

339 Broadway, Cape Girardeau, MO