The owner of an Ohio school uniform company that has its products made in Guatemala under a fair trade arrangement with locals there was the regional competition winner of the InnovateHer Challenge — an entrepreneurial Shark Tank-like competition sponsored by the U.S. Small Business Administration and held Tuesday at the University of Toledo’s Scott Park Campus Auditorium.

One Seed Heritage, a company owned by Hilary Dell of Cuyahoga Falls, was judged the top presenter among 10 small business startups and received a first-place $1,000 prize, plus the chance to compete against nine other businesses in a national InnovateHer Challenge where three prizes will total $70,000.

Judges at the Toledo site evaluated each business’ sales pitch based on whether the product or service has a measurable impact on the lives of women and families, a potential for commercialization, and viability in the marketplace. They also judged the overall quality of the pitch and quality of each company’s business plan.

Ms. Dell’s company sells uniforms made in Guatemala by Mayan women who belong to weaving cooperatives. One Seed invests in business training for the women and donates 5 percent of its proceeds to scholarships for Mayan children. It also provides education programs in the United States to engage students in social justice initiatives.

The judges of the five-hour competition also elected to award a second place $400 prize to Artic Bites LLC, a Findlay startup owned by Susan Haseley. Artic Bites makes devices that teaches tongue tension, placement and positioning to school children who cannot say the “R” sound. The device cuts time spent in speech therapy from three years down to one year.

First Published December 2, 2015, 5:00 a.m.