It's a good time to be involved with UpTech, as the "super accelerator" program at Northern Kentucky University's College of Informatics expands its efforts to support fledgling business.
The application process for UpTech II ran from April 16 to May 24 and saw a more than 35 percent increase in applicants from last year's class, with candidates coming from as far away as California to be judged by a panel of 40 area entrepreneurs, investors, and economic development professionals.
"The Top 22 UpTech II companies have entered a due diligence process," says Casey Barach, cofounder of UpTech and executive director at Tri-ED's ezone. "Overall, this involves a deeper dive into the company... and additional business strategy questions."
Chosen projects will receive $50,000 in start-up funds; six months of paid office space; executive mentorship and financial, legal, accounting, sales, and marketing support from ezone; one-year memberships to the NKY Chamber of Commerce and Greater Cincinnati Venture Association; resources through NKU's Center for Applied Informatics; and opportunities for additional funding.
UpTech II Fund Manager Andy Sathe says the broad mix of applicants is a testament to the program's reach. "We had about 80 applicants this year, and we hoped to get down to 20 after this first filtering process," he says. "I think the fact that we ended up with 22 is an indication of the quality of applicants as well."
This year's 22 semi-finalists are:
3DLT.com: A stock database for 3D printable designs
Athlete Potential: Producers of next-generation technology for improved human performance
Bearhug Technologies, LLC: Web-based platform for behavioral healthcare providers
BigDataInsights: Developers of advanced algorithms and software to process time-series data
Liquid Innovation LLC: Mobile software to collect, store, analyze and organize any and all data
Blue Seat Media: Mobile apps that help baseball fans capture their experiences and tell unique stories in meaningful ways
Bright!Tax: Cloud-based tax preparation tools for the six million Americans living abroad
Collaborative Health Consultants: Educational consulting firm serving clients in academic, private, and healthcare settings
DWLLR: Fully customizable, time- and money-saving real estate app that streamlines sales and marketing efforts while eliminating paper
Get the Look Décor: Community-curated home décor e-marketplace where users can easily replicate designer rooms at home
Happy Fit Company Health Program (CHP): Comprehensive program designed to improve overall health at small- and mid-sized companies
Hire Speaker: Social media website where users can hire public speakers for a variety of events or programs
Inteo: Short for "interactive education online," which provides an intuitive workspace and employs algorithms to gauge student proficiency
Kandid.ly: Community/marketplace that compares and books local photographers
LogonTutor, LLC: One-stop solution parents and students searching for quality online and in-person academic tutoring
MoveMx: Brings motion gaming to mobile devices using an avatar to see movement in real time
New Home Marketing: Web-based analytical tool for home builders that allows for daily real-time market analysis
RHZ Development: Mobile media developer specializing in target-designed apps for assisted-living facilities and nursing home care
Sports Research: Informatics-based tool to identify and connect avid fans of U.S. collegiate sports and to drive new revenue sources and loyalty
Tixers: Guarantees the original value of a user's purchased event tickets, and employs a point system that allows users to purchase other tickets
Touritz: Allows local historians and tour guides to create and upload walking tours and videos for users to review, recommend, and download
Zooted Delivery: Provides delivery from restaurants that don't currently deliver using a platform/product other RDS services can lease