A Bethesda-based landscaping company focused on eco-friendly lawn care hopes that a pitch at last week’s Startup Maryland bus tour will lead to more investment.
Zack Kline, the Rockville native who started A.I.R. Lawn Care in the Bethesda Green business incubator, presented his strategy for providing “green” services in an industry known for anything but environmentally sound practices.
The idea for the company, which uses electric blowers, mowers and trimmers, came to Kline as he worked a large lot for a landscaping company while in school. Kline’s task was to use a gas-powered trimmer to edge the property.
“I just became annoyed and irritated at all the air and noise pollution this thing was putting off,” Kline said.
He won a startup competition at his school then started A.I.R. last summer with eight clients, all neighbors and friends whose lawns he had cut for some extra money while growing up.
This summer his client base grew to 20, including lawns in Bethesda, Chevy Chase, Silver Spring, North Potomac and Rockville.
He said he had to turn down potential clients, which told him it was time to grow the one-man business into something bigger.
The video pitch on the bus at last week’s Startup Maryland event at Bethesda Green could be a start.
The videos of Kline and others pitching their businesses will go on Youtube this month. A jury will trim down the more than 100 entries to eight who will receive extra pitch training and a chance to attend a November entrepreneur expo.
The winner and runner-up will get spots to pitch their startups at major investor events in 2013.
“I started mowing laws just because I enjoyed it,” Kline said. “Then I saw how it was done and I thought there’s got to be a better way.”
