Nestwell and Hardline Tie for Top Honors at PitchLive.LA 2026
Judges split the prize between an at-home environmental health startup and a construction voice AI company LOS ANGELES,
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Judges split the prize between an at-home environmental health startup and a construction voice AI company
LOS ANGELES, CA, UNITED STATES, October 27, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Judges at PitchLive.LA 2026 couldn’t pick just one winner. NESTWELL, which helps families find hidden environmental risks in their homes, and HARDLINE, which turns construction jobsite conversations into project records, were named co-winners of the competition, presented by Alpha Edison and hosted by AMPLIFY.
The competition took place during LA Tech Week, as founders and investors from around the world convened in Los Angeles. Eight finalists earned a spot on the PitchLive.LA stage and pitched live on October 13th in Venice, California, to an audience of founders, investors and members of the Los Angeles startup community. Each winner receives a package of startup support: legal services from Venture Best at Michael Best, marketing and video production from Longest Title Creative, financial services from BPM, fundraising support from Capital Quest and AI compute credits from Modal.
The Winners
NESTWELL, led by founder and CEO Ben Parens, helps people identify and address environmental risks within their homes, including air quality, water, mold, soil and other localized concerns. Through at-home testing solutions and a curated marketplace of more than 85 partner brands, Nestwell aims to make understanding and improving home environmental health more accessible. Learn more at gonestwell.com.
“Thank you to Alpha Edison and AMPLIFY for the opportunity to share our vision on the PitchLive.LA stage,” said Parens. “We’re looking forward to getting every home tested, and to making Nestwell the central source of truth and destination for environmental health.”
HARDLINE, led by co-founder and CEO Alena Tuttle, uses voice AI to capture conversations from jobsites, calls and meetings. It automatically turns them into tasks, daily logs, requests for information (RFIs) and other project records, cutting administrative work for construction teams. One early user ran 86 phone calls through Hardline in their first 24 hours, each turned automatically into project documentation. Learn more at hardlineapp.com.
“We’re so excited to be part of PitchLive.LA’s startup community and impressed by the caliber of companies we pitched alongside. Our mission is to give time and peace of mind back to the hardworking people on every jobsite,” said Tuttle. “Along the way, we’re digitizing the valuable context the industry needs to make AI useful across construction.”
“Nestwell and Hardline stood out for tackling problems in industries where there’s significant opportunity for innovation and large market sizes for the right products,” said Britt Danneman, Partner at Alpha Edison and a PitchLive.LA judge.
The judging panel also included Paul Bricault of AMPLIFY, Gabe Greenbaum of B Capital and Mark Mullen of Bonfire Ventures. Steve Lapin of Alpha Edison served as master of ceremonies.
“LA tech has thrived by having strong connective and collaborative tissue,” said Bricault, Founder and Managing Partner at AMPLIFY. “Events like PitchLive.LA reinforce that dynamic by bringing the community together live and giving more founders broader exposure.”
The eight finalists were Focus, Hardline, Kairos, Nestwell, SourceEazy, Stroma, suss. and TurboPermit. Additional event supporters included Stifel Bank, Fidelity Private Shares, TriNet and Peers.Live.
About PitchLive.LA
PitchLive.LA brings the startup community together to discover emerging companies, exchange ideas and create opportunities through connection. Its live pitch competition gives founders a platform to share their businesses and engage with investors and experienced operators. Learn more at pitchlive.la.
About Alpha Edison
Alpha Edison is an early-stage venture capital firm that invests in companies building transformative technologies and businesses. The firm partners with ambitious founders to help accelerate growth through investment, strategic insights and access to its network of investors, operators and industry leaders. Learn more at alphaedison.com.
About AMPLIFY
Founded in 2011, AMPLIFY is a Los Angeles-based pre-seed fund that backs passionate technology entrepreneurs by providing funding, access to additional capital and guidance to help founders build strong, scalable and successful companies. Learn more at amplify.la.
Angela Jones
Alpha Edison
ajones@alphaedison.com
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