This Billionaire Just Gave 10 Startups $100,000 Each on a Whim At the first-ever Google for Entrepreneurs Demo Day, AOL co-founder Steve Case surprised each of the presenting entrepreneurs with a spur-of-the-moment $100,000 commitment.

By Catherine Clifford

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

When you are a billionaire, you can drop a million bucks on a whim. And today, 10 startup entrepreneurs are sure glad Steve Case did.

At the first ever Google for Entrepreneurs Demo Day, the co-founder of AOL, Steve Case, one of 60 investors listening to the presentations, made an instantaneous, spur-of-the-moment decision to invest in all 10 presenting teams. Case committed to contributing $100,000 in the next funding rounds of each company.

"I was so inspired by the consistent quality of each of the pitches that I made an on-the-spot decision to support each company," said Case, in a statement.

Related: Steve Case's Revolution Growth Invests $22 Million to Help Sweetgreen Become 'Chipotle of Salads'

The Google Demo Day brought entrepreneurs from a network of seven tech hubs in North America outside of Silicon Valley, including Minneapolis, Chicago, Nashville, Denver, Detroit, Durham, N.C., and Waterloo, Canada.

"I've long known that great startups can be found everywhere, and not just in Silicon Valley," said Case. "Each of the seven regions represented by the companies who participated yesterday show huge promise as part of a "rise of the rest' in growing entrepreneurial ecosystems in North America. I hope my investment will be just the start of a growing flow of venture capital dollars to new regions."

Related: Steve Case's New $200 Million VC Fund Will Invest 'Off the Beaten Path'

Here's a quick rundown of the 10 lucky startups.

Automated Insights (Durham, N.C.) – Automated Insights uses Big Data to spot patterns and turn them into written English.

Docalytics (Minneapolis) – Docalytics helps sales and marketing teams track how potential customers interact with content.

GoSpotCheck (Denver) – GoSpotCheck' Android and iOS apps collect and analyze data from retail stores and turns it into charts and visuals.

Kidizen (Minneapolis) -- Kidizen is a mobile marketplace for used kids clothing and accessories.

InvisionHeart (Nasvhille) – InvisionHeart is a hardware and software system that allows medical professionals to access cardiac data.

iRule (Detroit) – iRule is an iOS and Android mobile-based platform that allows customers to control and automate audio/video, lights and shades.

MarkITx (Chicago) – MarkITx is an online exchange for business tech hardware.

MOJIO (Waterloo, Canada) – MOJIO is an open source platform for writing apps that drivers use in their cars.

WeDeliver (Chicago) – WeDeliver offers same-day delivery of goods with a team of on-demand drivers.

Windsor Circle (Durham, N.C.) – Windsor Circle's software allows marketers to access the purchase history from multiple commerce platforms for a potential customer.

Related: Steve Case: Where I Find Inspiration (Video)

Wavy Line
Catherine Clifford

Senior Entrepreneurship Writer at CNBC

Catherine Clifford is senior entrepreneurship writer at CNBC. She was formerly a senior writer at Entrepreneur.com, the small business reporter at CNNMoney and an assistant in the New York bureau for CNN. Clifford attended Columbia University where she earned a bachelor's degree. She lives in Brooklyn, N.Y. You can follow her on Twitter at @CatClifford.

Editor's Pick

A Father Decided to Change When He Was in Prison on His Son's Birthday. Now His Nonprofit Helps Formerly Incarcerated Applicants Land 6-Figure Jobs.
Lock
A Teen Turned His Roblox Side Hustle Into a Multimillion-Dollar Company — Now He's Working With Karlie Kloss and Elton John
Lock
3 Mundane Tasks You Should Automate to Save Your Brain for the Big Stuff
Lock
The Next Time Someone Intimidates You, Here's What You Should Do
5 Ways to Manage Your Mental Health and Regulate Your Nervous System for Sustainable Success

Related Topics

Business News

After Being Told They Could Work From Home Forever, Employees Made Major Life Changes. Then, a New CEO Ordered Them Back to the Office.

Farmers Group CEO Raul Vargas is facing backlash for the change, but he says being in the office brings more "collaboration" and "innovation."

Business News

Hedge Fund Pays NYC Interns $20,000 a Month on Average, Sent to Lavish Palm Beach Kickoff

Citadel is known for its over-the-top parties and company retreats.

Business News

Pete Davidson Says He's 'Figuring It Out' After Buying a $280,000 Boat While 'Very Stoned'

The former "Saturday Night Live" star purchased a used Staten Island Ferry with Colin Jost in January 2022.

Green Entrepreneur

Blockchain Could Help Us Combat Climate Change — Here's How.

Digital carbon plays a vital role in addressing climate change.

Business News

Uber Eats Deliveries Are Flooding a Los Angeles Neighborhood — Except No One Knows Who Placed the Orders

Residents of L.A.'s Highland Park neighborhood are once again the target of dozens of unsolicited Uber Eats orders. The "annoying and somewhat disturbing" mystery is gripping the city.

Business News

'I've Got the Bug for Business': See All of Mark Wahlberg's Entrepreneurial Endeavors, From Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch to Wahlburgers

Mark Wahlberg owns businesses in several categories, including entertainment production, apparel, fitness, and nutrition.