MASSCHALLENGE TEXAS NAMES TOP 16 STARTUPS FROM INAUGURAL COHORT
Austin-based accelerator to award up to $500,000 in equity-free cash grants to select top startups after intense, four-month accelerator program at Aug. 15 awards ceremony
(AUSTIN, Texas – July 26, 2018; source: Juice Consulting) – MassChallenge, a global network of zero-equity startup accelerators, today announced the top 16 startups from its first Texas-based program, MassChallenge Texas. Representing some of the most innovative solutions across a range of industries, the top startups will now participate in a final round of judging where they will compete for shares of $500,000 equity-free cash prizes. The prize winners will be announced at the MassChallenge Texas Awards Ceremony on Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018 at the Hyatt Regency Austin.
“Each of 84 startups in our 2018 cohort have made tremendous progress throughout the accelerator and are now well prepared to make an impact in Texas and beyond,” said Managing Director of MassChallenge Texas Mike Millard. “At MassChallenge Texas, we are working to strengthen the local ecosystem to help bring innovators from around the world to our great state.”
Over the course of the accelerator, 84 early-stage startups from around the world leveraged expert mentorship, tailored curriculum, corporate partnerships, and industry resources to launch and grow their companies – all at zero cost and for zero equity taken. The top 16 startups were identified following a judging round that leveraged the expertise of industry visionaries and mentors, including Bob Bridge (SWAN), Matt Glazer (WeWork), Elizabeth Jennings (Venture Atlas Labs), Nick Nielsen (UPS), Paul O’Brien (Founder’s Institute ATX), Larry Peterson (TFIC), Lea Sims (USAA) and Melissa Young (Upstream). During the final judging round, the top startups will apply what they have learned throughout the program to demonstrate their growth and impact.
“My involvement with MassChallenge Texas as a judge, speaker and mentor has been one of the most significant and rewarding opportunities,” said Principal of Global Analytics for Venture Atlas Labs Elizabeth Jennings. “It is a privilege to watch these world-changing startups flourish. I look forward to continuing my involvement with the MassChallenge Texas program and celebrating the Texas startup ecosystem with this community.”
MassChallenge Texas Top 16:
Abraxas Technology – High Tech | Austin, Texas
Abraxas Technology is bringing out-of-home advertisement into the digital age by allowing advertisers to calculate their ROI in real-time.
AquaSprouts – Social Impact | Austin, Texas
AquaSprouts allows anyone to easily bring an aquaponic or hydroponic garden into their home, office or classroom, right out of the box.
Augmenta – High Tech | Greece
Augmenta is taking the guesswork out of fertilization and pesticide spraying in real time, with a machine vision/learning plug and play device.
Cloud 9 – Healthcare/Life Sciences | Austin, Texas
Cloud 9 keeps patients connected to behavioral health services for both ongoing care and crisis intervention, improving lives and cutting costs.
Cloud Dentistry – High Tech | Houston, Texas
Cloud Dentistry is an online/mobile marketplace that connects dental offices and staff for work assignments, in real time.
EQO – Energy/Clean Tech | Austin, Texas
EQO uses molecular solutions for environmental problems treating aquatic invasive species like cancer.
GrubTubs, Inc – Social Impact | Austin, Texas
GrubTubs transforms food waste from restaurants into animal feed – saving local farmers on feed costs and keeping waste out of landfills.
NovoThelium – Healthcare/Life Sciences | San Antonio, Texas
NovoThelium provides a tissue engineered matrix for nipple areolar regeneration after mastectomy.
Partboyz Auto Parts – General | Nigeria
Partboyz Auto Part’s mission is to bring the car parts business in Africa into the 21st century.
Popspots – High Tech | Austin, Texas
Popspots is building AdMob for the physical world with an initial network in grocery, the highest traffic space in retail.
Pay Your Tuition – High Tech | Washington, D.C.
PYT, Pay Your Tuition is changing the way families finance and pay for higher education using technology to create the best private loan.
Re:3D – General | Houston, Texas
re:3D is working to modify Gigabot – the world’s largest, affordable, industrial 3D printer- to 3D print from reclaimed plastic trash.
Sempulse – Healthcare/Life Sciences | Austin, Texas
Applies to the ear and monitors vital signs within two seconds, non-invasively and in non-sterile conditions supporting triage & telemedicine.
The Mentor Method – High Tech | Washington, D.C.
The Mentor Method creates inclusive workplace cultures through mentoring diverse talent.
Tiny House Coffee Roasters – General | Austin, Texas
Tiny House Coffee collaborates with small-scale producers to bring the world great coffee.
ZPEG – High Tech | Austin, Texas
ZPEG reduces video delivery costs without sacrificing quality or changing infrastructure.
ABOUT THE MASSCHALLENGE TEXAS AWARDS CEREMONY:
At the Awards Ceremony, top influencers from the Texas innovation community – including potential investors and customers, MassChallenge mentors, and VIP community leaders – will come together to celebrate entrepreneurship and startup innovation. The August event is the first MassChallenge Awards Ceremony in Texas and will take place in Austin, the home base of the region’s inaugural program.
The Awards Ceremony will include keynotes from Texas-based female founders Cristal Glangchai, CEO/founder of VentureLab and author of Venture Girls, and Julia Cheek, CEO/founder of EverlyWell.
The co-keynote speakers will address the startup and VIP audience about their experiences building businesses, influencing change and creating impact in Texas.
The MassChallenge Texas Awards Ceremony will include a People’s Choice Award. Guests are encouraged to vote for their favorite startup during the Startup Showcase portion of the event, and the People’s Choice Award winner will be announced from the stage during the presentation of the grants.
A limited number of tickets is open to the public, for more information please see here. For more information about the MassChallenge Texas Awards Ceremony, see here.
MassChallenge Texas Awards Ceremony Agenda
- 5 p.m.: Registration + Startup Showcase + People’s Choice Award voting
- 5:45 p.m.: People’s Choice Award voting closes
- 6 p.m.: Ceremony begins
- 7 p.m.: Ceremony ends + Reception begins
- 8 p.m.: Event close
Supporters of MassChallenge and the Awards Ceremony include MassChallenge Texas Founding Partners Southwest Airlines, TMAC, WeWork, Upstream, USAA; and A-Player Media, Buffalo Specialties, Coca-Cola, Fish & Richardson, foundingAUSTIN, Juice Consulting, SnP Cap IQ, SoftServe, SPURS Sports and Entertainment, Tiff’s Treats and UPS.
ABOUT THE INAUGURAL MASSCHALLENGE TEXAS ACCELERATOR:
In April 2018, 84 of the world’s highest impact, highest potential early-stage startups joined MassChallenge Texas’ inaugural cohort in Austin. See cohort statistics here.
The 84 companies have worked out of the new WeWork West 6th space home and have access to a complimentary, Texas-wide WeWork community membership for six months.
MASSCHALLENGE TEXAS FOUNDING PARTNERS
Southwest Airlines, TMAC, WeWork, Upstream, USAA
MASSCHALLENGE TEXAS COMMUNITY PARTNERS
City of Austin Mayor Steve Adler, City of San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg, Austin Representative Eddie Rodriguez; founding corporate partners Southwest Airlines, TMAC, WeWork, USAA, and Upstream; AngelSpan, Austin Chamber of Commerce, Austin Community College, Austin Community College Bioscience Incubator, Austin Film Society, Austin Healthcare Council, Austin Technology Council, Austin Technology Incubator, Blackstone LaunchPad at UT Austin, Blackstone LaunchPad at UT Dallas, Bexar County, Borderplex Alliance, Capital Factory, City of Austin, City of San Antonio, CompTIA, Dallas Entrepreneur Center (DEC), Department of Defense (DoD), DIUx, El Paso Hub of Human Innovation, Food + City, Founder’s Institute Austin, Galvanize, Geekdom, Goodworks Houston, Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce, Greater Houston Partnership, Greater San Marcos Partnership, Herb Kelleher Center for Entrepreneurship at UT Austin, IC2 Institute, Impact Hub Austin, Juice Consulting, MediaTech Ventures, NASA, National Instruments, Splash Coworking, South by Southwest (SXSW), Southwestern University, Sputnik ATX, STAR Park at Texas State University, Station Houston, Strasburger & Price, LLP, Tech Fort Worth, TechNet, Texas A&M University, Texas Entrepreneur Exchange (TEX), Texas Foundation for Innovative Communities (TFIC), Texas Healthcare and Biosciences Institute (THBI), Texas Small Business Development Centers, Texas State University, University of Texas System, University of Texas at Arlington, University of Texas at Austin, University of Texas at Dallas and University of Texas at San Antonio.
ABOUT MASSCHALLENGE:
MassChallenge is a global network of zero-equity startup accelerators. Headquartered in the United States with locations in Boston, Israel, Mexico, Switzerland, Texas, and the UK, MassChallenge is committed to strengthening the global innovation ecosystem by supporting high-potential startups across all industries, from anywhere in the world. To date, more than 1,500 MassChallenge alumni have raised more than $3 billion in funding, generated more than $2 billion in revenue, and created more than 80,000 total jobs. Learn more about MassChallenge at masschallenge.org.
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