Pittsburgh startup gets $265K to build interactive job training games for people with disabilities
Summary
Plus, a regional challenge is putting $300,000 on the table for mission-driven ventures ready to grow.Read on for more on these investments, plus other money moves shaping Pittsburghs future.Pittsburgh-based Simcoach Games has secured $265,000 in seed funding led by the Richard King Mellon Foundation. These are skills often cited as barriers to employment for people with disabilities, including those on the autism spectrum, according to Simcoach CEO Brian Kaleida.Over the last two years, weve really focused on behavioral health games, Kaleida told Technical.ly. The program provides founders with practical tools, peer feedback and strategic insight to clarify their value proposition, understand their customers and strengthen their path to growth.Previous winners include renewable energy startup Farm to Flame and local investment platform Honeycomb Credit. To apply, business owners made a two-minute video pitching their venture and explaining how the funds would help them achieve their goals.This years winners were Jajuan Hill of 4Arts, Antonio Williams of Next Level Athletics Fitness and Monae Findley of Plants for Skin. RealLIST Startup honoree Clean Plate Innovations won $20,000 at Duquesne Universitys 2025 New Venture Challenge, taking first place for its AI-powered vision system that offers real-time analytics on food waste for dining operations.