https://www.thelaunchplace.org The Launch Place News Tue, 29 Sep 2026 02:09:20 EST HD CMS en daily 1 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/269 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/269 Wed, 19 Aug 2026 13:00:00 EST Wednesday, 19 August 2026 13:00:00 EST If you already own or have an interest in starting a business and are curious about how to protect yourself from personal liability, Legal Safeguards and Structure for Small Business is a session you do not want to miss. TLP invites you to a no cost workshop facilitated by Woods Rogers attorney, Autumn Visser, on Wednesday, September 16th from 5:30-6:30pm at The Launch Place. Legal Safeguards and Structure for Business Owners is part of a series of educational sessions featuring legal and accounting counseling from licensed professionals. This opportunity is made possible by the Virginia Small Business Financing Authority (VSBFA) through the SSBCI Technical Assistance grant focusing on businesses owned by Socially and Economically Disadvantaged Individuals (SEDI). Register by December 2nd and we'll see you for lunch on December 3rd!     The Launch Place is proud to partner with Woods Rogers for this event   https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/268 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/268 Fri, 17 Jul 2026 04:00:00 EST Friday, 17 July 2026 04:00:00 EST TLP invites you to this no cost Lunch and Learn facilitated by Harris, Harvey, Neal & Co., LLP CPAs and experts on Wednesday, August 19th, from 12-1:30pm at The Launch Place. Small Business Accounting: Payroll, Records, Reports and Receivables is your how-to guide for: Payroll: Streamline your process for efficiency and accuracy Recording Transactions: Learn about recording sales and revenue, tracking expenses; categorizing and recording different types of expenses; reconciling accounts and the bank reconciliation process, matching books to bank statements. Managing Accounts Receivable and Payable- Understand accounts receivable, recording invoices and tracking payments; managing overdue accounts; accounts payable, recording bills and scheduling payments; maintaining good vendor relationships. Generating Financial Reports- How to create reports that give insight into the health of your business with balance sheets; overview of a company's financial position; income statements (profit & loss statement); showing revenue and expenses over time; cash flow statements, tracking cash inflows and outflows. Small Business Accounting: Payroll, Records, Reports and Receivables is part of a series of workshops featuring legal and accounting counseling from licensed professionals. This opportunity is made possible by the Virginia Small Business Financing Authority (VSBFA) through the SSBCI Technical Assistance grant focusing on businesses owned by Socially and Economically Disadvantaged Individuals (SEDI).* Register by August 18th! *This project is being supported, in whole or in part, by federal award number, SSBCI-21031-0028, awarded to The Launch Place by the U.S. Department of the Treasury. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/267 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/267 Fri, 10 Apr 2026 02:00:00 EST Friday, 10 April 2026 02:00:00 EST The Launch Place (TLP) received 142 applications for its 11th IdeaFest Pitch Competition from various start-up companies located in the US and abroad. The top competitors took the stage to present their innovative business ideas at 2 Witches Winery and Brewing Company in Danville, VA today.  The competition kicked off at 1:00pm, with a keynote from Angel Capital Association CEO, Patrick Gouhin, CAE.  Patrick Gouhin is presently serving in his seventh year as the CEO of the Angel Capital Association. ACA is a professional society for accredited angel investors, North America's most prolific early-stage investment class. ACA represents 15,000+ member accredited angel investors, 250 angel groups, accredited platforms and family offices and more than 30,000 entrepreneurial companies that are in ACA member investment portfolios. Before joining ACA, Mr. Gouhin spent 12 years as the Executive Director and CEO of the International Society of Automation (ISA) and then 15 years with the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA). During his tenure at ISA he provided leadership toward the creation of many new initiatives and companies. At AIAA, Mr. Gouhin served as the Chief Operating Officer whereby his leadership contributions resulted in significant revenue growth and the successful management of 300+ project teams through development and delivery of multiple products and services. Mr. Gouhin also served as the first Vice President of Operations and Technology Transfer for the National Institute of Aerospace (NIA) at Langley Research Center. This was a start-up resulting from $69 million government contract award to build a world-class research and education institute. Mr. Gouhin has experience in corporate divestitures and acquisitions, business construction and relocation, strategic standardization management, business planning, project management, process mapping and reengineering, and serving as a company wide change agent. He has served on the board of directors of multiple non-profits including the Council of Engineering and Scientific Society Executives (CESSE) where he is a past president. He has a bachelor of science in aeronautical and astronautical engineering from The Ohio State University and a master’s in engineering management from George Washington University. He has also completed the executive development program at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School and the advanced management college of Stanford University. Mr. Gouhin is a Certified Association Executive or CAE. The winner of this year’s IdeaFest competition was Archibald, who was awarded a $5,000 cash prize. Archibald is a motion engineering company delivering efficient, high-speed precision motion with the Low Motor™, a patented direct-drive servo motor that offers up to 10× faster speed at up to 30% lower power consumption than any other motor available Second place and a $3,000 cash award went to MyoInsight, an EMG-driven Clinical Intelligence Platform for Outpatient Physical Therapy. Using wireless EMG sensors, game based patient engagement, and clinician decision support analytics, MyoInsight enables therapists to measure muscle activation, monitor exercise quality, and deliver reimbursable remote care. The Horse Concierge took home third place with a $2,000 cash prize. The Horse Concierge is the first platform that helps owners find trusted professionals, keep track of everything happening with their horse, and share that information with the team caring for the horse so they can make better, more informed decisions. The Launch Place, located in the River District of Danville, assists with business formation, job creation and retention through its business consulting services and investment funding, while having a dual responsibility to recruit and retain entrepreneurs to the Dan River Region. The IdeaFest competition exposes The Launch Place’s services and funds to start-up companies that are ready to launch, or are seeking early stage capital. The Launch Place could potentially invest in the company from its Seed Funds that were established from a grant awarded by the Danville Regional Foundation.    IdeaFest Judges Jan L. Davis, Retired CEO, ShopperTrak RCT Corp.; Investor, RTP Angel Fund; Professor of the Practice, Kenan-Flagler  Dr. Gary Evans, Axcel Innovation CEO; The Launch Place Board Chair Pat Gouhin, CAE, Angel Capital Association CEO  Marty Kaszubowski, Technology Venture Consultant; The Launch Place Board Member Nick Mirra, Principal, Emerging Growth Practice Vice Chair, Woods Rogers Ed Pettiss, Start-up Mentor/Coach, former Chair of The Launch Place Seed Fund Advisory Board. Helps founders as part of entrepreneurial support groups and university teaching programs Master of Ceremonies Mark Friedman, President and Co-founder of RTP Capital Associates; CEO of Lakeview Business Advisory; The Launch Place Board Member IdeaFest 2026 Finalists  The Horse Concierge: The first platform that helps owners find trusted professionals, keep track of everything happening with their horse, and share that information with the team caring for the horse so they can make better, more informed decisions. HostHustle Ecosystem:A lean Thort-term Rentals (STR) funnel replacing bloated suites with low-CAC acquisition and high-margin, pay-as-you-grow modular tools. Squirrel Fitness:Squirrel makes fitness fun…for Everyone! Quick, easy, single-exercise workouts for people who don’t “do” fitness but want to get in shape. TrukFoo:A real-time platform connecting food trucks, foodies, and event organizers, making it easy to discover local food and experiences in one place. PriceHive: Transforms the retail supply chain's most expensive manual process - pricing and product coordination across trading partners - into a clean, confirmed, auditable handoff. drvynX: A productivity platform that pays students to quit doomscrolling and complete verified deep work sessions, aligning incentives to help them reclaim focus and perform at their highest level. Veluz: An energetic, effervescent pill designed to boost energy while enhancing focus and concentration through the use of L-theanine and lion’s mane. FlightSuite: A pipeline intelligence system built to help sales teams meet quota. We turn CRM activity into real-time deal insights. Archibald: A motion engineering company delivering efficient, high-speed precision motion with the Low Motor™, a patented direct-drive servo motor that offers up to 10× faster speed at up to 30% lower power consumption than any other motor available. Shape Tomorrow:Develops dynamic, human-centered learning experiences that empower young people to become confident, real-world problem solvers. Code 4 Technology: Enables law enforcement agencies to safely test-fire seized and confiscated firearms on-site to recover intact fired bullets and casings for rapid forensic analysis. Einra: A real-time risk signal and care coordination layer for Medicaid home-based care so agency nurses and plan care coordinators can see the same emerging risks and act earlier together. Kinwise: The AI coaching platform that gives every teacher access to evidence-based feedback after every lesson. Ascend: A mental performance platform that helps athletes build focus, confidence, and competitive readiness through short, structured mental training. Kovoco Inc.: Kovoco’s mission is to make SQL Server audits effortless and secure. Tessefi: A medical device innovation company dedicated to inventing and enhancing technologies that transform patient safety and clinical efficiency through real-time monitoring for streamlined care. Iguana Cyber: Blocks unknown AI-generated exploits that existing cybersecurity products missed. Vision Logic: An AI-powered cybersecurity monitoring platform called "The Fort" that gives mid-market businesses ($10M–$100M revenue) Fortune 500-level threat detection without sending a byte of data to the cloud. MyoInsight: An EMG-driven Clinical Intelligence Platform for Outpatient Physical Therapy enabling therapists to measure muscle activation, monitor exercise quality, and deliver reimbursable remote care. PixFixerAI: PixFixerAI delivers purpose-built AI for disaster recovery, designed for the complex workflows of emergency management programs and supporting the full recovery lifecycle.     A Special Thanks to Our Sponsor:   IdeaFest is also made possible by the Virginia Small Business Financing Authority (VSBFA) through the SSBCI Technical Assistance grant focusing on businesses owned by Socially and Economically Disadvantaged Individuals (SEDI).   https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/266 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/266 Thu, 02 Apr 2026 10:00:00 EST Thursday, 02 April 2026 10:00:00 EST 11th Annual IdeaFest Business Pitch Competition - April 8, 2026 IdeaFest is a business pitch competition where finalists will pitch their startup idea to a panel of judges and a live audience.  The top three competitors will be awarded $5,000 for first place, $3,000 for second place and $2,000 for third place. IdeaFest is free and open to the public. Attendees are encouraged to attend any part of the day’s activities. Community members of all ages and professions are invited to attend to learn about the region's startup development resources, to network with a wide range of business professionals and to explore entrepreneurship as a career option. IdeaFest is a live event that will be held at 2 Witches Winery & Brewing Co. located at 209 Trade St, Danville, VA. Register to attend. Meet the IdeaFest Finalists  PixFixerAI – Willem Craun The Horse Concierge – Lacey Gotshall HostHustle Ecosystem – Prashant Kumar Squirrel Fitness – Tyler Benedict TrukFoo – Jerome Patrick Jr. PriceHive – Correne Friesen drvynX – Bongani Mwonzora and Michael Florentin Veluz – Alejandra Trochez and Dolce Guadarrama FlightSuite – Fitzgerald Light Archibald – Stephen Bell Shape Tomorrow - Laura Craniey Code 4 Technology – Jay Whitt Einra – Jamie Swann, MSN, RN Kinwise – Lydia Kumar Ascend – Walker Ferguson, Maximus Maldonado, Hampton Tanner Kovoco Inc. – Carlos Chacon Tessefi – Dr. Meme Keelen Iguana Cyber – Parker Garrison Vision Logic – Dr. Nathanael Miller MyoInsight – Brian Spencer Meet the IdeaFest Judges and Master of Ceremonies Jan L. Davis, Retired CEO, ShopperTrak RCT Corp.; Investor, RTP Angel Fund; Professor of the Practice, Kenan-Flagler Dr. Gary Evans, Axcel Innovation CEO; TLP Board Chair Pat Gouhin, CAE, Angel Capital Association CEO  Marty Kaszubowski, Technology Mentor, Innovation Commercialization Assistance Program (ICAP), Virginia Small Business Development Center Network, George Mason University Nick Mirra, Principal, Emerging Growth Practice Vice Chair, Woods Rogers Ed Pettiss, Start-up Mentor/Coach, former Chair of The Launch Place Seed Fund Advisory Board. Helps founders as part of entrepreneurial support groups and university teaching programs Master of Ceremonies Mark Friedman, President and Co-founder of RTP Capital Associates; CEO of Lakeview Business Advisory Meet Our Keynote Speaker Patrick Gouhin, CAE CEO, Angel Capital Association  Patrick Gouhin is presently serving in his seventh year as the CEO of the Angel Capital Association. ACA is a professional society for accredited angel investors, North America's most prolific early-stage investment class. ACA represents 15,000+ member accredited angel investors, 250 angel groups, accredited platforms and family offices and more than 30,000 entrepreneurial companies that are in ACA member investment portfolios. Before joining ACA, Mr. Gouhin spent 12 years as the Executive Director and CEO of the International Society of Automation (ISA) and then 15 years with the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA). During his tenure at ISA he provided leadership toward the creation of many new initiatives and companies. At AIAA, Mr. Gouhin served as the Chief Operating Officer whereby his leadership contributions resulted in significant revenue growth and the successful management of 300+ project teams through development and delivery of multiple products and services. Mr. Gouhin also served as the first Vice President of Operations and Technology Transfer for the National Institute of Aerospace (NIA) at Langley Research Center. This was a start-up resulting from $69 million government contract award to build a world-class research and education institute. Mr. Gouhin has experience in corporate divestitures and acquisitions, business construction and relocation, strategic standardization management, business planning, project management, process mapping and reengineering, and serving as a company wide change agent. He has served on the board of directors of multiple non-profits including the Council of Engineering and Scientific Society Executives (CESSE) where he is a past president. He has a bachelor of science in aeronautical and astronautical engineering from The Ohio State University and a master’s in engineering management from George Washington University. He has also completed the executive development program at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School and the advanced management college of Stanford University. Mr. Gouhin is a Certified Association Executive or CAE.   For additional information, contact Varun Sadana at vsadana@thelaunchplace.org.    A Special Thanks to Our Sponsor: IdeaFest is also made possible by the Virginia Small Business Financing Authority (VSBFA) through the SSBCI Technical Assistance grant focusing on businesses owned by Socially and Economically Disadvantaged Individuals (SEDI).   https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/262 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/262 Fri, 23 Jan 2026 13:00:00 EST Friday, 23 January 2026 13:00:00 EST Register Now for the 11th IdeaFest Business Pitch Competition on April 8, 2026! IdeaFest is a Business Pitch Competition where 20 finalists pitch their startup idea to a panel of judges and a live audience.  The top three competitors will be awarded $5,000 for first place, $3,000 for second place and $2,000 for third place. We are pleased to announce that this year's event will be at 2 Witches Winery & Brewing Co. in Danville, Virginia. The IdeaFest competition exposes The Launch Place’s services and funds to start-up companies that are ready to establish or seeking early stage capital. The Launch Place (TLP) is a lead venture development organization in Southern Virginia and in the Research Triangle, North Carolina. The company's mission is to retain, recruit and develop emerging and serial entrepreneurs in the region. The Launch Place provides seed stage equity investments, business consulting, mentoring/training/coaching services, and office space to its portfolio companies. TLP helps businesses with their business planning, funding, launching and growing needs. The Launch Place’s Seed Fund invests in innovative start-up opportunities. IdeaFest is open to the public and there is no charge to attend, but registration is required. Click below to reserve your seat! 2025 IdeaFest Awards Recap 1st Place $5,000  Counterforce Health 2nd Place $3,000 Seamless Transition 3rd Place $2,000  Ara Platforms    Special Thanks to Our Sponsor         For additional information, contact Varun Sadana at vsadana@thelaunchplace.org.  IdeaFest is also made possible by the Virginia Small Business Financing Authority (VSBFA) through the SSBCI Technical Assistance grant focusing on businesses owned by Socially and Economically Disadvantaged Individuals (SEDI). https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/261 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/261 Fri, 09 Jan 2026 00:00:00 EST Friday, 09 January 2026 00:00:00 EST TLP invites you to a no cost Lunch and Learn facilitated by Harris, Harvey, Neal & Co., LLP CPAs, Stephen Gay and Michael Mayhew, on Wednesday, February 18th, from 12-1pm at The Launch Place. From setting up an accounting system, a chart of accounts and selecting the best accounting software, to tips for effective accounting and common mistakes to avoid, Accounting Foundations for Small Business Success is part of a new series of workshops featuring legal and accounting counseling from licensed professionals. This opportunity is made possible by the Virginia Small Business Financing Authority (VSBFA) through the SSBCI Technical Assistance grant focusing on businesses owned by Socially and Economically Disadvantaged Individuals (SEDI).* Register by February 4th and we'll see you for lunch on February 5th! *This project is being supported, in whole or in part, by federal award number, SSBCI-21031-0028, awarded to The Launch Place by the U.S. Department of the Treasury. The Launch Place is proud to partner with Harris Harvey Neal & Co LLP for this event   https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/260 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/260 Thu, 08 Jan 2026 13:00:00 EST Thursday, 08 January 2026 13:00:00 EST Save the Date for the 11th IdeaFest Business Pitch Competition on April 8, 2026! IdeaFest is a Business Pitch Competition where 20 finalists pitch their startup idea to a panel of judges and a live audience.  The top three competitors will be awarded $5,000 for first place, $3,000 for second place and $2,000 for third place. We are pleased to announce that this year's event will be at 2 Witches Winery & Brewing Co. in Danville, Virginia. The IdeaFest competition exposes The Launch Place’s services and funds to start-up companies that are ready to establish or seeking early stage capital. The Launch Place (TLP) is a lead venture development organization in Southern Virginia and in the Research Triangle, North Carolina. The company's mission is to retain, recruit and develop emerging and serial entrepreneurs in the region. The Launch Place provides seed stage equity investments, business consulting, mentoring/training/coaching services, and office space to its portfolio companies. TLP helps businesses with their business planning, funding, launching and growing needs. The Launch Place’s Seed Fund invests in innovative start-up opportunities 2025 IdeaFest Awards Recap 1st Place $5,000  Counterforce Health 2nd Place $3,000 Seamless Transition 3rd Place $2,000  Ara Platforms    Special Thanks to Our 2025 Sponsors         For additional information, contact Varun Sadana at vsadana@thelaunchplace.org.  IdeaFest is also made possible by the Virginia Small Business Financing Authority (VSBFA) through the SSBCI Technical Assistance grant focusing on businesses owned by Socially and Economically Disadvantaged Individuals (SEDI). https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/254 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/254 Thu, 03 Apr 2025 17:00:00 EST Thursday, 03 April 2025 17:00:00 EST The Launch Place (TLP) received 134 applications for its 10th IdeaFest Pitch Competition from various start-up companies located in the US and abroad. The top competitors took the stage to present their innovative business ideas at 2 Witches Winery and Brewing Company in Danville, VA today.  The competition kicked off at 1:00pm, with a keynote from entrepreneur, CEO and Chief Innovation Officer, Rich Brancaccio. Rich is currently the senior director at Pearson Clinical Assessments and leads Pearson’s newly acquired wearable technology group. As a school psychologist passionate about helping children with focus and attention challenges, Rich invented the original Revibe device to help children perform to their fullest potential.  With this technology, he founded Revibe Technologies (The Launch Place investment portfolio company) and led the startup as CEO for over 8 years. With four patents granted and over a decade of experience in the technology sector and another decade of experience as a psychologist in the school system, Rich has consistently fused psychology with technology to push the boundaries of what's possible in the development of industry-first digital solutions to level the playing field for individuals with unique learning challenges. The winner of this year’s IdeaFest competition was Counterforce Health, who was awarded a $5,000 cash prize. Counterforce Health is a technology-driven platform leveraging AI to help patients and clinics challenge unjust health insurance claim denials.  Second place and a $3,000 cash award went to Seamless Transition. Seamless Transition is the designer of Endura Knee, a revolutionary multi-use prosthetic knee that enhances natural movement and accessibility for amputees worldwide. Ara Platforms took home third place with a $2,000 cash prize. Ara is the GitHub for analytics, centralizing analytics work across tools while enabling seamless team collaboration and knowledge sharing. The Launch Place, located in the River District of Danville, assists with business formation, job creation and retention through its business consulting services and investment funding, while having a dual responsibility to recruit and retain entrepreneurs to the Dan River Region. The IdeaFest competition exposes The Launch Place’s services and funds to start-up companies that are ready to launch, or are seeking early stage capital. The Launch Place could potentially invest in the company from its Seed and Pre-Seed Funds that were established from a grant awarded by the Danville Region Foundation.                        IdeaFest Judges and Master of Ceremonies Dr. Iulian Bobe, MBA: Chief Strategist, Sun Metalon, Inc.; Co-Founder, Circ Jan Davis: Retired CEO, ShopperTrak RCT Corporation; Investor, RTP Angel Fund; Professor of the Practice; The Launch Place Board Member Marty Kaszubowski: Technology Venture Consultant; The Launch Place Seed Fund Advisory Board Member Paul Nolde: Managing Director, 757 Collab; Executive Director, 757 Angels; The Launch Place Board Member Autumn Visser: Co-Chair of the Corporate & Business Transactions Practice Group at Woods Rogers; The Launch Place’s legal counsel Master of Ceremonies: Mark Friedman, President and Co-founder of RTP Capital Associates; CEO of Lakeview Business Advisory; The Launch Place Board Member IdeaFest 2025 Finalists  Watt Build: Uses compelling software and user experience to create ready buyers for distributed energy products. SoberRide: An advanced anti-drunk driving system that uses AI-enhanced ethanol sensors and facial analysis to prevent intoxicated drivers from operating vehicles. JobSpeed: A revolutionary job application tracking tool that replaces cumbersome spreadsheets with an intuitive system where application summaries, notes, contacts, documents, and calendar reminders are just a click away. RANDAO by CipherPlay: Revolutionizing the blockchain industry by solving the on-chain randomness problem. With the groundbreaking RANDAO protocol, we unlock new possibilities for decentralized applications, including gaming, lotteries, casinos, raffles, and loot boxes. B & C's Gloves: Revolutionizing the fishing experience with its patented 2-in-1 gloves, combining superior hand protection with a built-in grip and scaler for effortless fish handling. Counterforce Health: A technology-driven platform leveraging AI to help patients and clinics challenge unjust health insurance claim denials. Seamless Transition: Designer of Endura Knee, a revolutionary multi-use prosthetic knee that enhances natural movement and accessibility for amputees worldwide. FuelWell: Devices that help with saving fuel and reducing emissions for vehicles in the secondary transportation market. Sense It: An innovative, themed sensory flip book made for children who have autism or sensory sensitivities. Robinhood Therapy: Provides specialized therapy for executives, entrepreneurs & leaders. Ara Platforms: Where data professionals transform their analyses into compelling stories, build their reputation, and inspire others. Telkes: An early stage startup that aims to manufacture prefabricated solar homes to address both the housing shortages and solar access gap. Gallery Box: A unique art curation service that bridges the gap between local artists and communities through two primary offerings: interactive artist-led workshops for organizations and a curated DIY arts kit designed to bring creativity into any space. Kahmino: An AI-powered platform which delivers curated, personalized neighborhood recommendations - helping movers confidently choose the right area before they start searching for homes. Beige: Offering iOS training apps with real-time form correction and guidance for users and coaches. CareHome Health Solutions: Creates risk-preventative, smart devices that enhance senior independence and support caregivers. SoiLaDee Farm Co.: An urban gardening and hydroponics company dedicated to providing fresh, healthy, and exotic foods through sustainable practices. No Show Hero: Turns last-minute cancellations into real-time opportunities with a two-way marketplace that connects service providers with open slots to appointment seekers looking for flexible, on-demand booking. Nearby Nearby: The first local discovery platform built specifically for rural America, making it easy to find and support nearby businesses, events, and services - all in one search.     A Special Thanks to Our Sponsor:     IdeaFest is also made possible by the Virginia Small Business Financing Authority (VSBFA) through the SSBCI Technical Assistance grant focusing on businesses owned by Socially and Economically Disadvantaged Individuals (SEDI). https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/253 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/253 Tue, 18 Mar 2025 04:00:00 EST Tuesday, 18 March 2025 04:00:00 EST 10th Annual IdeaFest Business Pitch Competition - April 2, 2025 IdeaFest is a business pitch competition where finalists will pitch their startup idea to a panel of judges and a live audience.  The top three competitors will be awarded $5,000 for first place, $3,000 for second place and $2,000 for third place. IdeaFest is free and open to the public. Attendees are encouraged to attend any part of the day’s activities. Community members of all ages and professions are invited to attend to learn about the region's startup development resources, to network with a wide range of business professionals and to explore entrepreneurship as a career option. IdeaFest is a live event that will be held at 2 Witches Winery & Brewing Co. located at 209 Trade St, Danville, VA. Register to attend. Keynote Speaker Rich Brancaccio Founder & Chief Innovation Officer Rich Brancaccio is a senior director at Pearson Clinical Assessments and leads Pearson’s newly acquired wearable technology group. As a school psychologist passionate about helping children with focus and attention challenges, Rich invented the original Revibe device to help children perform to their fullest potential.  With this technology, he founded Revibe Technologies (The Launch Place investment portfolio company) and led the company as CEO for over 8 years. With four patents granted and over a decade of experience in the technology sector and another decade of experience as a psychologist in the school system, Rich has consistently fused psychology with technology to push the boundaries of what's possible in the development of industry-first digital solutions to level the playing field for individuals with unique learning challenges.     For additional information, contact Varun Sadana at vsadana@thelaunchplace.org.    A Special Thanks to Our Sponsor: IdeaFest is also made possible by the Virginia Small Business Financing Authority (VSBFA) through the SSBCI Technical Assistance grant focusing on businesses owned by Socially and Economically Disadvantaged Individuals (SEDI).   https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/247 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/247 Fri, 18 Oct 2024 00:00:00 EST Friday, 18 October 2024 00:00:00 EST The Launch Place received 133 applications for its 12th Annual Big Launch Challenge Pitch Competition (BLC) from various start-up companies located in the Southeast. The top competitors took the stage today to present their innovative business ideas at the North Carolina Biotech Center in Durham.  The competition kicked off at 2:00pm, with a keynote speech from Pat Gouhin, CAE, who is the CEO of the Angel Capital Association. Gouhin’s address focused on the current state of the angel and venture capital markets. The winner of this year’s competition was Richmond, Virginia-based EqualityMD, Inc., who was awarded a $10,000 cash prize. EqualityMD’s LGBTQ+ inclusive telehealth and data analytics platform enables marginalized patients to enjoy culturally competent care on their terms while generating actionable new AI-powered insights that will advance health equity at scale. EqualityMD’s Founder and CEO is Justin Ayars. Second place went to Citrus Oncology of Cary, North Carolina. Citrus Oncology is a virtual multi-specialty clinic focused on managing side effects and complications from cancer treatment and aims to enhance treatment adherence, improve patients' quality of life, and reduce total healthcare costs by addressing organ-specific toxicities. The $5,000 cash award was presented to Citrus Oncology Co-founder, Afreen Shariff, MD.       Winners of the competition will also receive business consulting from The Launch Place. The Launch Place, located in the River District of Danville, VA and in the RTP, NC, assists with business formation and scale-up through its pre-seed and seed investments and business consulting service. The Big Launch Challenge competition exposes The Launch Place’s services and funds to start-up companies that are ready to launch, or are seeking early stage capital. The Launch Place could potentially invest in The Big Launch Challenge finalists from its Pre-Seed and Seed Funds.  Big Launch Challenge Judges and Master of Ceremonies Dr. Dawn Batts, CEO, Milestone Growth Capital Institute Timothy J. Cartwright, Founder and CEO, Fifth Avenue Family Office; Chairman and Founder, Tamiami Angel Funds, LLC; General Partner, Adrenaline Venture Fund; Kristina Montague, Managing Partner, JumpFund Patrick Gouhin, CAE, CEO of Angel Capital Association Autumn Visser, Principal, Woods Rogers. Click here for an in-depth introduction to this year's BLC judges. Master of Ceremonies: Mark Friedman, President and Co-founder of RTP Capital Associates; CEO of Lakeview Business Advisory The Big Launch Challenge 2024 Finalists  Fafabiotic – Fafabiotic is a bioformulation and bio-cosmeceutical company where fermentation and formulation of any target probiotic lead to the creation of alive skincare products. Citrus Oncology. – Citrus Oncology is a virtual multi-specialty clinic focused on managing side effects and complications from cancer treatment. We aim to enhance treatment adherence, improve patients' quality of life, and reduce total healthcare costs by addressing organ-specific toxicities. 3D Orthobiologic Solutions – 3D Orthobiologic Solutions develops customizable, 3D-printed scaffolds for repairing and regenerating bone in oral and maxillofacial surgery. Biocompatible materials and structures are optimized to efficiently and maximally enhance bone regrowth. Our platform will provide an easy-to-use and biodegradable scaffold that will be superior to existing products in speed and quality. Linshom Medical Inc. – Linshom Medical is first to deliver a wearable, FDA cleared, operating room quality respiratory profile to the patient bedside providing early warning of respiratory problems and avoiding costly rapid response activations, rescue events (codes), ICU transfers and deaths. InviteJet – InviteJet allows brands to send calendar invites as a marketing tool.  It's like MailChimp, but instead of emails, it sends calendar invites. LLAMAWOOD INC.– LLAMAWOOD is an on-demand delivery platform revolutionizing the firewood industry. Data Company One - At Data Company One, we champion sustainability and recycling by leveraging cutting-edge technology and data-driven insights. Through our flagship product, GreenScanr, we offer innovative solutions that tackle critical environmental challenges. EqualityMD, Inc.– EqualityMD’s LGBTQ+ inclusive telehealth and data analytics platform enables marginalized patients to enjoy culturally competent care on their terms while generating actionable new AI-powered insights that will advance health equity at scale.  Baby Bumps– BabyBumps is the dating app for surrogacy. Theralinq– Theralinq, a healthcare technology company, is transforming pediatric therapy by enhancing coordinated care between families and providers. Theralinq’s mobile app empowers families to take charge of their child’s therapy while enabling providers to streamline patient care management.   A Special Thanks to Our Sponsors:   https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/248 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/248 Wed, 09 Oct 2024 00:00:00 EST Wednesday, 09 October 2024 00:00:00 EST The 12th Annual Big Launch Challenge Business Pitch Competition - October 17, 2024 The Big Launch Challenge, a competition targeting the best startups in the country, is a unique opportunity to see 10 leading early stage companies (listed below) compete for $15,000 in prize money from The Launch Place. Over the past eleven years of hosting this competition, The Launch Place has awarded over $200,000 to 21 companies. The BLC is open to the public and there is no charge to attend the competition. To register for the Bill and Ann Payne ACA Angel University courses, click here. Community members of all ages and professions are invited to attend to learn about The Launch Place's startup development resources, to network with a wide range of business professionals and investors and to explore entrepreneurship as a career option. The Big Launch Challenge is a live event that will be held at the North Carolina Biotechnology Center in Durham, North Carolina. Registration is required to attend. Meet The BLC Finalists! Fafabiotic: Dr. Farzaneh Rezaei, Founder and CEO Citrus Oncology: Afreen Shariff, MD, Co-founder 3D Orthobiologic Solutions: Dr. R. Prakash Kolli, CEO and Co-founder Linshom Medical, Inc.: Richard Hughen, CEO InviteJet: Brian Watson, Co-founder LLAMAWOOD, Inc..: Hunter Guerin, Founder and CEO Data Company One: Simon Glossop, CEO EqualityMD, Inc.: Justin Ayars, Founder and CEO BabyBumps: Victoria Fritz, MD, Founder Theralinq: Brennan Barber, Co-founder and CEO Meet The BLC Judges and Master of Ceremonies Dawn Batts, Ph.D., CEO, Milestone Growth Capital  Timothy J. Cartwright, Founder and CEO, Fifth Avenue Family Office; Chairman and Founder, Tamiami Angel Funds LLC; General Partner, Adrenaline Venture Fund Pat Gouhin, CAE, CEO, Angel Capital Association Kristina Montague, Managing Partner, JumpFund Autumn Visser, Principal, Woods Rogers Master of Ceremonies Mark Friedman, President and Co-founder of RTP Capital Associates; CEO of Lakeview Business Advisory Keynote Speaker Patrick Gouhin, CAE CEO, Angel Capital Association Patrick Gouhin is presently serving in his fourth year as the CEO of the Angel Capital Association. ACA is a professional society for accredited angel investors, North America's most prolific early-stage investment class. ACA represents 15,000+ member accredited angel investors, 250 angel groups, accredited platforms and family offices and more than 30,000 entrepreneurial companies that are in ACA member investment portfolios. Before joining ACA, Mr. Gouhin spent 12 years as the Executive Director and CEO of the International Society of Automation (ISA) and then 15 years with the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA). During his tenure at ISA he provided leadership toward the creation of many new initiatives and companies. At AIAA, Mr. Gouhin served as the Chief Operating Officer whereby his leadership contributions resulted in significant revenue growth and the successful management of 300+ project teams through development and delivery of multiple products and services. Mr. Gouhin also served as the first Vice President of Operations and Technology Transfer for the National Institute of Aerospace (NIA) at Langley Research Center. This was a start-up resulting from $69 million government contract award to build a world-class research and education institute. Mr. Gouhin has experience in corporate divestitures and acquisitions, business construction and relocation, strategic standardization management, business planning, project management, process mapping and reengineering, and serving as a company wide change agent. He has served on the board of directors of multiple non-profits including the Council of Engineering and Scientific Society Executives (CESSE) where he is a past president. He has a bachelor of science in aeronautical and astronautical engineering from The Ohio State University and a master’s in engineering management from George Washington University. He has also completed the executive development program at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School and the advanced management college of Stanford University. Mr. Gouhin is a Certified Association Executive or CAE. For additional information, contact Varun Sadana at vsadana@thelaunchplace.org.    A Special Thanks to Our Sponsors:     https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/246 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/246 Tue, 03 Sep 2024 00:00:00 EST Tuesday, 03 September 2024 00:00:00 EST TLP invites you to a no cost Lunch and Learn facilitated by Harris, Harvey, Neal & Co., LLP CPAs, Stephen Gay and Michael Mayhew, on Tuesday, September 17th, from 12-1pm at The Launch Place. From setting up an accounting system, a chart of accounts and selecting the best accounting software, to tips for effective accounting and common mistakes to avoid, Accounting Foundations for Small Business Success is part of a new series of workshops featuring legal and accounting counseling from licensed professionals. This opportunity is made possible by the Virginia Small Business Financing Authority (VSBFA) through the SSBCI Technical Assistance grant focusing on businesses owned by Socially and Economically Disadvantaged Individuals (SEDI).* Register by September 16th and we'll see you for lunch on September 17th! *This project is being supported, in whole or in part, by federal award number, SSBCI-21031-0028, awarded to The Launch Place by the U.S. Department of the Treasury. The Launch Place is proud to partner with Harris Harvey Neal & Co LLP for this event   https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/245 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/245 Wed, 07 Aug 2024 00:00:00 EST Wednesday, 07 August 2024 00:00:00 EST TLP invites you to a no cost Lunch and Learn facilitated by Woods Rogers attorney, Autumn Visser, on Tuesday, August 13th from 12-1pm at The Launch Place (527 Bridge St, Suite 200, Danville). The Legality of Starting (& Owning) a Business is part of a new series of workshops featuring legal and accounting counseling from licensed professionals. This opportunity is made possible by the Virginia Small Business Financing Authority (VSBFA) through the SSBCI Technical Assistance grant focusing on businesses owned by Socially and Economically Disadvantaged Individuals (SEDI). Register by August 12th and we'll see you for lunch on August 13th! In this presentation, we will delve into the critical legal issues faced by small companies, providing practical insights and strategies to effectively manage these challenges. Tailored for business owners and entrepreneurs, this session will offer a comprehensive overview of the legal landscape impacting small business entities. Key Topics Covered: Formation and Structuring Choosing the Right Entity: Analyzing the pros and cons of corporations versus LLCs, including implications for liability, taxation, and operational flexibility. Formation Requirements: Understanding state-specific requirements, including filing articles of incorporation or organization, drafting operating agreements, and complying with initial reporting obligations. Governance and Compliance Corporate Governance: Key considerations for small corporations, including board structure, shareholder rights, and meeting requirements. LLC Management: Exploring management structures, member roles, and decision-making processes in LLCs. Ongoing Compliance: Addressing regular compliance requirements such as annual reports, taxes, and state filings. Learning Objectives: Gain a solid understanding of the legal framework governing small corporations and LLCs. Identify common legal pitfalls and how to avoid them. Learn best practices for maintaining legal compliance and protecting personal assets.        The Launch Place is proud to partner with Woods Rogers for this event   https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/240 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/240 Mon, 08 Jul 2024 00:00:00 EST Monday, 08 July 2024 00:00:00 EST DANVILLE, Va. (July 8, 2024) —The Launch Place (TLP) has been selected as a Technical Assistance Grant Program (TA) provider by The Virginia Small Business Financing Authority (VSBFA). The Launch Place, one of four finalists from the Commonwealth of Virginia, will receive up to $1,000,000 to offer key business advisory services to companies. Virginia has been approved for $4.1 million in SSBCI Technical Assistance grant funding by the U.S. Department of Treasury under the State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) program (SSBCI-21031-0028). This program will provide legal, accounting, and financial advisory services to companies preparing for support from state and/or federal small business programs and connect companies directly with its SSBCI-supported capital programs. As a TA provider, TLP will take on the primary responsibility of offering legal, accounting, and financial advisory services to Socially and Economically Disadvantaged Individually owned (SEDI) businesses and Very Small Businesses (VSB) small business owners preparing for capital support from small business programs. TLP will also connect companies directly with funding sources. “We are excited to offer this critical support to small businesses. This program will have a lasting, positive impact on the entrepreneurial landscape of the Commonwealth,” said VSBFA Executive Director, Joe Shearin. According to Eva Doss, President and CEO of The Launch Place, “Small businesses are a critical component of Southside Virginia’s economy. The Launch Place is honored to be named a VSBFA TA provider. This opportunity fuels our steadfast commitment to deliver premier services and resources to our region’s small businesses so they can successfully launch and grow their companies to scale.”     The Launch Place is proud to partner with Woods Rogers and Harris Harvey Neal & Co LLP for the SSBCI TA Grant     About Virginia Small Business Financing Authority Aligned within Virginia’s Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity, the VSBFA offers programs to provide businesses, not-for-profits, and economic development authorities with the financing needed for economic growth and expansion throughout the Commonwealth. To accomplish this goal, VSBFA offers loans directly to businesses & non-profits, credit enhancements to banks that are lending to businesses & non-profits, as well as bond financings to benefit for-profit businesses, 501 (c) (3) not-for-profit entities, and to support clean energy and P3 transportation projects. VSBFA also helps small businesses seeking to attract equity investments by providing an equity incentive grant program. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/239 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/239 Tue, 25 Jun 2024 00:00:00 EST Tuesday, 25 June 2024 00:00:00 EST   DANVILLE, Va. (June 25, 2024) — The Launch Place (TLP) is pleased to announce a significant investment in AGEYE Technologies, a leader in AI-driven indoor farming technology. This marks a new addition to TLP’s portfolio, highlighting its commitment to supporting innovative startups in the Dan River region and beyond. AGEYE, based in Raleigh, North Carolina, develops next-generation AI solutions for indoor farming. By integrating advanced management software with automated grow systems, AGEYE ensures optimal per-plant economics and profitability. Their technology provides detailed visibility into all costs on a per-plant level, something that is very difficult in commercial operations. Eva Doss, President and CEO of TLP, commented, “Virginia is positioning itself as a hub for controlled environment agriculture, drawing in major farms like Plenty and AeroFarms, the latter of which is currently building a large facility here in Danville. Once you see the scale of the operations, it’s clear how critically important the technology AGEYE has developed is. AGEYE’s approach to leveraging AI for detailed plant monitoring is a game-changer for indoor farming. Their technology not only promises increased profitability for farms but also advances the sustainability of agricultural practices.” TLP’s investment will support AGEYE in scaling its operations and expanding its customer base. The company has already built a robust pipeline of qualified opportunities, positioning it for significant growth. AGEYE CEO, Nick Genty, expressed enthusiasm about the partnership, saying, “We are excited to have TLP’s support. Their expertise and resources will be invaluable as we continue to innovate and grow, especially given Virginia’s continued push around recruiting commercial indoor farms.”   About The Launch Place The Launch Place (TLP) provides capital, mentorship, and support services for promising startups, focusing on SaaS, IoT, and medical, health, and green technologies. Based in Danville, Virginia, with a second office in North Carolina’s Research Triangle Park, TLP’s initial investments typically range from $200,000 to $250,000, with potential follow-on investments reaching $750,000. TLP’s original and biggest funder to date is the Danville Regional Foundation.   About AGEYE AGEYE develops complete, AI-driven vertical farming solutions—from racks to robots—integrated with advanced management software to optimize per-plant economics and ensure profitable operations. Their comprehensive approach reduces labor costs, enhances environmental conditions, and increases yields, making sustainable food production both viable and profitable. Learn more at www.ageyetech.com   https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/238 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/238 Wed, 01 May 2024 00:00:00 EST Wednesday, 01 May 2024 00:00:00 EST The Launch Place received 115 applications for its 9th IdeaFest Pitch Competition from various start-up companies located in the US and abroad. The top competitors took the stage to present their innovative business ideas at 2 Witches Winery and Brewing Company in Danville, VA today.  The competition kicked off at 1:00pm, with a keynote from Patrick Gouhin, CAE, CEO of Angel Capital Association. Mr. Gouhin is presently serving in his fifth year as the CEO of the Angel Capital Association. ACA is a professional society for accredited angel investors, North America's most prolific early-stage investment class. ACA represents 15,000+ member accredited angel investors, 250 angel groups, accredited platforms and family offices and more than 30,000 entrepreneurial companies that are in ACA member investment portfolios. Before joining ACA, Mr. Gouhin spent 12 years as the Executive Director and CEO of the International Society of Automation (ISA) and then 15 years with the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA). During his tenure at ISA he provided leadership toward the creation of many new initiatives and companies. At AIAA, Mr. Gouhin served as the Chief Operating Officer whereby his leadership contributions resulted in significant revenue growth and the successful management of 300+ project teams through development and delivery of multiple products and services.    The winner of this year’s competition was Mas Refund, who was awarded a $5,000 cash prize. MasRefund is a bilingual Spanish English tax filing app that takes the fear and complexity out of filing taxes by making tax filing as easy as uno, dos, tres. Second place and a $3,000 cash award went to Social Cascade. Social Cascade is an AI-powered platform reducing health disparities with strategic patient engagement & education. OsRostrum, Inc. took home third place with a $2,000 cash prize. OsRostrum, Inc. is a PhIT (Phenomic Inference Technology) platform that combines patented 3D scanning, computer vision, and machine learning algorithms to help cattle farmers identify novel physical indicators of health and resilience in their cows. The Dominion Energy Innovation Center $5,000 Clean Bonus Prize was awarded to Scale Materials. Scale transforms industries with better materials. The Launch Place, located in the River District of Danville, assists with business formation, job creation and retention through its business consulting services and investment funding, while having a dual responsibility to recruit and retain entrepreneurs to the Dan River Region. The IdeaFest competition exposes The Launch Place’s services and funds to start-up companies that are ready to launch, or are seeking early stage capital. The Launch Place could potentially invest in the company from its Seed and Pre-Seed Funds that were established from a grant awarded by the Danville Region Foundation.    IdeaFest Judges and Master of Ceremonies Judge: Pat Gouhin, CAE, Angel Capital Association CEO  Judge: Evans McMillion, Principal, Talkeetna; Former Founding Executive Director, 757 Accelerate, Inc. Judge: Paul Nolde, Managing Director, 757 Collab; Executive Director, 757 Angels; Member, The Launch Place Seed Fund Advisory Board Judge: Autumn Visser, Member, Corporate & Business Transactions and Emerging Growth & Venture Capital practice groups, Woods Rogers Vandeventer Black PLC; The Launch Place legal counsel Judge: Tobi Walter, Tech Venture Capitalist, Cofounders Capital; Co-founder, Shoeboxed; Technology Entrepreneur, Former Investment Banker Master of Ceremonies: Mark Friedman, President and Co-founder of RTP Capital Associates; CEO of Lakeview Business Advisory   IdeaFest 2024 Finalists  TeachBase: Interactive planning software that brings all teacher planning materials to one platform.  Grain Fertility: Transformative application that empowers individuals seeking fertility treatment with personalized support and education, essential fertility services, and proactive care management. Predicate: Innovating early sepsis detection with wearable biosensors and natural language processing (NLP). LOOM3D: 3D weaving for apparel production. It is like 3D printing for clothing! Solvacy: All-in-one AI powered digital marketing solution designed to optimize engagement and drive business growth to all of your social media accounts NIRSense Inc.: A medical device company developing advanced hemodynamic and human performance monitors for the Department of Defense that screen, monitor, and manage cardiometabolic disease patients Pool Protection Technologies: A device that actively kills and prevents algae without chemicals for pools. Edenic Energy: Edenic Energy is using a Building Information Engine automating retrofit for outdated properties. Target 2 Zero: Provides rapid event reconsolidation services for groups and individuals that helps reduce the pain and trauma associated with adverse events.  MasRefund: A bilingual SPanish English tax filing app that takes the fear and complexity out of filing taxes by making tax filing as easy as uno, dos, tres. Social Cascade: AI-powered platform in reducing health disparities with strategic patient engagement & education. Tada AI: Chat with internal company documents, automate customer support, and identify churn risk - all with the power of Tada AI. Lukera: Revolutionizing hydrogen production with its cutting-edge smart alkaline electrolyzer technology.  CAC Tech Services Inc: Supports OEM’s, fleets and school districts and utilities to help meet their sustainability goals by helping to integrate zero emission drivelines and green technology.   Brokerbotics: Aims to democratize passive income from stock options for every investor using simple automation, better alerts, and sensible reporting. AnswerThis: Leverages AI model pipelining to quickly and accurately retrieve information from over 200 million research papers and the entire internet to answer complex questions and make the rapidly expanding global knowledge base more accessible and efficient. Scale Materials: Transforms industries with better materials. Nessle: AI-powered parenting co-pilot that supports the parenting journey from fertility through the teen years that delivers curated resources for users. OsRostrum, Inc.: PhIT (Phenomic Inference Technology) platform that combines patented 3D scanning, computer vision, and machine learning algorithms to help cattle farmers identify novel physical indicators of health and resilience in their cows. equalityMD: Healthcare & data analytics platform that provides culturally competent care and actionable new insights to the LGBTQ+ community that restores humanity to the healthcare experience.   A Special Thanks to Our Sponsors:   https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/237 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/237 Thu, 25 Apr 2024 00:00:00 EST Thursday, 25 April 2024 00:00:00 EST 9th Annual IdeaFest Business Pitch Competition - May 1, 2024 IdeaFest is a business pitch competition where finalists will pitch their startup idea to a panel of judges and a live audience.  The top three competitors will be awarded $5,000 for first place, $3,000 for second place and $2,000 for third place. In addition, Dominion Energy Innovation Center is sponsoring a $5,000 Clean Energy Bonus Prize. IdeaFest is free and open to the public. Attendees are encouraged to attend any part of the day’s activities. Community members of all ages and professions are invited to attend to learn about the region's startup development resources, to network with a wide range of business professionals and to explore entrepreneurship as a career option. IdeaFest is a live event that will be held at 2 Witches Winery & Brewing Co. located at 209 Trade St, Danville, VA. Register to attend. Meet the IdeaFest Finalists TeachBase - Claire Benton Grain Fertility - Joe Cody Predicate- Dr. Morrison Nguyen Loom 3D - Brian Kelly Solvacy - Kenneth Harkness NIRSense Inc. - Dr. Casey Boutwell Pool Protection Technologies - Garrett Stigall Edenic Energy - Thomas Hunter Target 2 Zero - Scarlett Williams MasRefund - Dr. Simon Karmarkar Social Cascade - Dr. Lucy Kosturko Tada AI - Cameron Dixon Lukera - Brian Worfolk CAC Tech Services Inc - Chad Burchett Brokerbotics - Siddarth Dalal and Ahan Dalal Answer This - Ayush Garg and Ryan Mccarroll Scale Materials - Liudmyla (Liuda) Prozorovska Nessle - Dr. Carly Buxton OsRostrum, Inc. - Catie McVey equalityMD - Justin Ayars Meet the IdeaFest Judges Pat Gouhin, CAE, CEO, Angel Capital Association Evans McMillion, Principal, Talkeetna; Former Founding Executive Director, 757 Accelerate, Inc. Paul Nolde, Managing Director, 757 Collab; Executive Director, 757 Angels; Member, The Launch Place Seed Fund Advisory Board Autumn Visser, Member, Corporate & Business Transactions and Emerging Growth & Venture Capital practice groups, Woods Rogers Vandeventer Black PLC; The Launch Place legal counsel Tobi Walter, Tech Venture Capitalist, Cofounders Capital; Co-founder, Shoeboxed; Technology Entrepreneur, Former Investment Banker Learn More about the IdeaFest Judges Master of Ceremonies Mark Friedman, President and Co-founder of RTP Capital Associates; CEO of Lakeview Business Advisory Keynote Speaker Patrick Gouhin, CAE CEO, Angel Capital Association Patrick Gouhin is presently serving in his fourth year as the CEO of the Angel Capital Association. ACA is a professional society for accredited angel investors, North America's most prolific early-stage investment class. ACA represents 15,000+ member accredited angel investors, 250 angel groups, accredited platforms and family offices and more than 30,000 entrepreneurial companies that are in ACA member investment portfolios. Before joining ACA, Mr. Gouhin spent 12 years as the Executive Director and CEO of the International Society of Automation (ISA) and then 15 years with the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA). During his tenure at ISA he provided leadership toward the creation of many new initiatives and companies. At AIAA, Mr. Gouhin served as the Chief Operating Officer whereby his leadership contributions resulted in significant revenue growth and the successful management of 300+ project teams through development and delivery of multiple products and services. Mr. Gouhin also served as the first Vice President of Operations and Technology Transfer for the National Institute of Aerospace (NIA) at Langley Research Center. This was a start-up resulting from $69 million government contract award to build a world-class research and education institute. Mr. Gouhin has experience in corporate divestitures and acquisitions, business construction and relocation, strategic standardization management, business planning, project management, process mapping and reengineering, and serving as a company wide change agent. He has served on the board of directors of multiple non-profits including the Council of Engineering and Scientific Society Executives (CESSE) where he is a past president. He has a bachelor of science in aeronautical and astronautical engineering from The Ohio State University and a master’s in engineering management from George Washington University. He has also completed the executive development program at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School and the advanced management college of Stanford University. Mr. Gouhin is a Certified Association Executive or CAE. For additional information, contact Varun Sadana at vsadana@thelaunchplace.org.    A Special Thanks to Our Sponsors:   https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/236 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/236 Tue, 27 Feb 2024 00:00:00 EST Tuesday, 27 February 2024 00:00:00 EST The Launch Place will collaborate with Dominion Energy Innovation Center (DEIC) for the 9th Annual IdeaFest on May 1, 2024 at 2 Witches Winery & Brewing Co. in Danville. IdeaFest is a business pitch competition where 20 finalists pitch their startup idea to a panel of judges and live audience. The top three competitors will be awarded $5,000 for first place, $3,000 for second place and $2,000 for third place. In addition, DEIC is sponsoring one $5,000 Clean Energy Bonus Prize intended for companies pitching concepts with a focus on climate tech and sustainability solutions.   According to Eva Doss, The Launch Place President and CEO, “We are thrilled to welcome DEIC to this year’s IdeaFest competition. DEIC is a catalyst for progress and innovation throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia and is committed to supporting clean energy concepts and companies in the Dan River Region. The Launch Place invests in and advises many companies that are focused on ag-tech and clean tech. This partnership with DEIC is an extension of our mission to attract more clean tech entrepreneurs and startups to our ecosystem.”   "As we embark on this journey of climate innovation and collaboration, we are proud to partner with The Launch Place for IdeaFest. This collaboration exemplifies our shared commitment to nurturing sustainable solutions and fostering the entrepreneurial spirit throughout the Dan River Region. Together, we're empowering visionaries to transform ideas into impactful realities, driving positive change for our communities and our planet," said Braden Croy, Program Director of the DEIC   In addition to the Clean Energy Bonus Prize, DEIC will also host a Meet-Up Lunch where members of the community or anyone interested in climate tech startups can attend and meet the team to learn more about DEIC’s mission, initiatives and programs. Registration is required for the Meet-Up Lunch from 12-1pm. DEIC will also facilitate a panel discussion during IdeaFest that addresses how startups can secure financing and incorporate clean energy best practices into their business plans.   IdeaFest applications are open through April 8th, 2024. The competition exposes The Launch Place’s services and funds to start-up companies that are seeking early stage capital. Also, The Launch Place could potentially invest in the company from its Seed and Pre-Seed Funds. For more information and to apply, visit www.thelaunchplace.org/ideafest ABOUT: The Launch Place offers a range of premier business consulting, Seed and Pre-Seed investment, and mentoring/training services that are unparalleled  in equipping entrepreneurs with the tools they need to successfully launch and grow their company. The Dominion Energy Innovation Center is Virginia’s premier energy-focused non-profit incubator/accelerator, supporting the high-tech, advanced energy and climate technology entrepreneurs driving the innovations needed to achieve a net-zero carbon economy. Since 2009, we have offered collaborative space, guidance, and resources. Founding partners include Dominion Energy, Activation Capital, the Town of Ashland and Hanover County.   https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/235 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/235 Tue, 23 Jan 2024 00:00:00 EST Tuesday, 23 January 2024 00:00:00 EST 9th IdeaFest Business Pitch Competition - May 1, 2024     IdeaFest is a Business Pitch Competition where 20 finalists will pitch their startup idea to a panel of judges and a live audience.  The top three competitors will be awarded $5,000 for first place, $3,000 for second place and $2,000 for third place. In addition, Dominion Energy Innovation Center is sponsoring a $5,000 Clean Energy Bonus Prize. Winners of the competition will also be eligible to receive twenty-five hours of free business consulting from The Launch Place. The Launch Place, assists with business formation, job creation and retention through its business consulting services and investment funding, while having a dual responsibility to recruit and retain entrepreneurs to the Dan River Region. The IdeaFest competition exposes The Launch Place’s services and funds to start-up companies that are ready to establish or seeking early stage capital. The Launch Place could potentially invest in the company from its Seed and Pre-Seed Funds. Awards 1st Place $5,000 2nd Place $3,000 3rd Place $2,000 Dominion Energy Innovation Center Clean Energy Bonus Prize $5,000 IdeaFest is free and open to the public. Attendees are encouraged to attend any part of the day’s activities. Community members of all ages and professions are invited to attend to learn about the region's startup development resources, to network with a wide range of business professionals and to explore entrepreneurship as a career option.   The Launch Place has partnered with F6s to process IdeaFest applications. Click the button below and apply by 11:59pm EST on April 8th, 2024. Join us at IdeaFest -- register today! For additional information, contact Varun Sadana at vsadana@thelaunchplace.org.     A Special Thanks to Our Sponsors:   https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/227 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/227 Fri, 06 Oct 2023 00:00:00 EST Friday, 06 October 2023 00:00:00 EST The Launch Place received over 115 applications for The 11th Annual Big Launch Challenge Pitch Competition from various start-up companies located in the US. The top competitors took the stage today to present their innovative business ideas at the North Carolina Biotech Center in Durham.    The competition kicked off on October 5th at 2:00pm, with a keynote speech from Dr. Ronald Weissman, Chairman of the Angel Capital Association and Band of Angels Software Group. The competition concluded with remarks from The Honorable Wiley Nickel, Member of the United States House of Representatives from the 13th District of North Carolina.   The winner of this year’s competition was Wilmington, NC based Boreas Monitoring Solutions who was awarded a $10,000 cash prize. Boreas Monitoring is an innovative technology company built on safeguarding irreplaceable biological materials. They have revolutionized cryotank monitoring with a patented, weight-based remote monitoring system that offers a safe and reliable alternative to the antiquated systems used in laboratories today. Will Baird, CEO and Co-Founder of Boreas Monitoring Solutions, explained that Boreas will use the funds for marketing and enhancing compliance.   Second place and a $5,000 cash award went to Tromml. Tromml is an insights solution that allows eCommerce sellers to improve profitability by generating actionable insights from their own data streams. Tromml was also The Launch Place’s 2023 IdeaFest First Place Winner.   Winners of the competition will also receive business consulting from The Launch Place. The Launch Place, located in the River District of Danville, VA assists with business formation and scale-up through its pre-seed and seed investments and business consulting service. The Big Launch Challenge competition exposes The Launch Place’s services and funds to start-up companies that are ready to launch, or are seeking early stage capital. The Launch Place could potentially invest in the company from its Pre-Seed and Seed Funds. Big Launch Challenge Judges and Master of Ceremonies: Dr. Dawn Batts (Detroit, MI): Director of Growth Capital, Tech Town Timothy J. Cartwright (Naples, FL):, Founder and CEO, Fifth Avenue Family Office; Chairman and Founder, Tamiami Angel Funds, LLC; General Partner, Adrenaline Venture Fund Dr. Silvia Mah (San Diego, CA):, General Partner, Stella Impact Capital Sumedha Mongia, MD (Washington, D.C.):  Physician, Founder, Angel Investor, Healthcare Leader Rick Timmins (Austin, TX): Angel Investor/Venture Capital; Former Chairman, Central Texas Angel Network Autumn Visser (Roanoke, VA):  Principal, Woods Rogers Vandeventer Black PLC. Master of Ceremonies: Mark Friedman (Raleigh, NC): President and Co-founder of RTP Capital Associates; CEO of Lakeview Business Advisory   The Big Launch Challenge 2023 Finalists  Acta Solutions – Acta Solutions helps local governments streamline their customer service. With Acta, local governments respond to emails and phone calls faster, with consistent information, and issue more revenue-generating services like permits and inspections.  Agricision, Inc. – Agricision, Inc. is a farmer-led ag-tech company dedicated to helping farmers attack invasive pests before major infestations take root leading to costly crop damage, loss, or worse - profit loss. Its solution uses state-of-the-art edge computing and autonomous systems to deliver early and accurate pest detection so they can make “spray/no spray” decisions with confidence.  Boreas Monitoring Solutions – Boreas Monitoring is an innovative technology company built on safeguarding irreplaceable biological materials. They have revolutionized cryotank monitoring with a patented, weight-based remote monitoring system that offers a safe and reliable alternative to the antiquated systems used in laboratories today Bristles AI – Born from personal DIY project struggles, Bristles AI is building the ultimate design platform for home improvement projects. Its AI-powered software transforms your saved photos into interactive design elements for mocking up your creative vision. Find the clarity and confidence to tackle your projects before lifting a paintbrush!   Cosmic Eats, Inc. – Cosmic Eats, Inc. is developing a small footprint, high yield vertically integrated feeding system for military, humanitarian, and space applications with a built-in food processing subunit and user interface to guide production of plants, algae, and fungi to meet targeted nutrition goals. DNAIi – DNAli is driving DNA-based solutions for a rapidly growing bioeconomy. Its first technology pioneers an enzymatic method that produces both existing and first-in-class chemically modified DNAs for diverse applications including the manufacturing of biosensors and diagnostic tests and epigenetics research. Jigsawdio - Jigsawdio is an evidence based multi-sensory engagement device for the Alzheimer’s population. Users play their collection of physical personalized jigsaw puzzles on a displayable frame. Sound pieces play recordings or songs that accompany and narrate the image associated with that piece. Sportscale - Provides an automated solution to repetitive weight monitoring for athletes. Three Strands Recovery Wear – Three Strands Recovery Wear is dedicated to enhancing the healing journey of post-surgical patients through their revolutionary product, the Resilience Bra, and additional loungewear garments. Its mission is to positively impact every patient's recovery, offering exceptional comfort and support through its recovery garments and community platform.  Tromml – Tromml is an insights solution that allows eCommerce sellers to improve profitability by generating actionable insights from their own data streams.    A Special Thanks to Our Sponsors:   https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/231 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/231 Tue, 26 Sep 2023 00:00:00 EST Tuesday, 26 September 2023 00:00:00 EST The Launch Place is pleased to announce the top finalists who will pitch their business plans live on stage at the 11th Annual Big Launch Challenge (BLC) on October 5th at the NC Biotech Center in Durham, NC.  This year’s BLC will include an opportunity for the following early stage companies to share their pitches with a panel of six judges who represent multiple investor groups from across the nation. These finalists will be given eight minutes to present their business plans on stage, followed by a five minute question and answer session with the judges.  Acta Solutions – Acta Solutions helps local governments streamline their customer service. With Acta, local governments respond to emails and phone calls faster, with consistent information, and issue more revenue-generating services like permits and inspections.  Agricision, Inc. – Agricision, Inc. is a farmer-led ag-tech company dedicated to helping farmers attack invasive pests before major infestations take root leading to costly crop damage, loss, or worse - profit loss. Its solution uses state-of-the-art edge computing and autonomous systems to deliver early and accurate pest detection so they can make “spray/no spray” decisions with confidence.  Boreas Monitoring Solutions – Boreas Monitoring is an innovative technology company built on safeguarding irreplaceable biological materials. They have revolutionized cryotank monitoring with a patented, weight-based remote monitoring system that offers a safe and reliable alternative to the antiquated systems used in laboratories today Bristles AI – Born from personal DIY project struggles, Bristles AI is building the ultimate design platform for home improvement projects. Its AI-powered software transforms your saved photos into interactive design elements for mocking up your creative vision. Find the clarity and confidence to tackle your projects before lifting a paintbrush!   Cosmic Eats, Inc. – Cosmic Eats, Inc. is developing a small footprint, high yield vertically integrated feeding system for military, humanitarian, and space applications with a built-in food processing subunit and user interface to guide production of plants, algae, and fungi to meet targeted nutrition goals. DNAIi – DNAli is driving DNA-based solutions for a rapidly growing bioeconomy. Its first technology pioneers an enzymatic method that produces both existing and first-in-class chemically modified DNAs for diverse applications including the manufacturing of biosensors and diagnostic tests and epigenetics research. Jigsawdio - Jigsawdio is an evidence based multi-sensory engagement device for the Alzheimer’s population. Users play their collection of physical personalized jigsaw puzzles on a displayable frame. Sound pieces play recordings or songs that accompany and narrate the image associated with that piece. Nutribe – Nutribe builds AI Social Workers for healthcare organizations, schools, government entities, and community organizations.  Three Strands Recovery Wear – Three Strands Recovery Wear is dedicated to enhancing the healing journey of post-surgical patients through their revolutionary product, the Resilience Bra, and additional loungewear garments. Its mission is to positively impact every patient's recovery, offering exceptional comfort and support through its recovery garments and community platform.  Tromml – Tromml is an insights solution that allows eCommerce sellers to improve profitability by generating actionable insights from their own data streams.  The full panel of judges for the BLC includes Dr. Dawn Batts, Director of Growth Capital, Tech Town; Timothy J. Cartwright, Founder and CEO, Fifth Avenue Family Office; Chairman and Founder, Tamiami Angel Funds, LLC; General Partner, Adrenaline Venture Fund; Dr. Silvia Mah, General Partner, Stella Impact Capital; Sumedha Mongia, MD, Physician, Founder, Angel Investor, Healthcare Leader; Rick Timmins, Angel Investor/Venture Capital; Former Chairman, Central Texas Angel Network; Autumn Visser, Principal, Woods Rogers Vandeventer Black PLC. Click herefor an in-depth introduction to this year's BLC judges. The BLC is part of an all-day event that kicks off with the Ann and Bill Payne Angel Capital Association's (ACA) Angel University at 7:30am and culminates with the pitch competition that starts at 2:00pm. ACA Angel University will offer two courses that provide powerful insights and actionable strategies to make angel investments and startups more successful. The workshops, Due Diligence and Exit Strategies, will be taught by leading experts in angel investing and allows angels and entrepreneurs to network and learn together. Learn more about the ACA Angel University here. The Big Launch Challenge, a competition targeting the best startups in the country, is a unique opportunity to see 10 leading early stage companies compete for $15,000 in prize money from The Launch Place. Over the past ten (10) years of hosting this competition, The Launch Place has awarded $189,000 to 19 companies. The Launch Place strives to foster an environment for new and serial entrepreneurs to raise capital and have access to support services such as mentoring and business consulting to take their products and/or solutions into the marketplace. The Challenge is free to attend, but registration is required. Register now!     https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/229 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/229 Fri, 08 Sep 2023 00:00:00 EST Friday, 08 September 2023 00:00:00 EST The Big Launch Challenge Pitch Competition - October 5, 2023 The Big Launch Challenge is a Business Pitch Competition where finalists pitch their early stage startup idea to a panel of judges and a live audience.  The top competitors will be awarded $15,000 in prize money. There is no charge to attend The Big Launch Challenge and it is open to the public. However, advance registration is required. This is an excellent opportunity for anyone interested in investing or entrepreneurship to learn about startup development resources, network with a wide range of business professionals and to explore entrepreneurship as a career option. The Big Launch Challenge is a live event that will be held at the North Carolina Biotechnology Center in Durham, North Carolina (15 TW Alexander Drive). The Big Launch Challenge Judges Dr. Dawn Batts, Director of Growth Capital, Tech Town Timothy J. Cartwright, Founder and CEO, Fifth Avenue Family Office; Chairman and Founder, Tamiami Angel Funds, LLC; General Partner, Adrenaline Venture Fund  Dr. Silvia Mah, General Partner, Stella Impact Capital Sumedha Mongia, MD, Physician, Founder, Angel Investor, Healthcare Leader Rick Timmins, Angel Investor/Venture Capital; Former Chairman, Central Texas Angel Network Autumn Visser, Principal, Woods Rogers Vandeventer Black PLC  Learn more about The Big Launch Challenge Judges   Keynote Speaker Ron Weissman Chair, Board of Directors, Angel Capital Association and Chair, Software Industry Group at Band of Angels Dr. Ronald Weissman is Chairman of the Software Group for Silicon Valley’s oldest angel group, the Band of Angels and is Chair of the Angel Capital Association, North American’s association of professional angel investors, where he also chairs the ACA’s education programs. He has been a VC and Angel investor for more than twenty-two years. He was a partner for seventeen years at global Private Equity and Venture Capital firm, Apax Global, focusing on US and cross-border technology investing and has been a member of the Band of Angels for the past 16 years. He is also an advisor to Neva, the venture fund of Intesa Sanpaolo, Italy’s largest bank and one of the top four banks in Europe.  He has invested in or advised 70+ companies and has served on 40+ Boards of Directors. He was on the executive team at Verity (enterprise search) when the company won the award for large cap turnaround of the year (1999) and at NeXT, directing European Marketing and US Marketing strategy, reporting to Steve Jobs.  He has lectured about venture and angel capital at the University of Santa Clara, Stanford, Berkeley, the American University of Armenia, and the Deggendorf Institute of Technology (Germany), where he has held the rank of Adjunct Professor. He is a frequent conference keynote speaker on angel and venture capital trends. He has promoted private capital-funded innovation ecosystems in New Zealand, Italy, Hong Kong, Armenia, Georgia, Germany, Israel, Ukraine, Chile, Australia, and the US White House. He was one of three US angels profiled in The American Angel (2017).   His investment focus is on analytics and artificial intelligence applied to business vertical markets and he has mentored hundreds of startups around the world. He is also the author of the Angel Capital Association’s courses on Boards of Directors and on Managing and Mitigating Startup Investment Risk. He was the 2022 recipient of Keiretsu Forum Northwest’s (one of America’s largest angel groups) Lifetime Achievement Award for his contributions to private capital investing best practices in the US and worldwide.  He is also the author of two books and many monographs on the Italian Renaissance and served on the faculties of the University of Maryland and Brown University.  He received his B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley in History and Quantitative Anthropology and was a US State Department Fulbright Scholar (Italy.)   He lives in California and splits his time between Menlo Park and San Francisco.     For additional information, contact Eva Doss at edoss@thelaunchplace.org or Varun Sadana at vsadana@thelaunchplace.org.         A Special Thanks to Our Sponsors:   https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/233 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/233 Fri, 21 Apr 2023 00:00:00 EST Friday, 21 April 2023 00:00:00 EST The Launch Place received 79 applications for its 8th IdeaFest Pitch Competition from various start-up companies located in the US and abroad. The top competitors took the stage to present their innovative business ideas at 2 Witches Winery and Brewing Company in Danville, VA today.  The competition kicked off at 1:00pm, with a keynote from Patrick Gouhin, CAE, CEO of Angel Capital Association. Mr. Gouhin is presently serving in his fourth year as the CEO of the Angel Capital Association. ACA is a professional society for accredited angel investors, North America's most prolific early-stage investment class. ACA represents 15,000+ member accredited angel investors, 250 angel groups, accredited platforms and family offices and more than 30,000 entrepreneurial companies that are in ACA member investment portfolios. Before joining ACA, Mr. Gouhin spent 12 years as the Executive Director and CEO of the International Society of Automation (ISA) and then 15 years with the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA). During his tenure at ISA he provided leadership toward the creation of many new initiatives and companies. At AIAA, Mr. Gouhin served as the Chief Operating Officer whereby his leadership contributions resulted in significant revenue growth and the successful management of 300+ project teams through development and delivery of multiple products and services.    The winner of this year’s competition was Tromml, who was awarded a $5,000 cash prize. Tromml helps eCommerce resellers, specifically in the automotive aftermarket industry, optimize profitability through “real-cost” monitoring that points eCommerce managers to timely actionable insights. When using Tromml, resellers get order-line profitability assessments to quickly identify pricing errors, poor shipping estimates, and even the status of distributor return credits. When it is time to grow, Tromml will provide resellers strategic insights on their contribution margin while allowing them to see what items, suppliers, and channels are driving revenue.  Second place and a $3,000 cash award went to Nanode Battery Technologies, Inc. Nanode Battery Technologies has developed a streamlined manufacturing process for battery anodes in a single step. Biosensys took home third place with a $2,000 cash prize. BioSensys’ mission is to bring medical technologies to realization to improve patient care in the area of vital sign monitoring.  The Launch Place, located in the River District of Danville, assists with business formation, job creation and retention through its business consulting services and investment funding, while having a dual responsibility to recruit and retain entrepreneurs to the Dan River Region. The IdeaFest competition exposes The Launch Place’s services and funds to start-up companies that are ready to launch, or are seeking early stage capital. The Launch Place could potentially invest in the company from its Seed and Pre-Seed Funds that were established from a grant awarded by the Danville Region Foundation.  IdeaFest Judges and Master of Ceremonies: Judge: Jan L. Davis, Retired CEO, ShopperTrak RCT Corporation; Investor and Vice-Chair, Triangle Angel Partners; Board Vice-Chair, The Launch Place Judge: Pat Gouhin, CAE, Angel Capital Association CEO Judge: Mark Granville, Screening Chair, RTP Capital; Board Vice-Chair, The Launch Place Seed Fund Judge: Robbie Hardy, Founder and Chair of xElle Ventures; Board Member, The Launch Place Seed Fund Judge: Marty Kaszubowski, Technology Mentor, Innovation Commercialization Assistance Program (ICAP), Virginia Small Business Development Center Network, George Mason University Master of Ceremonies: Mark Friedman, The Launch Place Seed Fund Portfolio Manager; President and Co-founder of RTP Capital Associates; CEO of Lakeview Business Advisory   IdeaFest 2023 Finalists  Elysia Creative Biology - uses biotechnology to make agriculture on real farms sustainable. Salem - an AI cyber analyst that investigates every alert, learns critical business context, and escalates relevant threats to a firm’s team. BioSensys - is bringing medical technologies to realization to improve patient care in the area of vital sign monitoring. Verenovo Energy - an AgTech company looking to capture organic waste to produce clean, sustainable energy and eco-friendly agricultural products. Gemini III Technologies - government agencies "test drive" state-of-the-art technology, with pre-certified interoperability, resulting in faster deployment, less cost, and reduced risk. Lithium Technologies, Inc. - is a company created to produce lithium hydroxide for battery production that facilitates electrification of our vehicles and energy storage. ELDR End of Life Design - is an all-in-one platform/marketplace mobilizing the growing end of life planning profession to simplify, organize, and lead an overdue culture change. Truth or Err - building a bridge to connect education, blockchain, web3 and incentive-based learning to greatly impact the world. XStar Research LLC - provides software for design optimization and engineering simulation. VENT - Verbally Erase Negative Thoughts, is a company that wants to bring more positivity to this negative world by giving people an outlet to voice their feelings. Turnip - is a NIL Marketplace that enables ALL college students to make money while messaging friends. Trova Commercial Vehicles, Inc. - provides zero emissions solutions to meet sustainable transport providers needs with asset recovery at lower costs, more payload, and shorter lead-times than a brand new vehicle. Leantime - is the project management system for the non-project manager. ExstoBio - is a comprehensive cannabinoid healthcare platform that is setting the standard of patient care through a science-based, data-driven approach. Tromml - is a profit optimization tool for eCommerce sellers. Nanode Battery Technologies Inc. - has developed a streamlined manufacturing process for battery anodes in a single step. Sprocketz - is an AI mobile application company for manufacturing sites to help with equipment breakdowns elimination and solutions prediction. NursesBnB - is solving the problems faced by traveling medical professionals. Carbon Roof - will utilize bioengineered algae and partnerships with organizations with large geographical footprints across the U.S. to disrupt the Direct Air Capture carbon market.     A Special Thanks to Our Sponsors:   https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/226 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/226 Tue, 18 Apr 2023 00:00:00 EST Tuesday, 18 April 2023 00:00:00 EST IdeaFest Business Pitch Competition - April 20, 2023 IdeaFest is a Business Pitch Competition where finalists will pitch their startup idea to a panel of judges and a live audience.  The top three competitors will be awarded $5,000 for first place, $3,000 for second place and $2,000 for third place. IdeaFest is free and open to the public. Attendees are encouraged to attend any part of the day’s activities. Community members of all ages and professions are invited to attend to learn about the region's startup development resources, to network with a wide range of business professionals and to explore entrepreneurship as a career option. IdeaFest is a live event that will be held at 2 Witches Winery & Brewing Co. located at 209 Trade St, Danville, VA. Register to attend.   Meet the IdeaFest Finalists Elysia Creative Biology - Eli Hornstein Salem - Trevor Gingras BioSensys- Jocelyne Akamaliza and Robin Jacob Verenovo Energy - Hayden Miller Gemini III Technologies - John Marshall Lithium Technologies, Inc. - Brian Keenum ELDR End of Life Design - Christy Lee Knutson Truth Or Err - Keenan Headen XStar Research LLC - Rick Fenrich VENT - Takita Walker and Shakeva Frazier Turnip - Dwight Brake Trova Commercial Vehicles, Inc. - Chad Lee Burchett Leantime - Gloria Folaron ExstoBio - Juan Carlos Pacheco CareYaya Health Technologies Inc. - Neal K. Shah Tromml - Lauren McCullough Nanode Battery Technologies Inc. - Brian Worfolk Sprocketz - Noon Farsab NursesBnB - Keisha Manning IdeaFest Judges Jan L. Davis, Retired CEO, ShopperTrak RCT Corporation; Investor and Vice Chair, Triangle Angel Partners; Board Vice-Chair, The Launch Place Pat Gouhin, CAE, Angel Capital Association, CEO Mark Granville, Screening Chair, RTP Capital; Board Vice-Chair, The Launch Place Seed Fund Robbie Hardy, Founder and Chair of xElle Ventures; Board Member, The Launch Place Seed Fund Marty Kaszubowski, Technology Mentor, Innovation Commercialization Assistance Program (ICAP), Virginia Small Business Development Center Network, George Mason University Learn More about the IdeaFest Judges   Keynote Speaker Patrick Gouhin, CAE CEO, Angel Capital Association Patrick Gouhin is presently serving in his fourth year as the CEO of the Angel Capital Association. ACA is a professional society for accredited angel investors, North America's most prolific early-stage investment class. ACA represents 15,000+ member accredited angel investors, 250 angel groups, accredited platforms and family offices and more than 30,000 entrepreneurial companies that are in ACA member investment portfolios. Before joining ACA, Mr. Gouhin spent 12 years as the Executive Director and CEO of the International Society of Automation (ISA) and then 15 years with the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA). During his tenure at ISA he provided leadership toward the creation of many new initiatives and companies. At AIAA, Mr. Gouhin served as the Chief Operating Officer whereby his leadership contributions resulted in significant revenue growth and the successful management of 300+ project teams through development and delivery of multiple products and services. Mr. Gouhin also served as the first Vice President of Operations and Technology Transfer for the National Institute of Aerospace (NIA) at Langley Research Center. This was a start-up resulting from $69 million government contract award to build a world-class research and education institute. Mr. Gouhin has experience in corporate divestitures and acquisitions, business construction and relocation, strategic standardization management, business planning, project management, process mapping and reengineering, and serving as a company wide change agent. He has served on the board of directors of multiple non-profits including the Council of Engineering and Scientific Society Executives (CESSE) where he is a past president. He has a bachelor of science in aeronautical and astronautical engineering from The Ohio State University and a master’s in engineering management from George Washington University. He has also completed the executive development program at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School and the advanced management college of Stanford University. Mr. Gouhin is a Certified Association Executive or CAE. For additional information, contact Varun Sadana at vsadana@thelaunchplace.org.         A Special Thanks to Our Sponsors:   https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/225 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/225 Thu, 13 Apr 2023 00:00:00 EST Thursday, 13 April 2023 00:00:00 EST One of our Seed Fund Advisory Board members is doing big things and The Launch Place is thrilled to share her good news! Robbie Hardy, Entrepreneur, Founder of xElle Ventures, business coach, mentor, and published author of Upsetting the Table, will release her second book, Fed Up to Start Up on Tuesday, June 13th, at First Flight Venture Center (FFVC) in Durham, NC. Mark your calendars for June 13th and stay tuned for more exciting details! https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/224 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/224 Tue, 11 Apr 2023 00:00:00 EST Tuesday, 11 April 2023 00:00:00 EST The Launch Place (TLP) today announces its third exit since making its first-ever investment in January 2014. This comes after its longtime portfolio company, Roobrik, raised a substantial $3 million Series A investment from growth equity firm Jurassic Capital in October 2022. The funding opens a new chapter for Roobrik’s growth and marks a strong return on investment for TLP—the startup’s first institutional backer.  Based in Durham, North Carolina, Roobrik markets an online assessment and decision-science platform that engages adults and caregivers as they browse senior living or aging service providers’ websites. While educating visitors on their options, Roobrik simultaneously helps its partners tap into a “hidden audience” of consumers at key moments in the shopping experience.  Roobrik caught TLP’s eye soon after its founding in 2013 by entrepreneur Nate O’Keefe, who successfully exited his medical app startup three years earlier. TLP President and CEO Eva Doss recalls, “I was first attracted to Roobrik based on the rapidly growing senior care industry and their novel test developed to help family members make senior care decisions for their aging parents.”  Doss was impressed with O’Keefe’s experience and passion for developing innovative tools to meet the high demand for data insights in the senior care market, and after TLP’s deep-dive due diligence process, TLP Pre-Seed Fund I invested $75,000 in October 2015 to help Roobrik commercialize its software.  Photo from 2015 Press Conference The synergistic timing of the investment served both parties, as TLP wanted to support promising companies and build its portfolio, and Roobrik sought critical funding for pilot testing with senior care providers. Less than a year later, the company had expanded to meet TLP’s higher-level Seed Fund criteria, with the firm investing another $200,000 in May 2016. TLP later participated in Roobrik’s $1.4 million capital raise in September 2018, months after launching its second Pre-Seed Fund and Seed Fund to further support budding startups like Roobrik.  “The Launch Place’s early support for Roobrik was critical,” O’Keefe states. “Eva and her team provided our first institutional funding and participated in each subsequent round through our early phases of growth.”  In addition to the investment funds, TLP also provided business consulting services and office space to the startup. Roobrik’s recent success is a testament to TLP’s mission of equipping founders with the much-needed cash and consulting for product development, pilot testing, prototyping and other vital steps in the pre-seed to seed to early-stage journey of startup scaling. TLP’s portfolio companies have raised over $85 million in capital and landed $4.9 million in grants, with 63 patents granted or pending. TLP also provides business consulting services, serving 175 companies to date.  O’Keefe added, “We are grateful for their partnership—they continue to fill a critical gap in our region for early-stage capital.”  Today, Roobrik’s patent-pending Insight Solutions product continues to be in high demand, currently serving 140 leading providers, 1,400 community partners and 10,000 families every month. Meanwhile, TLP continues to expand its portfolio, now totaling 25 startups. More than 1,100 companies have applied to its Seed and Pre-Seed funds.  About The Launch Place The Launch Place (TLP) provides capital, mentorship and support services for promising startups, focusing on SaaS, IoT, and medical, health and green technologies. The organization is based in Danville, Virginia, and has a second office in North Carolina’s Research Triangle Park. Its initial investment typically ranges from $200,000 to $250,000, with potential follow-on investments reaching $750,000. It has raised $23 million to fuel its investment funds and entrepreneurial ecosystem-building efforts in the Danville River region. TLP’s original and biggest funder to date is the Danville Regional Foundation.  About Roobrik Roobrik is a technology company founded in Durham, North Carolina, in 2013 to give more and better days to families while also helping the organizations that care for them grow. The patent-pending Roobrik Insight Solutions platform provides unbiased support to older adults and families navigating age-related care and lifestyle decisions, enabling them to connect with aging service providers when they are ready. Roobrik currently serves more than 1,400 senior living communities and over 10,000 consumers each month.  ### https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/223 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/223 Wed, 29 Mar 2023 09:00:00 EST Wednesday, 29 March 2023 09:00:00 EST 8th IdeaFest Business Pitch Competition - April 20, 2023       IdeaFest is a Business Pitch Competition where 20 finalists will pitch their startup idea to a panel of judges and a live audience.  The top three competitors will be awarded $5,000 for first place, $3,000 for second place and $2,000 for third place. Winners of the competition will also be eligible to receive twenty-five hours of free business consulting from The Launch Place. The Launch Place, assists with business formation, job creation and retention through its business consulting services and investment funding, while having a dual responsibility to recruit and retain entrepreneurs to the Dan River Region. The IdeaFest competition exposes The Launch Place’s services and funds to start-up companies that are ready to establish or seeking early stage capital. The Launch Place could potentially invest in the company from its Seed and Pre-Seed Funds. Awards 1st Place $5,000 2nd Place $3,000 3rd Place $2,000 IdeaFest is free and open to the public. Attendees are encouraged to attend any part of the day’s activities. Community members of all ages and professions are invited to attend to learn about the region's startup development resources, to network with a wide range of business professionals and to explore entrepreneurship as a career option.   Applications Open - February 13, 2023  | Deadline Extended - April 3     IdeaFest is a live event that will be held at 2 Witches Winery & Brewing Co. located at 209 Trade St, Danville, VA. Register to attend.   For additional information, contact Varun Sadana at vsadana@thelaunchplace.org.         A Special Thanks to Our Sponsors:   https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/222 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/222 Wed, 08 Mar 2023 00:00:00 EST Wednesday, 08 March 2023 00:00:00 EST Whether you have a great idea to launch into action or you already have an existing business, SpeedNet is your opportunity to ask three burning questions about business ownership and learn best practices from seasoned entrepreneurs in the Dan River Region. This supercharged, high-speed format gives you five minutes of one-on-one access to business leaders from various industries who have taken their venture to the next level. From sales and marketing, to making the leap from a side hustle to full time, our panel has you covered. Brainstorm your three questions and reserve your seat now! This event has limited spaces, but is open to the community and free of charge. Check back for the release of our panelists! Register today and secure your spot! https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/221 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/221 Mon, 13 Feb 2023 00:00:00 EST Monday, 13 February 2023 00:00:00 EST 8th IdeaFest Business Pitch Competition - April 20, 2023     IdeaFest is a Business Pitch Competition where 20 finalists will pitch their startup idea to a panel of judges and a live audience.  The top three competitors will be awarded $5,000 for first place, $3,000 for second place and $2,000 for third place. Winners of the competition will also be eligible to receive twenty-five hours of free business consulting from The Launch Place. The Launch Place, assists with business formation, job creation and retention through its business consulting services and investment funding, while having a dual responsibility to recruit and retain entrepreneurs to the Dan River Region. The IdeaFest competition exposes The Launch Place’s services and funds to start-up companies that are ready to establish or seeking early stage capital. The Launch Place could potentially invest in the company from its Seed and Pre-Seed Funds. Awards 1st Place $5,000 2nd Place $3,000 3rd Place $2,000 IdeaFest is free and open to the public. Attendees are encouraged to attend any part of the day’s activities. Community members of all ages and professions are invited to attend to learn about the region's startup development resources, to network with a wide range of business professionals and to explore entrepreneurship as a career option.   Applications Open - February 13, 2023  | Deadline to Apply - March 31     Registration coming soon.   For additional information, contact Varun Sadana at vsadana@thelaunchplace.org.         A Special Thanks to Our Sponsors:   https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/220 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/220 Mon, 09 Jan 2023 00:00:00 EST Monday, 09 January 2023 00:00:00 EST Cardinal News by Grace Mamon January 9, 2023 The Launch Place has invested in over 20 tech startups in the Dan River Region since it formed in 2005. The evolution of the Danville-based organization has taken it from a small business consulting service to a leading angel investor in this part of the country.  Under its initial name, the Southside Business Technology Center, the organization worked to provide consulting services to local small- and medium-sized businesses at affordable rates.  But after a few years, SBTC started seeing more requests from startups and less from established companies, said Eva Doss, executive director of the Launch Place, who has been with the organization since its conception.  “Individuals were coming to us with a great idea and wanted some help writing their business plan or formulating their go-to-market strategy,” Doss said.  SBTC helped these aspiring startups with their consulting needs, but couldn’t help with funding, she said.  “As a startup, you can’t go to the bank and get a bank loan, and there were no investment sources around here,” Doss said.  So the organization decided to create an angel investor network of private individuals in the region to aid these startups. An angel investor is someone who invests in a business start-up early on, when other investors are typically unwilling to back them, usually in exchange for convertible debt or ownership equity.  But the economic collapse in 2008 delayed these plans, and it wasn’t until 2011 that SBTC revisited the idea of forming startup programming and investment services.  The organization rebranded as the Launch Place after partnering with the Danville Regional Foundation to develop a five-year strategic plan.  “We looked all around the country and internationally at other organizations or regions that have done this to see what we can borrow and what we can learn,” Doss said. “Of course, the task for us was a little different, because we are not Austin, Texas, or New York.” The Launch Place was inspired by organizations in other regions, but kept in mind that Dan River is a smaller market with unique needs, Doss said.  The Danville Regional Foundation awarded the Launch Place a $10 million grant to execute this plan.  “The intent of that money was twofold,” Doss said. “To expand our operations and provide coaching, mentoring, wraparound services to startups, but also to provide office space to them if they choose to co-locate with us. But most importantly, we created our first investment fund.” This fund, Seed Fund I, allowed the Launch Place to begin investing in tech startups from Virginia and North Carolina, with the intent to attract tech companies to the region.  At the end of its first five years, the Launch Place had 14 companies in its portfolio. Since then, the Launch Place has received an additional $11 million in funding from the Danville Regional Foundation to create more venture capital funds, and now has around 25 companies in its portfolio.  Almost 70% of the companies in the Launch Place’s portfolio are based in North Carolina, with the other 30% in Virginia, though some have locations in both states, like The Launch Place itself, which has a branch office in the Research Triangle Park.  One of these companies is VitalPlan, a holistic health company that creates and sells custom herbal blends, and also provides education and support for customers’ wellness goals.  VitalPlan was founded in 2008 by Dr. Bill Rawls, an obstetrician, and his daughter Braden Rawls, after he began experiencing mysterious symptoms and debilitating pain in his 40s and the conventional medical system failed to determine why.  “He had debilitating chronic Lyme disease, and he turned to herbal therapy and alternative therapies, which really changed his personal life and his practice and allowed him to look at illness and prevention from a different perspective,” Braden Rawls said. VitalPlan was created out of this experience, and the family’s newfound knowledge about health restoration “and how it’s different from drug therapy for treating symptoms,” Rawls said.   The Launch Place invested in VitalPlan in 2018, providing financial support and some networking opportunities for VitalPlan’s fulfillment center in the Danville River District.  Rawls said the Launch Place has VitalPlan’s best interest in mind, especially when it comes to long-term success.  “It’s nice to have a partner that we know has those kinds of pockets, that isn’t just a one-time investment, but they’ve got the funds to be a longtime partner,” Rawls said.  VitalPlan is a B Corporation, meaning that it’s required to meet high standards of performance, accountability and transparency. The company participates in community service in Danville, though its homebase is in the Research Triangle Park in North Carolina.  Though the rebrand led the Launch Place to focus primarily on investing in tech startups, the organization still offers consulting services for small businesses outside of the tech space.  One such business is 2 Witches, a winery and brewing company in Danville. Julie Brown, 2 Witches president, said the Launch Place helped with the brewery’s original business plan back in 2013 and again more recently with a plan for growth.  “Having someone that was knowledgeable and had a solid reputation in the community was extremely helpful in the initial business plan, and they also did some market research for us,” Brown said. “Then we went back to them to update that business plan because they were familiar with our business model.” The Launch Place’s business acumen, relationship with investors and familiarity with the region attracted 2 Witches, Brown said.  Investing in startups is a risky business, Doss said, but it can be very rewarding, too.  “It’s very, very unpredictable with startups,” she said. “Nine out of 10 go out of business in the first two years of operation.” But many of the companies in The Launch Place’s portfolio are doing well, including Vital Plan, Doss said.  The Launch Place has been recognized by the Angel Capital Association, a professional society of accredited angel investors, for its success, said Greg Feldmann, the Roanoke-based chairman of The Launch Place’s board of directors.  ACA found that The Launch Place was one one of the top three most active angel investor organizations in the Southeast United States, which speaks to the amazing evolution of the organization, he said.  “We’ve come from a very humble beginning, not really being on the map in the investor world,” Feldmann said. “In a 10-year period, to come from ground zero to a point where you’re recognized as one of the three leading syndicators in this early state in the Southeast is pretty extraordinary.” What The Launch Place has done can serve as a model for other localities, he said. But a key factor in The Launch Place’s success was “the incredible foresight of the Danville Regional Foundation to springboard all of this,” Feldmann said.  Still, it will take time to see the long-term impacts of the Launch Place’s work, he said, especially because areas in rural Virginia have not traditionally been leaders in the tech space.  And it’s not only about access to funding, but access to talent, which means that collaboration with localities is crucial in this endeavor. The Dan River Region has been very supportive of the Launch Place’s work, Feldmann said, which bodes well for the future of the area.  “I love Virginia as a place and believe that a lot of parts of Virginia are fighting below their fighting weight” in reaching their respective potential in entrepreneurial development, Feldmann said. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/219 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/219 Mon, 12 Dec 2022 00:00:00 EST Monday, 12 December 2022 00:00:00 EST The Launch Place (TLP) is pleased to announce its $250,000 investment in Revibe Technologies, a North Carolina-based startup developing digital therapy software for wearables to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism. After bringing its flagship artificial intelligence-driven smartwatch and wristband to the adolescent market, the company is iterating on its success with FokusRx—a nonpharmacologic software-as-a-medical device (SaMD) approach to treating attention and focus deficits. The financing will support additional clinical research and development activities for the company’s upcoming, next-generation device, FokusRx. “The company plans to embark on its next phase of research with a clinical program initially targeting pediatric focus and attention as well as autism spectrum disorder and will eventually move into areas of adolescent and adult focus and attention as well,” said Revibe Chief Executive Officer Joseph Koziak.   Revibe has helped tens of thousands of children across the U.S. with its last two consumer products, Revibe Classic and Revibe Connect. The company strives to reach many more once FokusRx is brought to market, building on the design and form factor of its existing SaMD solutions while adding new advancements in sensor technology. Eva Doss, The Launch Place President and CEO, said her team chose Revibe because they saw high market demand for its products and believed in the technology’s potential. “Revibe’s wristband enables children and adults to get additional opportunities in education and work by fusing psychology with technology,” Doss said. “Studies show that Revibe Connect can improve focus for children by 19.8% or more—without the use of prescription medications, which is a tremendous help and a gamechanger in the industry.” The new investment comes from The Launch Place’s Seed Fund II, which targets promising early-stage startups seeking venture capital and angel investors. The fund invested its first $250,000 in Revibe in 2020. Five years earlier, The Launch Place became the company’s first institutional investor, investing $40,000 via its Pre-Seed Fund in 2015. Through the years, TLP provided funding, advice and connections that helped lend credibility to Revibe as new opportunities arose. Revibe began in 2013 when founder Rich Brancaccio, then a school psychologist, wanted to help his students who struggled with focus and started exploring solutions at the intersection of behavioral science and personal technology. That same mission stands today, as FokusRx prototypes are currently operational and in the process of being refined and optimized. Revibe is also wrapping up supporting software to bolster FokusRx, working with families and physicians to glean input throughout the development process. “We were very impressed with Rich’s deep, first-hand knowledge of the issues children with ADHD are facing every day in school and his unwavering dedication and commitment to finding a tech-based solution that can help,” Doss added.   About Revibe Technologies Wake Forest, North Carolina-based Revibe Technologies develops digital therapeutics that combine psychology and wearable technology to manage the attention and focus deficits associated with ADHD and autism. One of the company’s debut products is Revibe Connect, a machine learning-enabled smartwatch that helps students stay focused through vibration signals. After several studies backed the technology’s viability, the startup is using its experience to inform a new solution: FokusRx, an AI-powered wearable device paired with software offering personalized treatment, data analysis and other capabilities. ### https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/218 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/218 Thu, 01 Dec 2022 00:00:00 EST Thursday, 01 December 2022 00:00:00 EST Today, The Launch Place announces its $250,000 investment in CytoRecovery, an early-stage company with an innovative system enabling the sorting, enrichment and recovery of live cell samples. From the coffers of TLP’s Seed Fund II, the funding will help CytoRecovery commercialize its flagship cell sorting platform for medical research.  CytoRecovery will use the proceeds to bring its Cyto R1 platform to the market, including inventory production and market promotion. This expands on its recent inaugural sale to researchers at the University of California at Irvine. The products are manufactured at its headquarters in the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center in Blacksburg, and the electronic components are produced through its key vendor, Roanoke-based Keltech.  “After five years of development, we are excited to bring our Cyto R1 product system to market with new funding from The Launch Place,” said Stephen Turner, CytoRecovery’s CEO. “Having just installed our first system at a major California-based stem cell research center, we have a growing pipeline of prospective customers.”  This investment builds on the pair’s existing relationship, which started in 2018 when CytoRecovery was the first to receive a $75,000 investment from TLP’s Pre-Seed Fund II. TLP guided the startup’s development and provided introductions to other funding sources and potential customers, partnering with entities in the Southern Virginia region to help build the infrastructure that bolsters its portfolio and prospective companies alike.  Eva Doss, president and CEO of The Launch Place, said her team chose CytoRecovery because they believed in the promise of the technology itself and Turner’s experience as an entrepreneur who founded several life science companies. “CytoRecovery’s platform has many advantages over existing methods of cell separation, including separating cells in rapid time,” Doss added. “The technology also enables new possibilities in cell research by having broad applications in the fields of oncology, regenerative medicine, hyper-personalized medicine, and pharmaceutical research and development.” Cell sorting is a broad-based technique used in over 10,000 laboratories worldwide. CytoRecovery’s system is unique for using disposable microfluidic microchips to allow rapid recovery, sorting and analysis of live cell populations from tissue and all other forms of biological samples.  CytoRecovery was a natural draw for Seed Fund II, which eyes opportunities to serve as a critical catalyst to a specific milestone achievement, whether it’s follow-on funding, early customers or other significant breakthroughs. The company fits this mold, attracting TLP as an early investor and now securing more capital to enter its next growth stage.  The company began in 2017 in the laboratory of Dr. Rafael Davalos, a biomedical engineering professor at Virginia Tech. Frustrated by existing methods’ inability to recover a rare type of cancer cell believed to cause tumor regeneration, Davalos and his team created new technology that rapidly separates and recovers live cells. The lab then published the successful recovery of cancer stem cells using its proprietary platform, and CytoRecovery launched to commercialize this solution. Davalos’s work was financially sponsored by prominent Virginia Tech alumnus Leo Harris, who founded CytoRecovery and asked Turner to help build it alongside VP and Chief Science Officer Dr. Alex Hyler, who runs the day-to-day operations. About The Launch Place The Launch Place (TLP) provides seed and early-stage capital, mentorship and support services for promising startups, with a particular focus on SaaS, IoT, and medical, health and green technologies. The firm is based in Danville, Virginia, with a second office in North Carolina’s Research Triangle Park. Its initial investment typically ranges from $200,000 to $250,000, with potential follow-on investments reaching up to $750,000. TLP has raised funds to fuel its investment funds and entrepreneurial ecosystem-building efforts in the Dan River region. TLP’s original and biggest funder to date is the Danville Regional Foundation.  About CytoRecovery Blacksburg, Virginia-based CytoRecovery is a leader in next-generation live cell sorting and recovery solutions. The company’s Cyto R1 product improves the speed and precision of the sorting, enrichment and recovery of live cells from tissue and other biological samples. Its technology can quickly isolate, enrich and recover rare, distinct cell populations, enabling their downstream analysis and therapeutic response.    ### https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/217 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/217 Tue, 22 Nov 2022 00:00:00 EST Tuesday, 22 November 2022 00:00:00 EST Valleys Innovation Council, an affiliate of Verge, in partnership with The Launch Place, the Appalachian Council for Innovation and Blue Ridge PBS are coming together to expand the PitchPlus program to company founders seeking education, technical assistance and mentoring with respect to financing the growth of their high growth potential startup companies.  A “Capital Connection” in-person event is planned at The Launch Place’s Danville office at 527 Bridge Street where founders can get connected with angel and venture capital investors and banks. Agenda - December 6 4:30p - 6:00p  Explore Funding Channels for Startups: Panelists include: Greg Feldmann on behalf of Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation, Amber Farley, Truist Bank, and Eva Doss, The Launch Place 6:00p - 7:00p  Capital Connection Networking Mixer Register to Attend Panelists  Greg Feldmann - Greg Feldmann, President of Skyline Capital Strategies, LLC, has been retained as the Senior Advisor to The Launch Place Seed and Pre-Seed Funds. Greg brings more than 30 years of experience serving in roles related to commercial banking, strategic advisory work, corporate financing, investment banking and executive/board leadership positions in both public and private companies. Greg is an acknowledged subject matter expert in strategic planning, executive and board leadership, and line of business management.  He is a strategic thinker with ability to translate plans into action.  During his career, Greg has served as President and CEO of three community banks including StellarOne Bank, First National Bank of Christiansburg, and Salem Bank & Trust. Greg received a B.A. in Classical Studies from Hampden-Sydney College, where he was a Baker Scholar and selected for inclusion in a variety of academic and leadership honorary fraternities including Phi Beta Kappa, ODK, Eta Sigma Phi, and Phi Alpha Theta.  He has undertaken advanced studies in commercial banking through the University of Virginia’s banking programs, successfully passed the Series 7, 24, 63 and 65 securities exams and completed the NVCA’s venture capital certificate program. In 1989 he was awarded a National Leadership Fellowship by the W. K. Kellogg Foundation, which he used to study privatization and the threats posed by development to the world’s rainforests. Amber Farley - Amber Farley is the Branch Leader and Assistant Vice President at Truist Bank in Danville, Virginia. She began her career with BB&T in 2013, and in the most recent two years has become the branch’s local small business specialist. Since becoming branch leader, she has guided her team and clients through one of the largest bank mergers in history all while becoming one of the top performing branches in the region. Truist’s mission is to inspire and build better lives and communities. Through this mission she is well equipped to guide her clients in building and growing their small businesses. Her goal is to continue to make a difference in her clients lives by providing sound advice on how they can best navigate the start and growth of their business. Eva Doss - Eva Doss is the President and CEO of The Launch Place (TLP), a venture development organization located in Danville, VA and in the Research Triangle Park, NC. The Launch Place invests in innovative start-ups with a potential to create economic impact in the Dan River Region from its pre-seed and seed investment funds. In addition to the investments, TLP provides business consulting, training, mentoring and office space to entrepreneurs. Eva has over 25 years of experience in business consulting, business development and pre-seed and seed investment fund establishment and management both in the United States and in Europe. Eva has worked with Booz Allen, RTI International, and the U.S. Agency for International Development in Washington, D.C. Eva has an MBA and BS in business administration, a post-graduate Executive Certificate in Management and Leadership from MIT Sloan School of Management. She is a member of the Angel Capital Association Board of Directors and serves on several other corporate boards in North Carolina and Virginia, and speaks several languages. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/216 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/216 Fri, 18 Nov 2022 00:00:00 EST Friday, 18 November 2022 00:00:00 EST Three Companies Awarded $20k at the Big Launch Challenge Pitch Competition The Launch Place received 92 applications for its 10th Annual Big Launch Challenge Pitch Competition from various start-up companies ranging form femtech to AI assisted gene therapy. The top 10 competitors took the stage and presented their innovative business ideas at the NC Biotechnology Center on Thursday, November 17.  The winner of this year’s competition,  FemTech Insights, who was awarded a $10,000 cash prize. FemHealth Insights is the world’s most comprehensive data source for the women's health innovation market, known as femtech. They empower business leaders, investors, and innovators to strategically navigate the women’s health industry by providing accurate, nuanced market research and customized consulting services. FemHealth Insights is the evolution of FemTech Focus into the leading research platform for the industry. As the field's leading experts with deep industry insights and global relationships, they license their proprietary databases, sell reports, and engage in customized market research projects with corporations and enterprises. The second place and a $5,000 cash award went to NTP Technologies. NTP Technologies is on a mission to reduce and eliminate synthetic nitrogen based fertilizers.  Their salt free, 100% organic nitrate fertilizer replaces the equivalent 4x synthetic fertilizer due to its purity and uptake values. Nitrates are produced onsite, using our nitrate generator, and on demand using air and renewable energy as inputs.  Additionally, The Launch Place partnered with xElle Ventures to bring an additional cash award to one of the Big Launch Challenge pitching companies. This award went to a female led company pitching at the competition. Pearlita Foods was awarded the xElle Ventures $5,000 cash award. Pearlita Foods is on a mission to meet the demand for the sea’s finest delicacies plant-based & cell-based technologies. They are innovating at the frontiers of our future food sources to harvest high-value proteins like oysters and other mollusks. xElle Ventures is a collective made up entirely of women. Their mission is to discover and fund the most promising women business leaders and mentor them as they create successful companies while building a thriving female founder-investor ecosystem.  Competition winners will also receive access to several resources provided by The Launch Place, including training, networking, and mentorship. The Launch Place, located in the River District of Danville, VA and at the First Flight Venture Center in the RTP, NC provides new and early-stage business support services and pre-seed and seed investments to start-up companies.  Over the past 10 years of hosting this competition, The Launch Place has awarded $174,000 to 16 companies. The Launch Place strives to foster an environment for new and serial entrepreneurs in which they can raise capital and have access to support services they need to take their products and/or solutions into the marketplace.  Each finalist was given eight minutes to present their business plans to a panel of judges followed by a question and answer block. Below are the 10 finalists who pitched in the competition.  DataQ, Inc.- DataQ helps automate data testing, which is predominantly manual, time-consuming and error-prone. Automation in data testing can decrease the go-to-market time by over 30%. DataQ provides an intuitive self-serve software solution for non-technical and technical users to automate data testing to overcome manual errors and time. Divergene - Divergene is building the future of AI-assisted cell/gene therapy and provides equal access to knowledge and capabilities by democratizing data-driven therapy. They are integrating multimodal data, unlocking the existing data silos, and leveraging deep learning to extract insights from big data to close the gap between cell/gene therapy development and patient treatments. ephemeris, Inc. - Mobile App and E-comm store bridging astrology, spirituality, and technology to encourage connection and self-discovery in the digital age. FemHealth Insights - FemHealth Insights is the world’s most comprehensive data source for the women's health innovation market, known as femtech. They empower business leaders, investors, and innovators to strategically navigate the women’s health industry by providing accurate and nuanced market research and insights. Frontline Gig - Frontline Gig is a SaaS-enabled marketplace that mobilizes gig teams to complete urgent green jobs. They help cities anticipate and respond faster to citizen complaints for litter, weeds, graffiti and nuisance flooding. Hot Route Analytics - Hot Route provides easy analytics for small college sports teams and boosts their wins by 15%. Their online platform, HomeTeam, allows users to explore their open database and use analytics tools they can actually understand to gain an edge against their next opponent. NTP Technologies - NTP uses non-thermal plasma to produce liquid nitrates (fertilizer) onsite and on demand for use in agriculture. Pearlita Foods - Pearlita Foods is the world's first alternative oyster (& mollusk) company using plant-based and cell-based technologies. Their mission is to secure the future of seafood and support clean oceans. STEMZ - Stemz is a tech & logistics company focused on cultivating connectivity between US-based flower farmers & floral creatives through intuitive ordering & convenient distribution. The MilkXchange - MilkXchange is a mobile app-based marketplace that allows parents and caregivers in need of breast milk to easily search a network of milk donors and sellers based on dietary and lifestyle preferences. MilkXchange also offers services that includes background checks and health screenings and provides curated content from experts in the parenting and feeding fields. The full panel of judges for the BLC include Krista Covey, MBA, President, First Flight Venture Center; Patrick Gouhin, CEO, Angel Capital Association; Shawna C. Lemon, J.D., Ph.D., Co-Founder xElle Ventures, Co-Founder, Stanek Lemon Crouse + Meeks, PA; Marco Rubin, Senior Investment Director, Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation; Board Chair, The Launch Place Seed Fund Advisory Board; and Autumn Visser, Principal, Woods Rogers Vandeventer Black.  A special thanks to RTP Capital, our in-kind contributor, NC IDEA for scholarship support of the 10 finalists to attend ACA University, xElle Ventures for the additional $5,000 in prize money designated to a female lead start-up, and our sponsors – Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation, AmEx, Woods Rogers Vandeventer Black, Early Growth, ExtensionHR and Smith Anderson. The BLC was part of an all-day event starting with the Angel Capital Association's (ACA) Angel University and ended with the pitch competition. The ACA Angel University offered two courses valuable to both angel investors and entrepreneurs—Term Sheet Basics and Valuation. It was a unique experience where these two courses were taught with angels and entrepreneurs learning together. Learn more about ACA at https://www.angelcapitalassociation.org. Photo L to R: Pearlita Foods - Nikita Michelsen, CEO & Founder; FemHealth Insights - Brittany Barreto, PhD., CEO, Founder and NTP Technologies - John Ireland, CEO https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/215 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/215 Mon, 14 Nov 2022 00:00:00 EST Monday, 14 November 2022 00:00:00 EST In this episode, we hear from Andrew Prince, Founder and CEO of LiRA Global. Andrew shares advice about founder persistence and the early grind at LiRA. He tells the story of how he leveraged outside resources, including pitch competitions, such as The Launch Place's Big Launch Challenge, to drive his early growth and professional network-building.         Photo from 2021 Pitch Competition: L to R (Micah Ulrich, Flux Hybrids and Nga Nguyen, LiRA) https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/214 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/214 Wed, 09 Nov 2022 00:00:00 EST Wednesday, 09 November 2022 00:00:00 EST Today, The Launch Place is pleased to announce the top 10 finalists who will be pitching their business plans on stage LIVE at the tenth annual Big Launch Challenge (BLC) to be held on November 17th at the NC Biotech Center in Durham, NC.  This year’s BLC will include an opportunity for these 10 companies to share their pitches with a panel of 5 judges representing multiple investor groups. These finalists will be given eight minutes to present their business plans to the judges followed by a question and answer block. Below are the 10 finalists.   DataQ, Inc.- DataQ helps automate data testing, which is predominantly manual, time-consuming and error-prone. Automation in data testing can decrease the go-to-market time by over 30%. DataQ provides an intuitive self-serve software solution for non-technical and technical users to automate data testing to overcome manual errors and time. Divergene - Divergene is building the future of AI-assisted cell/gene therapy and provides equal access to knowledge and capabilities by democratizing data-driven therapy. They are integrating multimodal data, unlocking the existing data silos, and leveraging deep learning to extract insights from big data to close the gap between cell/gene therapy development and patient treatments. ephemeris, Inc. - Mobile App and E-comm store bridging astrology, spirituality, and technology to encourage connection and self-discovery in the digital age. FemHealth Insights - FemHealth Insights is the world’s most comprehensive data source for the women's health innovation market, known as femtech. They empower business leaders, investors, and innovators to strategically navigate the women’s health industry by providing accurate and nuanced market research and insights. Frontline Gig - Frontline Gig is a SaaS-enabled marketplace that mobilizes gig teams to complete urgent green jobs. They help cities anticipate and respond faster to citizen complaints for litter, weeds, graffiti and nuisance flooding. Hot Route Analytics - Hot Route provides easy analytics for small college sports teams and boosts their wins by 15%. Their online platform, HomeTeam, allows users to explore their open database and use analytics tools they can actually understand to gain an edge against their next opponent. NTP Technologies - NTP uses non-thermal plasma to produce liquid nitrates (fertilizer) onsite and on demand for use in agriculture. Pearlita Foods - Pearlita Foods is the world's first alternative oyster (& mollusk) company using plant-based and cell-based technologies. Their mission is to secure the future of seafood and support clean oceans. STEMZ - Stemz is a tech & logistics company focused on cultivating connectivity between US-based flower farmers & floral creatives through intuitive ordering & convenient distribution. The MilkXchange - MilkXchange is a mobile app-based marketplace that allows parents and caregivers in need of breast milk to easily search a network of milk donors and sellers based on dietary and lifestyle preferences. MilkXchange also offers services that includes background checks and health screenings and provides curated content from experts in the parenting and feeding fields.    The full panel of judges for the BLC include Krista Covey, MBA, President, First Flight Venture Center; Patrick Gouhin, CEO, Angel Capital Association; Shawna C. Lemon, J.D., Ph.D., Co-Founder xElle Ventures, Co-Founder, Stanek Lemon Crouse + Meeks, PA; Marco Rubin, Senior Investment Director, Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation; Board Chair, The Launch Place Seed Fund Advisory Board; and Autumn Visser, Principal, Woods Rogers Vandeventer Black.  A special thanks to RTP Capital, our in-kind contributor, NC IDEA for scholarship support of the 10 finalists to attend ACA University, xElle Ventures for the additional $5,000 in prize money designated to a female lead start-up, and our sponsors – Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation, AmEx, Woods Rogers Vandeventer Black, Early Growth, ExtensionHR and Smith Anderson.  The BLC is part of an all-day event starting with the Angel Capital Association's (ACA) Angel University at 7:30am and ending with the pitch competition starting at 2:00pm at the NC Biotechnology Center (15 TW Alexander Dr., Durham, NC 27709).  ACA Angel University will offer two courses valuable to both angel investors and entrepreneurs—Term Sheet Basics and Valuation. This is a unique experience where these two courses are being taught with angels and entrepreneurs learning together. Learn more about the ACA Angel University at https://angelcapital.swoogo.com/aublc22.  The Big Launch Challenge, a competition targeting the best startups in the country, is a unique opportunity to see 10 leading startups as they compete for $15,000 in prize money from The Launch Place and $5,000 from xElle Ventures. Over the past 9 years of hosting this competition, The Launch Place has awarded $174,000 to 16 companies. The Launch Place strives to foster an environment for new and serial entrepreneurs in which they can raise capital and have access to support services they need to take their products and/or solutions into the marketplace.  The Challenge is free to attend, but registration is required. Registration can be found at www.thelaunchplace.org/big-launch-challenge.   https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/213 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/213 Wed, 12 Oct 2022 00:00:00 EST Wednesday, 12 October 2022 00:00:00 EST We're excited to announce the 2022 Judges for the 10th Big Launch Challenge Pitch Competition. On November 17, 2022 at the NC Biotech Center, 10 innovative companies from the Southeast will share their pitches with a panel of 5 judges representing multiple investor groups. Register & Learn More   Krista Covey, MBA President, First Flight Venture Center Krista’s passion is serving high-impact entrepreneurial ventures and helping them achieve success. She has been supporting the development and growth of early-stage companies through her work building and leading award-winning innovation hubs in Florida, Texas and North Carolina. She has an extensive background in banking and finance and has experience in business incubation and acceleration, strategic management, business development, marketing, economic development, economic gardening for high-growth science / tech companies, and public relations. As an entrepreneur at heart, she has also grown her own successful finance business with a profitable exit. Krista is a certified Business Incubator Manager with the International Business Innovation Association (InBIA) and currently serves as Chair of the InBIA Executive Board of Directors. She is part of the Startup Champions Network, driving long-term change by supporting innovation and entrepreneurship and working to reduce barriers for entrepreneurs, and has served on numerous community, startup and industry boards. Krista is a regular speaker on topics relating to business innovation, technology transfer, incubation, acceleration, mentoring programs, economic development, funding vehicles and other programs designed to transition ideas into profitable ventures that significantly impact our nation. Krista holds a B.S. in Business Marketing from Southeastern University and her Master’s in Business Administration from Saint Leo University. Patrick Gouhin CEO, Angel Capital Association Patrick Gouhin is presently serving in his fourth year as the CEO of the Angel Capital Association. ACA is a professional society for accredited angel investors, North America's most prolific early-stage investment class. ACA represents 15,000+ member accredited angel investors, 250 angel groups, accredited platforms and family offices and more than 30,000 entrepreneurial companies that are in ACA member investment portfolios. Before joining ACA, Mr. Gouhin spent 12 years as the Executive Director and CEO of the International Society of Automation (ISA) and then 15 years with the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA). During his tenure at ISA he provided leadership toward the creation of many new initiatives and companies. At AIAA, Mr. Gouhin served as the Chief Operating Officer whereby his leadership contributions resulted in significant revenue growth and the successful management of 300+ project teams through development and delivery of multiple products and services. Mr. Gouhin also served as the first Vice President of Operations and Technology Transfer for the National Institute of Aerospace (NIA) at Langley Research Center. This was a start-up resulting from $69 million government contract award to build a world-class research and education institute. Mr. Gouhin has experience in corporate divestitures and acquisitions, business construction and relocation, strategic standardization management, business planning, project management, process mapping and reengineering, and serving as a company wide change agent. He has served on the board of directors of multiple non-profits including the Council of Engineering and Scientific Society Executives (CESSE) where he is a past president. He has a bachelor of science in aeronautical and astronautical engineering from The Ohio State University and a master’s in engineering management from George Washington University. He has also completed the executive development program at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School and the advanced management college of Stanford University. Mr. Gouhin is a Certified Association Executive or CAE. Shawna C. Lemon, J.D., Ph.D. Co-Founder xElle Ventures, Co-Founder, Stanek Lemon Crouse + Meeks, PA Shawna C. Lemon, J.D., Ph.D. is a patent attorney, angel investor and diversity advocate. She is a co-founder of xElle Ventures, an angel fund for women providing loans to female founders and women-led businesses. Shawna is also co-founder of Stanek Lemon Crouse + Meeks, PA, a majority woman-owned intellectual property law firm. She is admitted to practice law in North Carolina and New York. As an experienced patent attorney and board director, Shawna brings more than 20 years of legal and business experience to various organizations. Shawna’s board service has included: RTP Capital Associates; Dress For Success Triangle; North Carolina Arts in Action; R.O. Harrell Trucking, Inc.; University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Board of Visitors; and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Health Foundation. She is also an advisor for several startup companies. Shawna is a recipient of the 2020 Triangle Business Journal Women in Business Award and has been listed in Best Lawyers of America (2015-2023), North Carolina Legal Elite (2014, 2021 and 2022) and Super Lawyers (2021-2023). Shawna has a B.S. from Wofford College, a Ph.D. from the University of South Carolina, and a J.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Marco Rubin Senior Investment Director, Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation; Board Chair, The Launch Place Seed Fund Advisory Board Marco is responsible for sourcing, diligence, and closing seed and early-stage investments on behalf of the Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation. He serves as a board representative to numerous portfolio companies. Marco divides his responsibilities between managing the GAP Tech Fund and the Commonwealth Energy Fund. He also founded and currently serves as Advisory Board Chairman for Exoventure Associates, LLC, which is primarily engaged in emerging market activity. Marco mentors entrepreneurs and serves as an expert judge in global business plan competitions sponsored in part by the World Bank and/or State Department. He has invested in over 150 early-stage technology companies throughout his career and has held leadership roles with funds recognized by Entrepreneur Magazine's Annual VC100 list since 2002. Before forming Exoventure, Marco was a founder of Monumental Venture Partners, LLC (MVP), making investments in security, information technology, telecommunications, software, and medical devices sectors. Substantial exits were made to Dolby Labs and Level 3 Communications. Prior to Monumental, he ran New Ventures, MCI's venture capital unit, until the company's acquisition in 1998, where investment exits were made in both Cisco and Alcatel. Marco also worked for Booz Allen & Hamilton, where he served as a project leader for clients in the energy, telecommunications, and information technology industries. Clients included names such as Mobil Oil and NASA. He began his career as an engineer at NASA Johnson Space Center, where he trained and certified astronauts and flight controllers to operate spacecraft. He holds an MBA from George Washington University and a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of New Mexico. Autum Visser Principal, Woods Rogers PLC, The Launch Place’s legal counsel Autumn Visser is a member of the Business and Corporate and Emerging Growth practice teams at Woods Rogers. She concentrates on mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance, contract drafting and negotiation, and venture and seed capital financing. Autumn also works on real estate issues, government contracts, and licensing. Autumn is admitted to practice law in both Virginia and California. Prior to joining Woods Rogers, Autumn spent five years in-house as Corporate Counsel for a global consumer products manufacturing company headquartered in the United States with offices in Australia, Canada, France, and South Africa. In this role, Autumn managed the legal functions for seven diverse business lines and was the key contact for all outside counsel. Autumn is a graduate of the University of Northern Iowa, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communications/Public Relations and a minor in journalism. She earned her law degree from Pepperdine University School of Law in Malibu, Calif., where she worked on the Journal of the National Association of Administrative Law Judges and was a founding member of the Legal Waves. She is a member of the Virginia Bar Association and the Virginia State Bar Board of Governors where she is Chair of the Business Law Section. She is also affiliated with the Virginia Women Attorneys Association and the National LGBT Bar Association. Autumn has been recognized by Virginia Business magazine as a Legal Elite attorney. Autumn serves on the Board of Directors for Goodwill of the Valleys and has chaired the annual Biggest Night in Business for Junior Achievement of Southwest Virginia. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/211 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/211 Thu, 06 Oct 2022 00:00:00 EST Thursday, 06 October 2022 00:00:00 EST Today, we're excited to announce that xElle Ventures will be providing a $5,000 cash award to a female led company pitching at the Big Launch Challenge.  xElle Ventures is a collective made up entirely of women. Our mission is to discover and fund the most promising women business leaders and mentor them as they create successful companies while building a thriving female founder-investor ecosystem. The strength of xElle Ventures lies in our Members. We are seasoned executives and experienced entrepreneurs. In addition to making loans to female-led or female-founded companies using targeted debt instruments, xElle leverages the vast experience of our collective Members to provide counsel to portfolio companies. Each Member is dedicated to the notion that we must build a growing and educated community of female investors to place more wealth into the hands of women on both sides of the table. We are thrilled to be joining forces with xElle and bring this additional cash award to one of the Big Launch Challenge pitching companies.   About the ACA Angel University at The Big Launch Challenge Learn from our experts, meet ACA members, angel investors & entrepreneurs during the AU at The Big Launch Challenge. This will be a full day of action-packed investor and entrepreneur focused agenda. The Big Launch Challenge is a competition targeting the best startups in the country and the combination of the two events offers a unique, immersive experience. The 10th annual Big Launch Challenge is a unique opportunity to see 10 leading startups as they compete for $15,000 in prize money. Over the past 9 years of hosting this competition, The Launch Place has awarded $174,000 to 16 companies. The Launch Place strives to foster an environment for new and serial entrepreneurs in which they can raise capital and have access to support services they need to take their products and/or solutions into the marketplace. We're offering two courses valuable to both angel investors and entrepreneurs—Valuations and Term Sheet Basics. This is a unique experience where these two courses are being taught with angels and entrepreneurs learning together.    Thursday, November 17, 2022, 7:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m.Conference Center @ NC Biotech • Research Triangle Park, NC Learn More   Courses offered at AU at The Big Launch Challenge: Term Sheet Basics: As a new angel, you’ll need to understand the term sheet, the document that outlines the terms and conditions of the agreement between the investors and the startup. Valuation: Negotiating the current valuation of seed-stage startups at the time of investment is a critical component of angel term sheets. Getting valuation right establishes a fair percentage of ownership for both investors and entrepreneurs and optimizes returns for investing angels. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/212 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/212 Wed, 05 Oct 2022 00:00:00 EST Wednesday, 05 October 2022 00:00:00 EST Pattern Health, a digital health company, has announced the closing of a $3.3 million series A funding round.  The round was led by the Dr. William H. Joyce Family Office, with contributions from existing investors Cofounders Capital, The Launch Place, and Triangle Tweener Fund. Allen A. Spizzo of the Joyce Family Office has joined the board of directors. Pattern will use the new capital to fuel the company’s growth and ability to deliver on its mission–accelerating digital health innovation from research to real-world impact. The company’s unique no-code digital health platform helps partners more quickly and cost-effectively research and develop new ways to improve care and, once proven effective, deliver their innovations at scale to improve more patients’ lives.“This is an exciting time for Pattern, our partners, and the patients who benefit from the solutions being developed and deployed on our platform,” notes Pattern’s CEO and Co-Founder, Ed Barber. “We are thankful to the academic medical centers, health systems, and leading researchers that have put their trust in Pattern as their digital health innovation partner of choice. Our series A will enable us to more rapidly improve our technology, expand our footprint, and benefit more people at a greater scale.” Pattern’s capabilities are enabled by a no-code digital health platform that provides the interoperability, scalability, security, and compliance needed to create and distribute digital health programs. The company currently powers research across a wide range of conditional areas at 12 of the top 20 academic medical centers in the US as measured by NIH funding. “Pattern has made an impressive impact to date, and we are excited by the opportunity to scale the business,” said Mr. Spizzo of the Joyce Family Office. “Pattern’s no-code platform is a game-changer for healthcare researchers and innovators, and the company solves an unmet need by providing a pathway for effective digital health programs to reach patients quickly.” To learn more, visit https://pattern.health/ About Pattern Health: Pattern Health is on a mission to accelerate digital health innovation. We partner with researchers, clinical innovators, and their institutions to develop and implement digital health programs, surveys, and clinical tools. We don’t stop there, though. We bridge the gap between research and real-world application by providing a pathway for digital health innovations to be adopted for clinical use. Programs are available for licensing by any healthcare institution, bringing innovators and healthcare providers together in a collaborative community that expands the impact of innovation. Our capabilities are enabled by a single digital health platform that makes it easy to deploy existing programs or for innovators to build novel solutions. Our configurable platform offers built-in security and compliance, software and device integrations, and digital health best practices. We offer fast and cost-effective program development through the combination of our platform and deep healthcare and behavioral science expertise. For our partners, this means “Less Hassle. More Impact.” Media Contact Matthew Hoyle Marketing Director mhoyle@pattern.health   https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/210 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/210 Tue, 13 Sep 2022 00:00:00 EST Tuesday, 13 September 2022 00:00:00 EST Today, we’re announcing a date change for our upcoming event Ann & Bill Payne ACA Angel University at The Big Launch Challenge. Our previously scheduled date of October 13 has been moved to November 17. If you have any questions regarding this change or can no longer attend, please feel free to contact us directly at edoss@thelaunchplace.org. Learn from our experts , meet ACA members, angel investors & entrepreneurs during the AU at The Big Launch Challenge. This will be a full day of action-packed investor and entrepreneur focused agenda. The Big Launch Challenge is a competition targeting the best startups in the country and the combination of the two events offers a unique, immersive experience. We're offering two courses valuable to both angel investors and entrepreneurs—Valuations and Term Sheet Basics. This is a unique experience where these two courses are being taught with angels and entrepreneurs learning together.     SAVE THE NEW DATE Thursday, November 17, 2022, 7:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m.Conference Center @ NC Biotech • Research Triangle Park, NC Updated: Big Launch Challenge Application Deadline Monday, October 3, 2022  The Challenge is free to attend, but registration is required.    Courses offered at AU at The Big Launch Challenge: Valuation: Negotiating the current valuation of seed-stage startups at the time of investment is a critical component of angel term sheets. Getting valuation right establishes a fair percentage of ownership for both investors and entrepreneurs and optimizes returns for investing angels. Term Sheet Basics: As a new angel, you’ll need to understand the term sheet, the document that outlines the terms and conditions of the agreement between the investors and the startup. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/209 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/209 Tue, 30 Aug 2022 09:00:00 EST Tuesday, 30 August 2022 09:00:00 EST   Big Launch Challenge Pitch Competition - October 13, 2022 The Angel Capital Association (ACA) Angel University, The Launch Place and InBIA are bringing together angel investors, ecosystem builders and entrepreneurs to learn, share and network. These events offer a unique, immersive experience connecting investors, e.Builders and entrepreneurs. Attendees will begin the event with ACA Angel University and conclude with The Big Launch Challenge where 10 leading startups will compete to win $15,000 to move their ventures forward. ACA Angel University will offer two courses valuable to both angel investors and entrepreneurs—Valuations and Term Sheet Basics. This is a unique experience where these two courses are being taught with angels and entrepreneurs learning together. The Big Launch Challenge, a competition targeting the best startups in the country, is a unique opportunity to see 10 leading startups as they compete for $15,000 in prize money. Over the past 9 years of hosting this competition, The Launch Place has awarded $174,000 to 16 companies. The Launch Place strives to foster an environment for new and serial entrepreneurs in which they can raise capital and have access to support services they need to take their products and/or solutions into the marketplace. “The goal of the Big Launch Challenge is to provide early-stage startups the opportunity to pitch their ideas to investors, and for The Launch Place Pre-Seed and Seed Fund to generate deal flow,” says The Launch Place President and CEO, Eva Doss. “Every year it is a different experience, with different business ideas and founding teams. We are very excited to host the competition in person again and to hear the thought-provoking pitches.” Extended Deadline to Apply is September 12, 2022     The Challenge is free to attend, but registration is required.   Register to Attend     The Challenge offers startups valuable business networking and capital opportunities, as well as critical resources. The goal of The Big Launch Challenge is to foster entrepreneurship by offering education, team creation, mentorship, early-stage prototyping, and potential follow-on seed financing. For additional information, contact Varun Sadana at vsadana@thelaunchplace.org.     ACA Angel University: An Immersive, Interactive Learning Experience Courses offered at AU at The Big Launch Challenge: Valuation: Negotiating the current valuation of seed-stage startups at the time of investment is a critical component of angel term sheets. Getting valuation right establishes a fair percentage of ownership for both investors and entrepreneurs and optimizes returns for investing angels. Term Sheet Basics: As a new angel, you’ll need to understand the term sheet, the document that outlines the terms and conditions of the agreement between the investors and the startup. Register to Attend   Maximize your time in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, by attending e.Builders Forum! InBIA is excited to announce the sixth annual Ecosystem Builders (e.Builders) Forum, to be held in Research Triangle Park in North Carolina, this October 11-12. Entrepreneurship ecosystem leaders from around the country will gather to enhance their professional skills and develop new peer relationships. Maximize your time and travel dollars by arriving before the AU at the Big Launch Challenge to participate in these events! e.Builders Forum highlights best practices in entrepreneurship ecosystem building and provides tools and resources practitioners can implement immediately to improve their entrepreneur support organizations (ESOs) and the broader networks in which they operate. This year’s e.Builders Forum will feature panelists from the RTP, Durham, Raleigh and Chapel Hill ecosystem, exploring the rich innovation of the region and providing tips, tools and resources for how to apply lessons learned in other areas. Learn more and Register to Attend   https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/208 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/208 Sun, 24 Jul 2022 00:00:00 EST Sunday, 24 July 2022 00:00:00 EST   Big Launch Challenge Pitch Competition - October 13, 2022 The Angel Capital Association (ACA) Angel University and The Launch Place are bringing together angel investors and entrepreneurs to learn, share and network. This event offers a unique, immersive experience connecting angel investors and entrepreneurs. ACA Angel University will offer two courses valuable to both angel investors and entrepreneurs—Valuations and Term Sheet Basics. This is a unique experience where these two courses are being taught with angels and entrepreneurs learning together. The Big Launch Challenge, a competition targeting the best startups in the country, is a unique opportunity to see 10 leading startups as they compete for $15,000 in prize money. Over the past 9 years of hosting this competition, The Launch Place has awarded $174,000 to 16 companies. The Launch Place strives to foster an environment for new and serial entrepreneurs in which they can raise capital and have access to support services they need to take their products and/or solutions into the marketplace. “The goal of the Big Launch Challenge is to provide early-stage startups the opportunity to pitch their ideas to investors, and for The Launch Place Pre-Seed and Seed Fund to generate deal flow,” says The Launch Place President and CEO, Eva Doss. “Every year it is a different experience, with different business ideas and founding teams. We are very excited to host the competition in person again and to hear the thought-provoking pitches.” More details about the event including locations and agenda will be shared soon.  Deadline to apply is August 29, 2022         The challenge is an annual event and offers startups valuable business networking and capital opportunities, as well as critical resources. The goal of The Big Launch Challenge is to foster entrepreneurship by offering education, team creation, mentorship, early-stage prototyping, and potential follow-on seed financing. For additional information, contact Varun Sadana at vsadana@thelaunchplace.org.   ACA Angel University: An Immersive, Interactive Learning Experience Courses offered at AU at The Big Launch Challenge: Valuation: Negotiating the current valuation of seed-stage startups at the time of investment is a critical component of angel term sheets. Getting valuation right establishes a fair percentage of ownership for both investors and entrepreneurs and optimizes returns for investing angels. Term Sheet Basics: As a new angel, you’ll need to understand the term sheet, the document that outlines the terms and conditions of the agreement between the investors and the startup.   More details coming soon. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/207 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/207 Fri, 24 Jun 2022 00:00:00 EST Friday, 24 June 2022 00:00:00 EST The Launch Place and The Angel Capital Association (ACA) Angel University are bringing together angel investors and entrepreneurs to learn, share and network. This event offers a unique, immersive experience connecting angel investors and entrepreneurs. Courses offered at AU at The Big Launch Challenge: Valuation: Negotiating the current valuation of seed-stage startups at the time of investment is a critical component of angel term sheets. Getting valuation right establishes a fair percentage of ownership for both investors and entrepreneurs and optimizes returns for investing angels. Term Sheet Basics: As a new angel, you’ll need to understand the term sheet, the document that outlines the terms and conditions of the agreement between the investors and the startup. More details will be shared soon! https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/206 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/206 Thu, 19 May 2022 00:00:00 EST Thursday, 19 May 2022 00:00:00 EST Pavani Peri, Co-Founder and COO of Acta Solutions, winner of Ideafest, joins Varun Sadana, VP of the Launch Place, in this episode of the Launch Place Podcast. She shares her experiences building the company and participating in Ideafest along with how the prize money will help achieve the company's future business goals.      https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/205 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/205 Thu, 28 Apr 2022 00:00:00 EST Thursday, 28 April 2022 00:00:00 EST The Launch Place received 71 applications for its 7th IdeaFest Pitch Competition from various start-up companies located in the US and abroad. The top 20 competitors took the stage to present their innovative business ideas in the River District of Danville, VA today.  The competition kicked off at 1:00pm, with a keynote speach from Braden Rawls, Co-Founder & CEO of Vital Plan, a portfolio company of The Launch Place. Braden co-founded Vital Plan in 2009 with her father, Dr. Bill Rawls, a conventionally-trained physician who discovered the value of herbal therapy during his recovery from chronic Lyme disease. Their shared goals of providing clinical-grade herbal extracts, formulation transparency, and unparalleled customer support and education formed the foundation principles of the company. As CEO of this B Corporation®, Braden is an advocate for the change that enlightened choices in consumerism can bring, and for empowering customers through product transparency and education.  Winner of this year’s competition was Acta Solutions who was awarded a $5,000 cash prize. Acta has developed a solution for public agencies. Public agencies are constantly fielding inquiries and collecting information from customers to deliver municipal services. This creates long conversations, frequent follow-ups, and back-and forth email chains--decreasing the revenue agencies make from service fees. Acta Mustang™  streamlines customer conversations—giving them time back for higher-value responsibilities, and recapturing lost revenue for public agencies.  Second place and a $3,000 cash award went to My Relief Wear LLC. My Relief Wear is a casual cold therapy clothing company with patent-pending technology changing the process of icing pain by fusing ice packs and clothing. Steelbasis took home third place with a $2,000 cash prize. Steelbasis was built for boutique real estate developers to have an advantage over their competition by relieving the administrative burden of managing their vendors.  Winners of the competition will also be eligible to receive twenty-five hours of free business consulting from The Launch Place. The Launch Place, located in the River District of Danville, assists with business formation, job creation and retention through its business consulting services and investment funding, while having a dual responsibility to recruit and retain entrepreneurs to the Dan River Region. The IdeaFest competition exposes The Launch Place’s services and funds to start-up companies that are ready to launch, or are seeking early stage capital. The Launch Place could potentially invest in the company from its Seed and Pre-Seed Funds that were established from a grant awarded by the Danville Region Foundation.  IdeaFest Judges and Master of Ceremonies: Judge: Dr. Iulian Bobe, Chief Technology Officer of CIRC Judge: Corey Davis, Woods Rogers, Business and Corporate and Emerging Growth Judge: Jan Davis, Retired CEO, ShopperTrak RCT Corporation; Investor and Vice Chair, Triangle Angel Partners; Board Vice-Chair, The Launch Place Judge: Shawna C. Lemon, J.D., Ph.D., Angel Investor, Co-Founder xElle Ventures Judge: Marco Rubin, Senior Investment Director, Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation; Board Vice-Chair, The Launch Place Seed Fund Master of Ceremonies: Mark Friedman, The Launch Place Seed Fund Portfolio Manager; President and Co-founder of RTP Capital Associates; CEO of Lakeview Business Advisory Learn more about the Judges.    IdeaFest 2022 Finalists     Company Name Description 1 Mercier The company has invented and developed a new method of washing and drying clothes. 2 Avex Motion Avex Motion empowers physical therapy by Robotics and Reinforcement Learning. 3 VAROS Technologies, Inc. Virtual & Augmented Reality Organ Systems (VAROS) Technologies Inc. has built for pharmaceutical companies a product that is immersive, study-specific extended reality designs that provide hyper-realistic visual and interactive experiences to aid in patient education. 4 My Relief Wear, LLC My Relief Wear is a casual cold therapy clothing company with patent-pending technology changing the process of icing pain by fusing ice packs and clothing. 5 Southern Drone Company Southern Drone Company (SDC) bridges the gap between modern technology, forestry and agriculture operations, through unique drone, sensory, and analytical services we provide for clients within the agriculture and forestry industries. 6 V-Card V-Card: The Sexual Health Navigation App is the current ideation of a sexual health solution for sexually active young adults whose goal is to give people the tools necessary to take initiative in making well informed decisions. 7 Jabin Beverage Co Jabin is a beverage company centered around using fresh, functional ingredients to power athletes and adventurers by replenishing the body and preventing cramping after exercise all while being great tasting and enjoyable to drink. 8 Steelbasis LLC Steelbasis was built for boutique real estate developers to have an advantage over their competition by relieving the administrative burden of managing their vendors. 9 TSV Analytics TSV Analytics is a predictive social media analytics platform designed to help social media marketers increase their social media ROI by providing insights and information around the next viral topic in their business areas of interest. 10 Relai, Inc. Relai provides sustainable parcel management for the last mile by innovating how smart parcel lockers are placed and used. 11 Acta Solutions Acta Mustang™  streamlines customer conversations between public agencies —giving them time back for higher-value responsibilities, and recapturing lost revenue for public agencies. 12 ChxmpionChip, LLC A secure online gambling and gaming platform. 13 EZread LLC EZread enables college students who are struggling with their textbook readings come to our website, find their textbook, and peruse high-quality summaries chapter by chapter. 14 Stitch Partners Stitch Partners is a B2B company with a disruptive technology, a textile air filter, that provides safe and healthy indoor air for homes, schools, businesses and transportation. 15 Veather Veather aims to make leather out of fruit waste as a cost-efficient and a greener alternative to animal leather. 16 Luuup Luuup's events platform and services enables small business owners to simplify their event marketing process, save valuable time and increase their bottom line, all while community members easily find out about all their fun events. 17 Ditto. Ditto is a payments platform purpose-built for project-based work whose product automates administrative tasks and mitigates risk for contractors and their clients. 18 BLKResumes BLKResumes is a recruitment platform that uses today's most unique sourcing strategies to find, develop and deploy Black + Brown Talent. 19 Divergene Divergene's proprietary bioinformatics algorithm accelerates gene therapy and editing to save lives by breaking down data silos and harnessing machine learning to extract insights from large data sets to improve analysis and gene therapy development. 20 FJ FJ is working on a technology solution that will make grocery shopping easy for people with visual impairment.       A Special Thanks to Our Sponsors:   https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/204 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/204 Thu, 21 Apr 2022 10:00:00 EST Thursday, 21 April 2022 10:00:00 EST We're excited to share this year's keynote will be delivered by Braden Rawls, CEO & CoFounder, Vital Plan. The Launch Place invested in Vital Plan in 2018 and has enjoyed seeing the growth this company has achieved over the years. Braden Rawls co-founded Vital Plan in 2009 with her father, Dr. Bill Rawls, a conventionally-trained physician who discovered the value of herbal therapy during his recovery from chronic Lyme disease. Their shared goals of providing clinical-grade herbal extracts, formulation transparency, and unparalleled customer support and education formed the foundation principles of the company. As CEO of this B Corporation®, Braden is an advocate for the change that enlightened choices in consumerism can bring, and for empowering customers through product transparency and education. Vital Plan is an e-commerce holistic health company offering premium natural supplements paired with step-by-step health education and support to lead customers to reach their wellness goals. A certified B Corporation®, Vital Plan is building more than a customer base; they are empowering a community of people to live healthful, sustainable, purpose-filled lives. Thanks to Dr. Rawls’ expertise and thought leadership combined with extensive R&D and a complex global supply chain, Vital Plan is able to deliver a unique and robust product line, step-by-step wellness plans, and unparalleled support to meet and exceed customers' needs and expectations.  Still time to register to attend! The 7th IdeaFest Business Pitch Competition will take place on Thursday, April 28, 2022 starting at 1:00pm. IdeaFest is a pitch competition where 20 finalists will pitch their startup business idea to a panel of judges and a live audience. A total of $10,000 will be awarded to the top 3 competitors. Watch a Video Recap of 2019 Winners of the competition will also be eligible to receive twenty-five hours of free business consulting from The Launch Place.   Awards 1st Place $5,000 2nd Place $3,000 3rd Place $2,000 IdeaFest is free and open to the public. Attendees are encouraged to attend any part of the day’s activities. Community members of all ages and professions are invited to attend to learn about the region's startup development resources, to network with a wide range of business professionals and to explore entrepreneurship as a career option.   IdeaFest 2022 Judges Dr. Iulian Bobe, Chief Technology Officer of CIRC Corey Davis, Woods Rogers, Business and Corporate and Emerging Growth Jan Davis, Retired CEO, ShopperTrak RCT Corporation; Investor and Vice Chair, Triangle Angel Partners Shawna C. Lemon, J.D., Ph.D., Angel Investor, Co-Founder xElle Ventures Marco Rubin, Senior Investment Director, Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation; Board Vice-Chair, The Launch Place Seed Fund Click here to learn more about the 2022 Judges     Register to attend IdeaFest on Thursday, April 28 from 1pm - 6pm at Cottontail Weddings and Events, 600 Craghead St., Danville, VA.     For additional information, contact Varun Sadana at vsadana@thelaunchplace.org.     A Special Thanks to Our Sponsors:   https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/203 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/203 Tue, 05 Apr 2022 00:00:00 EST Tuesday, 05 April 2022 00:00:00 EST Dr. Iulian Bobe, Chief Technology Officer of CIRC As co-founder and Chief Technology Officer of CIRC, Iulian is the architect of and strategist behind CIRC’s multi-disciplinary technology platform. By integrating the expertise of CIRC’s employees and senior consultants, Iulian is pioneering advancements in technology that combine chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, chemistry, and other disciplines. Prior to CIRC, Iulian was employee number 5 at a Japanese biotech company called NanoCarrier, which was valued at some point more than $1 billion. At NanoCarrier, he held numerous positions, went on to lead licensing and clinical/business development, and helped the company raise more than $180 million through several financing events including an IPO on Tokyo Stock Exchange. Iulian earned his PhD in Chemical Engineering from Osaka Prefecture University (Japan) and his MBA from Duke University. Corey Davis, Woods Rogers, Business and Corporate and Emerging Growth Corey Davis is a member of the Business and Corporate and Emerging Growth practice teams at Woods Rogers. With over fifteen years of experience, Corey advises public and private companies, as well as private investment fund sponsors and investors, throughout Virginia and the Mid-Atlantic Region on a variety of complex transactional, securities and business matters. He concentrates on business structuring and formation, securities offerings, compliance and reporting under securities laws, corporate governance, mergers and acquisitions, and joint ventures and strategic alliances. Corey also handles general business issues, regulatory compliance matters, commercial contracts, intellectual property licensing, and loan and financing transactions. Corey joined the Woods Rogers’ team of attorneys in 2016. He began his legal career in 2005 with a top AM LAW 100 global law firm, practicing as a member of the firm’s private equity and global capital markets group. Prior to joining Woods Rogers, he also founded and managed a holding company invested in online commerce assets, gaining him the unique perspective of what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur and the challenges faced by emerging growth companies. A native of Lynchburg, Corey completed his undergraduate degree at the University of Virginia and earned his law and MBA degrees simultaneously at the University of Richmond, where he also was editor-in-chief of the Richmond Journal of Global Law & Business. Corey has been named to Virginia Business magazine’s Legal Elite and also recognized as one of the Top Lawyers by Lynchburg Business magazine. Corey currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Lynchburg Business Development Centre. He also regularly volunteers as an instructor, advisor or mentor in connection with programs supporting the growth of entrepreneurship within Central and Southside Virginia. Jan Davis, Retired CEO, ShopperTrak RCT Corporation; Investor and Vice Chair, Triangle Angel Partners Jan Davis is a private company board member, currently on the boards of directors of Couplet Care and Sellry. She serves on the board of The Launch Place and as vice chair of Triangle Angel Partners. She is an investor in the xElle Ventures Fund and invests with the Carolina Angel Network. Formerly, she was an EIR for the Blackstone Entrepreneurs Network and the Shuford Program in Entrepreneurship at UNC. She was previously CEO of ShopperTrak and business unit president at TransUnion. She holds a BA and MBA from UNC Chapel Hill and lived and worked in Boston, Warsaw Poland and Chicago before moving to the Triangle in 2010. Shawna C. Lemon, J.D., Ph.D., Angel Investor, Co-Founder xElle Ventures, Co-Founder, Stanek Lemon Crouse + Meeks, PA Shawna C. Lemon, J.D., Ph.D. is an active angel investor. She is a co-founder of xElle Ventures, an early-stage angel fund for women founders by women founders, executives and investors. Shawna is also co-founder of Stanek Lemon Crouse + Meeks, PA, a majority woman-owned intellectual property law firm. Shawna is admitted to practice law in North Carolina and New York. As an experienced patent attorney and board director, she brings more than 20 years of legal and business experience to various organizations. She serves as an advisor to several start-up companies. Her board service has included: RTP Capital Associates; Dress For Success Triangle; North Carolina Arts in Action; R.O. Harrell Trucking, Inc., University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Board of Visitors; and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Health Foundation. Shawna is a recipient of the 2020 Triangle Business Journal Women in Business Award and has been listed in Best Lawyers of America (2015-2022), North Carolina Legal Elite (2014, 2021 and 2022) and Super Lawyers (2021 and 2022). Shawna has a B.S. from Wofford College, a Ph.D. from the University of South Carolina and a J.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Marco Rubin, Senior Investment Director, Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation; Board Vice-Chair, The Launch Place Seed Fund Marco is responsible for sourcing, diligence, and closing seed and early-stage investments on behalf of the Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation. He serves as a board representative to numerous portfolio companies. Marco divides his responsibilities between managing the GAP Tech Fund and the Commonwealth Energy Fund. He also founded and currently serves as Advisory Board Chairman for Exoventure Associates, LLC, which is primarily engaged in emerging market activity. Marco mentors entrepreneurs and serves as an expert judge in global business plan competitions sponsored in part by the World Bank and/or State Department. He has invested in over 150 early-stage technology companies throughout his career and has held leadership roles with funds recognized by Entrepreneur Magazine's Annual VC100 list since 2002. Before forming Exoventure, Marco was a founder of Monumental Venture Partners, LLC (MVP), making investments in security, information technology, telecommunications, software, and medical devices sectors. Substantial exits were made to Dolby Labs and Level 3 Communications. Prior to Monumental, he ran New Ventures, MCI's venture capital unit, until the company's acquisition in 1998, where investment exits were made in both Cisco and Alcatel. Marco also worked for Booz Allen & Hamilton, where he served as a project leader for clients in the energy, telecommunications, and information technology industries. Clients included names such as Mobil Oil and NASA. He began his career as an engineer at NASA Johnson Space Center, where he trained and certified astronauts and flight controllers to operate spacecraft. He holds an MBA from George Washington University and a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of New Mexico. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/202 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/202 Mon, 04 Apr 2022 00:00:00 EST Monday, 04 April 2022 00:00:00 EST The Launch Place is excited to release its new Podcast series! Listen in to our first episode guest hosted by Tom Snyder, Executive Director of RIoT, with special guest Desmond Wiggan, CEO & Co-Founder of BatteryXchange. Learn about BatteryXchange's startup journey - including customer discovery, funding, and scaling, and how participating in IdeaFest was integral to the company's innovation opportunities and long term success.     https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/201 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/201 Mon, 28 Feb 2022 00:00:00 EST Monday, 28 February 2022 00:00:00 EST The Launch Place is seeking to hire a Public Relations and Social Media Coordinator who will be responsible for the development and implementation of the organization’s PR, marketing and social media plan. We are seeking a talented, motivated individual to join our organization as a Public Relations and Social Media Coordinator. You will assist in all aspects of public relations planning and coordination, from scheduling events and liaising with the press to defining social media strategies and creating opportunities to realign public opinion. In some cases, you may coordinate brand strategy for The Launch Place’s portfolio companies. Our ideal candidate has at least a bachelor's degree in marketing, communications, or public relations,  or related experience and a portfolio of successful client work. TLP provides new and early-stage business support services and pre-seed and seed investments for technology startups in Virginia and North Carolina. As a venture development organization with the purpose to plan, fund, launch and grow businesses, The Launch Place helps companies to get started, or to expand their operations by providing business consulting services, office space, and by investing in them through its investment funds. Read full job description here. Apply by sending a cover letter and resume to Eva Doss at edoss@thelaunchplace.org. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/200 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/200 Mon, 21 Feb 2022 00:00:00 EST Monday, 21 February 2022 00:00:00 EST     7th IdeaFest Business Pitch Competition - April 28, 2022 IdeaFest is a Business Pitch Competition where 20 finalists will pitch their startup idea to a panel of judges and a live audience.  The top three competitors will be awarded $5,000 for first place, $3,000 for second place and $2,000 for third place. Winners of the competition will also be eligible to receive twenty-five hours of free business consulting from The Launch Place. The Launch Place, assists with business formation, job creation and retention through its business consulting services and investment funding, while having a dual responsibility to recruit and retain entrepreneurs to the Dan River Region. The IdeaFest competition exposes The Launch Place’s services and funds to start-up companies that are ready to establish or seeking early stage capital. The Launch Place could potentially invest in the company from its Seed and Pre-Seed Funds. Awards 1st Place $5,000 2nd Place $3,000 3rd Place $2,000 IdeaFest is free and open to the public. Attendees are encouraged to attend any part of the day’s activities. Community members of all ages and professions are invited to attend to learn about the region's startup development resources, to network with a wide range of business professionals and to explore entrepreneurship as a career option. Applications open February 21 | Deadline to Apply April 8 Register to attend IdeaFest on Thursday, April 28 from 1pm - 6pm at Cottontail Weddings and Events, 600 Craghead St., Danville, VA. View a summary of the 2019 Pitch Competition For additional information, contact Varun Sadana at vsadana@thelaunchplace.org.       A Special Thanks to Our Sponsors:   https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/199 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/199 Thu, 14 Oct 2021 00:00:00 EST Thursday, 14 October 2021 00:00:00 EST The Launch Place received 64 applications for its 9th Annual Big Launch Challenge Pitch Competition from various start-up companies located in the U.S. and abroad. The top 10 competitors took the stage and presented their innovative business ideas at the NC Biotechnology Center.  The winner of this year’s competition is LiRA, inc. who was awarded a $10,000 cash prize. LiRA is developing next-generation voice restoration software through an AI-based lip-reading platform designed to empower voiceless individuals and advance the quality of care they receive. Every year, approximately one million individuals find themselves suddenly, and often unexpectedly, voiceless. LiRA is a multi-disciplinary group of professionals impassioned to partner with patients, caregivers, and health systems to provide lip-reading technology that empowers voiceless individuals and advances the standard of medical care. Downloadable to any smart device like an iPhone, iPad, or Surface Tablet, LiRA’s software uses the device’s camera to capture facial motion. Video data is then immediately translated into speech with their cloud-based algorithm. That speech is then played aloud and presented as text on the screen in-real time. Our core lip-reading technology is built upon recent advancements in computer vision, machine learning, and natural language processing.  The second place and a $5,000 cash award went to Flux Hybrids. Flux Hybrids is an automotive electrification startup out of North Carolina State University targeting the commercial fleet vehicle market. They have developed a system that can convert any vehicle into a plug-in hybrid at a price point that pays for itself in savings within the remaining life of the vehicle. Their system provides all the benefits of a hybrid which include increased MPG, maintenance savings, increased vehicle lifespan, and carbon emissions reduction. The technology also provides idle mitigation that reduces engine usage and allows for auxiliary systems to operate while the engine is off.  Competition winners will also receive access to several resources provided by The Launch Place, including training, networking, and mentorship. The Launch Place, located in the River District of Danville, VA and at the First Flight Venture Center in the RTP, NC provides new and early-stage business support services and pre-seed and seed investments to start-up companies.  “Providing entrepreneurs a platform, such as this Challenge, to have their business plans heard provides many benefits to both the entrepreneurs and investors” said Eva Doss, President and CEO, The Launch Place. “This Challenge allows us to identify potential candidates for possible investment by The Launch Place Pre-Seed or the Seed Fund.”      Each finalist was given eight minutes to present their business plans to a panel of judges followed by a question and answer block. Below are the 10 finalists who pitched in the competition.  SpartanTek - Public Safety Tech Revolution - High-Speed Pursuit Deterrent & Intervention. CityGuyd - Uses Augmented Reality to provide travelers with a digital personal guide. ArchiveCore - Uses blockchain technology to simplify healthcare credentialing. Green Stream Technologies - Environmental IoT: Real-time Flood Monitoring. Flux Hybrids - Created a system that can convert any car to a plug-in hybrid. Kalia Health - Committed to improving access to reproductive health. LiRA, inc. - AI-based next-generation voice restoration software. CliniSpan Health - Software platform diversifying clinical trials. MyMatR - Manufactures automatic sorting waste containers. MRGN - Intelligent budgeting for SMBs. The full panel of judges included Elaine Bolle, Lead Venture Partner, Portfolia’s Active Aging and Longevity fund and Investment Chair for RTP Capital; Tim Cartwright, Co-Founder and Partner of Fifth Avenue Family Office, Founder and Chair of the Tamiami Family of Angel Funds, Adrenaline Venture Fund, General Partner;  Marco Rubin, Senior Investment Director, Center for Innovative Technology (CIT) and Vice Chair of The Launch Place’s Seed Fund Advisory Board; Louisa Smith, Managing Director, NO/LA Angel Network; and Autumn Visser, Principal, Woods Rogers PLC, The Launch Place’s legal counsel.  This year, the Challenge was held as part of the  Angel Capital Association's (ACA) Angel University. The two-day event offered a unique experience for both angel investors and entrepreneurs filled with immersive learning and networking. ACA, the world's largest professional organization for accredited investors hosted the two-day conference from October 13th to 14th for accredited investors and entrepreneurs. The two courses offered at the event provided valuable lessons to both angel investors and entrepreneurs - Angel Exit Strategy and Risks in Angel Investing. This was the first time these two courses were taught with angels and entrepreneurs learning together. Angels learned how to get to successful paydays - harvesting their investments by helping their companies manage risks and achieve successful exits. Entrepreneurs gained a better understanding of how angels think and evaluate early-stage companies helping entrepreneurs build stronger partnerships with their investors. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/198 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/198 Thu, 30 Sep 2021 00:00:00 EST Thursday, 30 September 2021 00:00:00 EST Today, The Launch Place is pleased to announce the top 10 finalists who will be pitching their business plans on stage LIVE at the ninth annual Big Launch Challenge to be held on October 14th at the NC Biotech Center in Durham, NC.  This year’s BLC will include an opportunity for 10 companies to share their pitches with a panel of 5 judges representing multiple investor groups located across the country. These finalists will be given eight minutes to present their business plans to the judges followed by a question and answer block. Below are the 10 finalists.   MyMatR - will increase recycling efficiency with an automatic sorting trash and recycling container for public spaces. This smart waste container improves recycling efficiency, diverts material from landfills, collects waste stream data in real-time to help reduce collection costs and greenhouse gases. CliniSpan Health – is a digital health company that diversifies clinical trial recruitment. The company leverages cultural competence, trust relationships, and technology to educate and create access to medical research for diverse communities. CliniSpan Health is able to bring back trust in healthcare for diverse communities by working with local, trusted community leaders as partners to promote research opportunities in their areas through their community engagement model. Green Stream Technologies – is an environmental technology company based in Wake Forest, NC. Green Stream offers an end-to-end solution for real-time flood monitoring to protect property and improve safety. CityGuyd - uses AR technology to augment real life tour guides or famous VIPs at cities, landmarks, and events across the globe - improving the travel experience, increasing fan engagement, and providing their clients with valuable data on their attendees. LiRA, Inc. - is developing an AI-based next-generation voice restoration software. MRGN - is the heartbeat of an aspiring small business; a budgeting platform that guides SMBs through the arduous business planning process. After MRGN creates their financial model, it provides the business with intuitive insights that drive efficiency and scalability - no need for a CFO. Users can also delegate to, and collaborate with, their coworkers, as well as simulate a wide variety of scenarios that could potentially impact their cash flow, before they happen. SpartanTek - is committed to bringing their powerful, scalable yet low cost pursuit deterrent to public safety officials to save lives, prevent injuries and reduce taxpayer waste in communities nationwide. The have been working hard on producing a product that is not just mitigation after a pursuit begins, but prevents it in the first place bringing additional safety to the community as well as public safety officials. Their long-term goal is to build a comprehensive platform consolidating many disparate mapping solutions for public safety into a single platform driving both analytical, and efficiency value for public safety as well as a positive impact for the community. Flux Hybrids - is an automotive electrification startup out of NC State University targeting the commercial fleet vehicle market. They have developed a system that can convert any vehicle into a plug-in hybrid at a price point that pays for itself in savings within the remaining life of the vehicle. Kalia Health - is a health justice startup dedicated to improving access to healthcare for birthing people in the United States and globally. Currently, they are developing the KAL-PDx, a home-based urine test for the early detection of preeclampsia. They aim to improve maternal health outcomes by providing birthing people with the tools they need to take control of their own health. ArchiveCore – is a cloud-based software company which uses distributed ledger technology to simplify healthcare credentialing. They help hospitals save millions of dollars and help health care professionals start treating patients sooner.   The full panel of judges include Elaine Bolle, Lead Venture Partner, Portfolia’s Active Aging and Longevity fund and Investment Chair for RTP Capital; Tim Cartwright, Co-Founder and Partner of Fifth Avenue Family Office, Founder and Chair of the Tamiami Family of Angel Funds; Marco Rubin, Senior Investment Director, Center for Innovative Technology (CIT) and Vice Chair of The Launch Place’s Seed Fund Advisory Board; Louisa Smith, Managing Director, NO/LA Angel Network; and Autumn Visser, Principal, Woods Rogers PLC, The Launch Place’s legal counsel.  A special thanks to our sponsors - Center of Innovative Technology, Woods Rogers and TriNet.  The BLC is part of a two-day event starting on October 13th in the afternoon with the Angel Capital Association's (ACA) Angel University and ending with the pitch competition starting at 1:00pm on Thursday, October 14th at the NC Biotechnology Center (15 TW Alexander Dr, Durham, NC 27709).  ACA Angel University at The Big Launch Challenge is a two-day event offering a unique experience for both angel investors and entrepreneurs that will be filled with immersive learning and networking. Two courses offered will prove valuable to both angel investors and entrepreneurs—Angel Exit Strategy and Risks in Angel Investing. This is the first time these two courses are being taught with angels and entrepreneurs learning together. Angels will learn how to get to successful paydays—harvesting their investments by helping their companies manage risks and achieve successful exits. Entrepreneurs gain a better understanding of how angels think and evaluate early-stage companies helping entrepreneurs build stronger partnerships with their investors. Learn more about the ACA Angel University at https://angelcapital.swoogo.com/aublc.  The Challenge is free to attend, but registration is required. Registration can be found at www.thelaunchplace.org/big-launch-challenge. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/196 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/196 Fri, 17 Sep 2021 00:00:00 EST Friday, 17 September 2021 00:00:00 EST We're excited to announce the 2021 Judges for Big Launch Challenge Pitch Competition. The Big Launch Challenge will include an opportunity for 10 companies to share their pitches with a panel of 5 investors representing multiple investor groups located across the country. The two-day event will begin on October 13th in the afternoon with ACA Angel University and end with the Big Launch Challenge starting at 1:00pm on Thursday, October 14th at the NC Biotechnology Center (15 TW Alexander Dr, Durham, NC 27709). ​Register to Attend the Big Launch Challenge A special thanks to our sponsors - Center of Innovative Technology and Woods Rogers.   Elaine Bolle Investor Active investor and advisor to early stage companies after many years as CEO and senior executive building high growth companies in financial services, consumer goods and e-commerce. She serves as a board member for high growth for profit and non-profit organizations. Currently Elaine is the Lead Venture Partner in Portfolia’s Active Aging and Longevity fund, Investment Chair for RTP Capital and an Angel Capital Association Board Member where she chairs the Marketing and Membership Committee.  Elaine has been a senior executive and board director leading domestic and global organizations from venture-backed start-ups to $750M+ enterprises. Functional expertise in general management, strategic marketing and brand management, business development and sales, and technology development and internet applications. Industry expertise in financial services, multi-channel retail sales, web services and e-commerce, and consumer goods and services.  . Tim Cartwright Co-Founder and Partner of Fifth Avenue Family Office; Founder and Chair of the Tamiami Family of Angel Funds Timothy J. Cartwright is a partner at Fifth Avenue Family Office. Fifth Avenue Family Office provides a broad range of services ranging from investment management to sophisticated estate planning, evaluation of private equity and venture investment opportunities, thoughtful multi-generational legacy transfers and lifestyle services. Mr. Cartwright serves as volunteer Treasurer of the Florida Gulf Coast University Foundation and was recently named as one of Florida Trend’s 500 Most Influential Floridians due to his venture capital and private equity activity with the Tamiami Angel Funds and Adrenaline Venture Fund. Prior, he co-founded By-Products Interactive, an electronic trading, market research and publishing company; and Benchmark Solutions, a supply chain consulting company. He began his career working with middle market companies at Arthur Andersen in Chicago, Illinois. He resides in Naples with his wife and three children. He is a softball coach, a soccer coach, and an active member of First Baptist Church of Naples. Marco Rubin Senior Investment Director, Center for Innovative Technology (CIT) and Vice Chair of The Launch Place’s Seed Fund Advisory Board Marco is responsible for sourcing, diligence and closing of seed and early stage investments on behalf of the CIT GAP Funds designated as "Virginia's Most Active Investor" by CBInsights. He serves as a board representative to a numerous portfolio companies and leads seed/early stage investment in energy in his role as senior investment director. Marco also serves on the National Venture Capital Association’s Climate and Sustainability Working Group. Marco has held leadership roles with funds recognized on five occasions by Entrepreneur Magazine’s VC 100 rankings and has invested in over 250 early stage startups throughout his career. He leads equity investments in aerospace, energy and software for the CIT. Prior to CIT, Marco founded Exoventure Associates, LLC (“Exo”). There he conducted diligence, mentored entrepreneurs and served as a judge in global business plan competitions sponsored by the World Bank and the State Department in former CIS countries. Prior to Exo, he was founder of Monumental Venture Partners, LLC (MVP) making investments in security, information technology, telecommunications, software and medical devices sectors. MVP produced acquisitions of portfolio companies to Dolby Labs and Level 3 Communications. Before MVP, Marco launched New Ventures, MCI’s venture capital unit. Prior to MCI, he served Fortune 500, Federal and emerging market clients while with Booz Allen & Hamilton. He began his career as an engineer at the Johnson Space Center training astronauts and flight controllers. Marco holds an MBA from The George Washington University and a BSEE from the University of New Mexico. He has been a National Science Foundation (NSF) commercial reviewer since 2007 as well as a former NSF SBIR grant winner. Louisa Smith Managing Director, NO/LA Angel Network Louisa is the Managing Director of the NO/LA Angel Network (NO/LAAN), a New Orleans based network of over 130 accredited Angel Investors. Since the network’s inception in 2014, NO/LAAN members have invested over $11.5M in early-stage companies while helping entrepreneurs grow businesses through fundraising, mentoring, and networking. Louisa is responsible for leading NO/LAAN’s operations and deal flow activity, including due diligence, syndication, and portfolio management. In addition to her role as Managing Director at NO/LAAN, Louisa also serves as the Manager of The Pelican Angel Fund. She earned an MBA with a concentration in finance from Tulane’s A B Freeman School of Business after receiving her BA, Cum Laude, from Tulane in 2012. Autum Visser Principal, Woods Rogers PLC, The Launch Place’s legal counsel Autumn Visser is a member of the Business and Corporate and Emerging Growth practice teams at Woods Rogers. She concentrates on mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance, contract drafting and negotiation, and venture and seed capital financing. Autumn also works on real estate issues, government contracts, and licensing. Autumn is admitted to practice law in both Virginia and California. Prior to joining Woods Rogers, Autumn spent five years in-house as Corporate Counsel for a global consumer products manufacturing company headquartered in the United States with offices in Australia, Canada, France, and South Africa. In this role, Autumn managed the legal functions for seven diverse business lines and was the key contact for all outside counsel. Autumn is a graduate of the University of Northern Iowa, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communications/Public Relations and a minor in journalism. She earned her law degree from Pepperdine University School of Law in Malibu, Calif., where she worked on the Journal of the National Association of Administrative Law Judges and was a founding member of the Legal Waves. She is a member of the Virginia Bar Association and the Virginia State Bar Board of Governors where she is Chair of the Business Law Section. She is also affiliated with the Virginia Women Attorneys Association and the National LGBT Bar Association. Autumn has been recognized by Virginia Business magazine as a Legal Elite attorney. Autumn serves on the Board of Directors for Goodwill of the Valleys and has chaired the annual Biggest Night in Business for Junior Achievement of Southwest Virginia.      https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/195 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/195 Mon, 23 Aug 2021 00:00:00 EST Monday, 23 August 2021 00:00:00 EST   Big Launch Challenge Pitch Competition - October 14, 2021 The Launch Place and the Angel Capital Association (ACA)’s Angel University are partnering to bring together angel investors and entrepreneurs to learn, share and network. This two-day event offers a unique experience for both angel investors and entrepreneurs that will be filled with immersive learning and networking. Attendees will begin the two-day event with ACA Angel University and conclude with a fast-paced pitch competition where winners will walk away with $15,000 to move their ventures forward. ACA Angel University will offer two courses valuable to both angel investors and entrepreneurs—Angel Exit Strategy and Risks in Angel Investing. This is the first time these two courses are being taught with angels and entrepreneurs learning together. Angels will learn how to get to successful paydays—harvesting their investments by helping their companies manage risks and achieve successful exits. Entrepreneurs gain a better understanding of how angels think and evaluate early-stage companies helping entrepreneurs build stronger partnerships with their investors. The Big Launch Challenge, a competition targeting the best startups in the country, is a unique opportunity to see 10 leading startups as they compete for $15,000 in prize money. Over the past 8 years of hosting this competition, The Launch Place has awarded $159,000 to 14 companies. The Launch Place strives to foster an environment for new and serial entrepreneurs in which they can raise capital and have access to support services they need to take their products and/or solutions into the marketplace. “The goal of the Big Launch Challenge is to provide early-stage startups the opportunity to pitch their ideas to investors, and for The Launch Place Pre-Seed and Seed Fund to generate deal flow,” says The Launch Place President and CEO, Eva Doss. “Every year it is a different experience, with different business ideas and founding teams. We are very excited to host the competition in person again and to hear the thought-provoking pitches.” The two-day event will begin on October 13th in the afternoon with ACA Angel University and end with the Big Launch Challenge starting at 1:00pm on Thursday, October 14th.  Companies interested in participating must complete an application. The top 10 companies will be invited to pitch in-person to the panel of judges on Thursday, October 14, 2021 at the NC Biotechnology Center (15 TW Alexander Dr, Durham, NC 27709).  Deadline to apply is August 30, 2021   Register to Attend   The challenge is an annual event and offers startups valuable business networking and capital opportunities, as well as critical resources. The goal of The Big Launch Challenge is to foster entrepreneurship by offering education, team creation, mentorship, early-stage prototyping, and potential follow-on seed financing. For additional information, contact Varun Sadana at vsadana@thelaunchplace.org.     ACA Angel University: An Immersive, Interactive Learning Experience Designed to increase collaboration between entrepreneurs and angel investors, these two workshops will give you powerful insights and actionable strategies to make angel investments and startups the support more successful. The workshops will be taught by leading experts in angel investing. Risks in Angel Investing: Angels learn how to manage their risks to build a stronger portfolio. Learn about the risks from the entrepreneur and investor perspectives, and gain insights into the due diligence that is necessary to mitigate these risks. A case study exercise gives participants hand-on exposure to uncovering and addressing risks. Angel Exit Strategies: This workshop teaches angels and their portfolio companies how to work together to achieve the most successful exits. The course features the drivers for high multiples and how companies can build in value from the very beginning of their ventures. The workshop finishes with the “Exit Strategy Canvas” that walks participants through the six key elements of exit strategy. Register to Attend Big Launch Challenge - Keynote Speaker Announced! We are pleased to announce that Rich Brancaccio, founder and Chief Innovation Officer at Revibe Technologies, will be the keynote speaker at the Big Launch Challenge. Revibe develops machine learning powered tactile wearables that help children improve their focus and attention through personalized reminder vibrations. After developing two commercially successful over-the-counter devices, Revibe's upcoming product (currently under development) will focus on digital therapeutics for children with ADHD. Rich has a true passion for fusing psychology with technology to help children reach their fullest potential and level the playing field for all students. He designed the original Revibe while working as a school psychologist and after hand-building successful prototypes, went on to form a company which he led as CEO for eight years before transitioning to Chief Innovation Officer to focus on developing next generation therapeutics. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/194 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/194 Tue, 10 Aug 2021 00:00:00 EST Tuesday, 10 August 2021 00:00:00 EST Big Launch Challenge - Keynote Speaker Announced! We are pleased to announce that Rich Brancaccio, founder and Chief Innovation Officer at Revibe Technologies, will be the keynote speaker at the Big Launch Challenge. Revibe develops machine learning powered tactile wearables that help children improve their focus and attention through personalized reminder vibrations. After developing two commercially successful over-the-counter devices, Revibe's upcoming product (currently under development) will focus on digital therapeutics for children with ADHD. Rich has a true passion for fusing psychology with technology to help children reach their fullest potential and level the playing field for all students. He designed the original Revibe while working as a school psychologist and after hand-building successful prototypes, went on to form a company which he led as CEO for eight years before transitioning to Chief Innovation Officer to focus on developing next generation therapeutics.   Don't miss your chance to apply! Deadline - August 16, 2021 The Big Launch Challenge, a competition targeting the best startups in the country, is a unique opportunity to see 10 leading startups as they compete for $15,000 in prize money. The two-day event will begin on October 13th in the afternoon with ACA Angel University and end with the Big Launch Challenge starting at 1:00pm on Thursday, October 14th at the NC Biotechnology Center (15 TW Alexander Dr, Durham, NC 27709). Companies interested in participating in the Big Launch Challenge must complete an application.           Apply to Pitch    Register to Attend   ACA Angel University: An Immersive, Interactive Learning Experience Designed to increase collaboration between entrepreneurs and angel investors, these two workshops will give you powerful insights and actionable strategies to make angel investments and startups the support more successful. The workshops will be taught by leading experts in angel investing. Risks in Angel Investing: Angels learn how to manage their risks to build a stronger portfolio. Learn about the risks from the entrepreneur and investor perspectives, and gain insights into the due diligence that is necessary to mitigate these risks. A case study exercise gives participants hand-on exposure to uncovering and addressing risks. Angel Exit Strategies: This workshop teaches angels and their portfolio companies how to work together to achieve the most successful exits. The course features the drivers for high multiples and how companies can build in value from the very beginning of their ventures. The workshop finishes with the “Exit Strategy Canvas” that walks participants through the six key elements of exit strategy. Register to Attend   https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/193 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/193 Thu, 08 Jul 2021 00:00:00 EST Thursday, 08 July 2021 00:00:00 EST The Launch Place recently announced a $50,000 investment from their Pre-Seed Fund II in Raleigh-based startup Keepsake Tales. The startup is on a mission to diversify the children’s literature space by creating stories that transform a child into a highly representative illustration, making them the champion of their own story no matter their race or ability. The Launch Place is a venture development organization with offices in Danville, VA, and Research Triangle Park, NC.  Co-founders Mike Vaggalis and Erin Burchik developed the idea in 2019 after concluding that millions of children are underrepresented across the entirety of published children’s works that are on the market today. With their small team they wrote the story and developed the artwork for a Christmas nativity-themed book that sold out when they held their first sale in November of 2019. Keepsake Tales have since developed another storybook that also sold out and plan to launch their newest book, “The Bear Hug”, in October of this year.  “Children who are underrepresented start to ask questions about their value. We believe that all children are intrinsically valuable and deserve to be the champion of their story,” said Vaggalis. “We have created the most personalized experience on the market in order to build characters that truly look like the children they are meant to represent.”  Keepsake Tales began discussions with The Launch Place soon after their first sale in 2019, but with the pandemic freezing many investment pipelines, the startup took the year to reevaluate their processes. Over the last year they developed a new illustration model, solidified strategic partnerships with mission-aligned organizations and launched their second storybook, “Mount Jungle”. Keepsake Tales reengaged with The Launch Place in January 2021.  Vaggalis says that Keepsake Tales will use the investment funds from The Launch Place to further develop their current machine learning technology, new story designs, improve their website and drive growth.  “Keepsake Tales fits the profile of companies we invest in and can stand behind,” said The Launch Place President and CEO Eva Doss. “Not only are they engaged in developing new and better methods in the publishing sector, but they are producing a product that is generating social change and bettering communities around the world.”  Not only does The Launch Place offer a capital investment through their investment funds, but they also provide business resources and industry expertise to all their portfolio companies. According to Vaggalis, The Launch Place has been a tremendous thought partner in developing business goals and locating partners that will help perfect their design and manufacturing process moving forward. Cofounders: (L to R) Erin Burchik and Mike Vaggalis About Keepsake Tales: Keepsake Tales is a digital publishing company on a mission to bring more inclusivity into children’s literature. They believe every child is intrinsically valuable and deserves to be the champion of their own story no matter their race or abilities. If you want to know more about upcoming sales or receive updates from Keepsake Tales, sign up for their mailing list at https://mykeepsaketales.com. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/192 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/191 Mon, 31 May 2021 00:00:00 EST Monday, 31 May 2021 00:00:00 EST During one of the RIoT’s Lunch & Learn sessions last year, Varun Sadana of The Launch Place (TLP) spoke about “writing checks” during pandemics. During this Lunch & Learn session, he will share his perspective on early-stage investments in a post-pandemic environment. Varun will update on The Launch Place’s investment strategies during the peak of the pandemic and what’s on the horizon for TLP in the next six to twelve months. He will also share the best ways to approach investors like The Launch Place. Register in advance for this meeting:https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJMlc-qspzwqHtDU-af-m6pwTsZFhNAUruBt After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. Information about The Launch Place is available at: http://www.thelaunchplace.org/ More information about TLP’s investment funds is available at: http://www.thelaunchplace.org/investing https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/190 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/190 Mon, 01 Mar 2021 10:00:00 EST Monday, 01 March 2021 10:00:00 EST     Cloud-based SaaS startup OrbitalRX receives The Launch Place’s first investment of the year. The Launch Place, a venture development organization with offices in Danville, VA, and Research Triangle Park, NC, has invested $150,000 from their Seed Fund II in OrbitalRX, marking their twenty-third venture. OrbitalRX joins an investment portfolio of innovative, high growth startups in the information technology, medical device, green technology, manufacturing and other sectors.  With their drug shortage management platform, OrbitalRX presents a workflow solution compatible for hospital pharmacies in the United States and Canada. It’s a real-time drug inventory management combined with evidence-based clinical information that addresses the ongoing drug shortage crisis. The platform collaborates with IBM Watson health, which brings a wealth of medication information to the software and contributes to its timesaving efficacy.  Co-founder and CEO of OrbitalRX Adam Orsborn said he and Nate Peaty, co-founder and Chief Product Officer, saw the need for this technology throughout their decade of experience working in hospital pharmacies. According to Orsborn, around 95 percent of the market is still using spreadsheets to manage drug inventories, which consumes several hours of the pharmacy team’s time every week. The goal of OrbitalRX software is to automate the process of managing and ordering critical medication. It can simplify the process of making decisions on what to buy and maintain stock of medications needed for surgeries, diabetes, cancer patients and other critical needs within hospitals. Orsborn said this process can return more than ten hours of lost time to pharmacists and the medication supply chain team who were stuck manually logging and ordering drugs. This comes at a critical time in health care as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact hospital capacity and workloads, with some hospitals struggling under the pressure of staff shortages and budget cuts.  “OrbitalRX brings the energy, experience and ideas that matches the values of The Launch Place and brings a product to the health care space that is truly needed,” said Eva Doss, The Launch Place President and CEO. “We are happy to contribute to this funding round and are committed to providing the resources and expertise that they need to expand the reach of their software and meet their market goals.”  The University of Virginia was the first to adopt OrbitalRX’s platform. The software is now being used in six hospitals nationally. OrbitalRX coaches every client through the adoption process to ensure the platform works with the client’s existing communication process. While their primary focus is within hospitals at this time, Orsborn says that the company is not opposed to branching out into the retail pharmacy space. A potential pilot program in the works will give him and his team a better idea of the value that could be provided to this sector of health care. In the meantime, OrbitalRX will continue to grow with the help of their long-term partnership with IBM Watson health and investment partners like The Launch Place to ensure that hospital pharmacies have the data and automated solutions on hand to ensure they never run out of critical, life-saving drugs. About Orbital Rx: OrbitalRX empowers pharmacy leaders with the technology they need to proactively manage their drug supplies. Their drug shortage management platform breaks down data silos and aggregates all pharmacy data into one easy-to-use interface that saves time and mitigates the ongoing impacts of medication shortages. orbitalrx.com https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/189 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/189 Mon, 23 Nov 2020 00:00:00 EST Monday, 23 November 2020 00:00:00 EST Panaceutics Nutrition, Inc., a personalized nutrition company, today announced it has named veteran biotechnology executive Adam Monroe as Chief Executive Officer. “We are extremely excited to have Adam join our team. Our goal for this past year has been to expand our executive management team with biotech leaders with the connections and insight to take Panaceutics to the next level. Adam’s proven leadership will enable the next leap forward for our team to realize the full potential of our unique intellectual property portfolio,” said Andy Schwab, Panaceutics Transition CEO. Monroe brings more than 25 years of experience with industrial biotechnology, including the food, beverage and nutrition industry, to the role. He previously served as President-Americas for Novozymes, a global biobased solutions company. There he led the Americas leadership team who collectively managed the Sales, Supply and Development of a $900 million enzyme and microbials business in more than 30 markets across North and South America. Monroe also led Novozymes Global Sustainability and Public Affairs efforts utilizing an award-winning model with policy impact to the global business from Brussels to Brasilia, Beijing and Washington, D.C. He has been a leading national voice for nature’s solutions and their sustainable impact on business and society. “Consumer focus on health and wellness is growing every day, along with the understanding of how we can better meet those needs through nutrition. Human genetics, gut health and the microbiome, health monitors, nutraceuticals and functional medicine offer a myriad of possibilities if we can marry them with nutritional solutions at the right levels for the individual. I’m amazed by Panaceutics’ technology and looking forward to working with them in Virginia and North Carolina to deliver solutions that uniquely match each individual consumer and improve the health and well-being of millions,” said Adam Monroe. ABOUT PANACEUTICS NUTRITION Founded in 2018, Panaceutics Nutrition applies proprietary robotics and chemistry to craft personalized nutritional products from numerous combinations that can be translated directly from genetic and medical diagnostics, condition recommendations or personal preferences. Panaceutics founders and executive team bring extensive experience in food and nutrition, pharmaceutical science, automation and robotics, and entrepreneurial enterprise. For more information, contact: Paige Donnelly paigeldonnelly@gmail.com 919-218-4501 ### https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/188 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/188 Tue, 17 Nov 2020 00:00:00 EST Tuesday, 17 November 2020 00:00:00 EST Today, The Launch Place, a venture development organization with offices in Danville, VA, and the Research Triangle Park, NC., is pleased to announce the top 8 finalists who will be pitching their businesses on stage at the seventh annual Big Launch Challenge held virtually on November 18th.  Although there will not be a pitch competition with prize money awarded in 2020, The Launch Place is focused on fostering the support system entrepreneurs need by providing the opportunity for company introductions to investors. This year’s BLC ‘Lite’ edition will include an opportunity for 8 companies to share their pitches with a panel of 5 investors representing multiple investor groups located across the country. After each pitch, investors will have the opportunity to ask questions and provide feedback on each company’s pitch. Entrepreneurs will be able to ask investors questions about their pitches as well. TLP’s goal is for each company to walk away with valuable insights on their pitch that can help them secure investment funding in the future.  These finalists will be given eight minutes to present their business plans to a panel of judges and followed by a question and answer block.  Gina Health – Swipe, Match, Heal. Charlotte, NC IO – Energy IoT company. Denver, CO OpenGait Prosthetics – Developing modular, adjustable rehabilitation devices. Raleigh, NC GrowSquares – Gardens at the intersection of nature and technology. Brooklyn, NY Lara Health, Inc. – Using AI and automation to make remote healthcare available to everyone. Philadelphia, PA Davos Inc. – Lender match platform that underwrites and guarantees loans. Durham, NC BlueRecruit – Software platform connecting skilled workers to companies. Raleigh, NC Freeman Capital - Hyper-personalized wealth journeys building generational wealth for all. Charlotte, NC  The full panel of judges includes Tim Cartwright, Co-Founder and Partner of Fifth Avenue Family Office, Founder and Chair of the Tamiami Family of Angel Funds; Mike Eckert, Founder and Chairman, NO/LA Angel Network; Maneesha Ghiya, Founder and Managing Partner, FemHealth Ventures; Robbie Hardy, Founder and Chair of xElle Ventures; and Karen LeVert, Venture Partner, Pappas Capital. Mark Friedman, President and Co-founder of RTP Capital Associates, CEO of Lakeview Business Advisory, The Launch Place Seed Portfolio Manager, will serve as the Master of Ceremonies.  The Challenge is free to attend, but registration is required. Registration can be found at www.thelaunchplace.org/big-launch-challenge.  The Big Launch Challenge ‘Lite’ is taking place during Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) which is an international movement – powered by thousands of partner organizations dedicated to making it possible for anyone, anywhere to start and scale a company. The Dan River Region Entrepreneur Ecosystem (DRREE) is hosting the local GEW 2020 which will be celebrated from November 16 – 22, 2020.   The full Schedule of public GEW events can be viewed here, and, all GEW 2020 event updates can be found on the DRREE Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/EntrepreneursDanRiver/   “The Launch Place is looking forward to GEW and hosting this year’s Big Launch Challenge ‘Lite’ competition” said Eva Doss, President & CEO, The Launch Place. “We’re looking forward to providing the opportunity for company introductions and pitch feedback to start-ups from investors located across the country. Our goal is for each company to walk away with valuable insights on their pitch that can help them secure investment funding in the future” said Doss. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/187 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/187 Thu, 12 Nov 2020 09:00:00 EST Thursday, 12 November 2020 09:00:00 EST   The Launch Place has made its 22nd investment in Durham startup Pattern Health, a digital health company that accelerates digital health innovation, delivering solutions that help solve some of the most challenging health issues. The Launch Place is a venture development organization with offices in Danville, VA, and the Research Triangle Park, NC. The $250,000 investment came from their Seed Fund II.  Two of the biggest challenges in healthcare, arguably the most important segment of today's economy, are the slow pace of innovation and low success rates of translating proven research into real-world solutions that can more quickly reach and impact people's lives. These are the two main problems Pattern Health helps to solve.  Pattern Health’s solutions are designed for researchers and clinicians who are developing new and innovative ways to use technology to help solve very specific healthcare problems, benefiting people who are managing and suffering from a wide range of chronic and perioperative conditions. Delivered under a simple platform as a service model (PaaS), the ‘no-code’ solution enables researchers to create and deploy condition specific digital health programs quickly and economically, collect data more rapidly, generate evidence, and when appropriate translate those programs into real world, highly scalable solutions that can be used to improve the health and lives of more people. Data can be collected through web and native mobile apps, SMS, and a growing library of supported integrations with consumer wearables, Electronic Health Records (EHR’s), and a wide range of other third-party services and devices. Behavioral science and data-driven personalization is seamlessly integrated to increase engagement and adherence.  According to Ed Barber, Pattern Health Co-founder and CEO, the pace of innovation in the healthcare industry has been slow relative to other industries. Barber was inspired to start the company when he was working in the rapidly changing mobile industry while trying to manage his Type 1 Diabetes using comparably antiquated technologies. Along with Co-founders Ed Holzwarth and Tim Horan, two other experienced mobile and tech entrepreneurs, the team set out to build a mission-oriented company that would be focused on the double bottom line - a strong, fast growth, revenue generating technology business that delivered a meaningful social impact.  “The Pattern Health team is incredibly humbled to have our solutions adopted by many of the world's leading academic medical centers and healthcare researchers, many who spend their entire careers developing new therapies to help people suffering from a very specific healthcare condition. Digital health has created a whole new paradigm and opportunity for them, and our goal is to provide an easy to use technology platform so that researchers can focus 100% of their efforts developing and validating new and impactful interventions without having to worry about the technology,” said Barber. “And as platform utilization increases and the number of researchers and programs developed on our platform grows, we’re beginning to see the start of an interesting and exciting network-effect similar to what we saw in the mobile industry, further accelerating innovation and adoption while delivering more value for stakeholders as the network grows.”  Currently 11 of the top 20 academic medical centers and 5 of the top 10 pharmaceutical companies have licensed Pattern Health’s platforms and programs, developing more than 50 new digital health programs. In addition, 14 unique validated programs developed by leading researchers and academic medical centers, that are exclusive to Pattern Health, are available for licensing via Pattern Health’s growing Marketplace of digital health programs - including validated surveys and assessments, provider prescribed and remote monitoring programs, and clinical decision making and risk scoring algorithms. Pattern Health is HITRUST certified and HIPAA compliant to ensure the privacy and security of user information. Pattern Health is designed to be easily integrated into existing workflows and can be launched at a fraction of the cost that it takes to build a mobile health app.  “Moving forward, our goal is to continue growing the network of academic medical center, research and commercial customers licensing our platform to power their research and innovation programs, while expanding the number and types of programs that can be licensed through our marketplace, making it simpler and easier for program authors and partners to reach and impact more people with their programs,” said Barber.  The combination of a development platform and marketplace makes Pattern Health a unique solution and provides customers with support throughout the full life cycle of a digital health program. Customers using Pattern Health to develop and research new programs own the IP developed on the platform, creating longer term, economically aligned and more strategic partnerships as customers research is translated into real world solutions through Pattern Health’s Marketplace.  “An exciting part about being in the entrepreneurial space is to see the growth of startups over time,” said The Launch Place President and CEO, Eva Doss. “Not only has our team been impressed with the rate of development Pattern Health has shown, but also the adoption rate of their digital health platform and programs by leading academic medical centers, health institutions, and pharmaceutical companies. As the first institutional investor in the company, we look forward to assisting them within the healthcare sector and seeing what other innovative new digital health programs can be developed to help keep our communities well.”  Barber believes that The Launch Place is a great match for Pattern Health and looks forward to learning from their expansive network of experts nationwide as the company continues to develop and grow.    About The Launch Place: The Launch Place provides new and early stage business support services and pre-seed and seed investments for technology startups in Virginia and North Carolina. As a venture development organization with the purpose to plan, fund, launch and grow businesses, TLP helps companies to get started, or to expand their operations by providing business consulting services, office space, and by investing in them through its investment funds. www.thelaunchplace.org   About Pattern Health: At Pattern Health, we believe that thoughtfully built technology can inspire and accelerate digital health innovation to deliver more impact with less hassle.  Our flexible platform enables researchers and clinicians to translate ideas into validated real-world programs faster, easier and at lower cost. Behavioral science and data-driven personalization can be seamlessly integrated to increase engagement and adherence.  Fueled by a shared mission to help more people live healthier, happier lives, Pattern Health collaborates with researchers and clinicians across the entire life cycle of digital health — from idea to impact. https://pattern.health https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/186 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/186 Wed, 04 Nov 2020 09:00:00 EST Wednesday, 04 November 2020 09:00:00 EST The Launch Place, a venture development organization with offices in Danville, VA, and Research Triangle Park, NC, has invested $250,000 from their Seed Fund II in the transformative biomaterials startup BioAesthetics. Since it started, The Launch Place has made investments in innovative, high growth startups in the information technology, medical device, green technology, manufacturing and other sectors. BioAesthetics offers a product that exists at the intersection of biomedical engineering and breast reconstruction. The Nipple Areolar Complex (NAC) Graft is a realistic nipple that offers a permanent solution for breast cancer patients undergoing breast reconstruction after a mastectomy. The NACgraftTM allows for a patient’s cells to grow into the biologically-derived collagen graft, which creates blood vessels and skin to become a living NAC. This process is unique in the industry, as the NACgraftTM is a living structure and not a prosthetic. The graft can be transplanted by a reconstructive breast surgeon and over time will integrate into the patient’s body, without the need for immunosuppressive drugs. Dr. Nick Pashos, Founder and CEO of BioAesthetics, has a background in biomedical engineering and was a PhD candidate at Tulane University when he saw a documentary on breast removal that had a life altering effect on him. Pashos said he went and changed his focus of study, from lung regeneration to NAC regeneration, the next day and has not looked back since 2013. BioAesthetics currently holds one patent and has two pending. While the company works in the biomedical space, the NACgraftTM would typically be engrafted on patients at the end or long after their breast cancer treatment has concluded. According to the American Cancer Society, approximately 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in their lifetime, which could result in a mastectomy. The current standard for breast reconstruction is to form a nipple from flaps of breast skin and then apply coloring through tattooing. While breast cancer impacts millions of women in the US alone, this product offers a way to move forward and help a patient feel whole again. Pashos shared that BioAesthetics provides a regenerative medicine for breast cancer survivors and offers clients a product that can lift their spirits. The goal of BioAesthetics’ NACgraftTM is to help provide a total and complete breast restoration. “Quality of life products are often overlooked, but they are still important to survivors,” said Pashos. “Breast cancer is a truly terrible disease, but the nice part in reconstruction is that it is a happier side of the treatment process. Breast cancer survivors are some of the strongest individuals we have ever met, and we really enjoy meeting and working with them.” Any woman who is currently undergoing reconstructive surgery or has undergone it in the past is likely eligible for this graft. The NACgraftTM can be matched to the patient’s preference. As a living NAC, it will have a natural appearance and will feel real to the touch. The hope is that the NACgraft will be significantly covered by insurance providers as part of the patient’s breast reconstruction. The Launch Place is one of many ventures that have seen the potential of BioAesthetics. The Launch Place joins several other investors to back this product and help push it through the long journey it faces to go to clinic. “This product is different from past investments for us,” said The Launch Place President and CEO, Eva Doss, adding that both the amount of funding that BioAesthetics has been able to close and the social impact potential of the NACgraft is impressive. “We see the possibility and potential for this company and we have hope for its long-term impacts on breast cancer survivors.” The investment from Seed Fund II will help BioAesthetics solidify their manufacturing process in preparation for the clinical launch of the NACgraftTM. Pashos said that in addition to being a critical investor in their Series A seed round, The Launch Place has helped connect the company with resources and industry experts in the Danville area. ________________________________________ About The Launch Place:The Launch Place provides new and early stage business support services and pre-seed and seed investments for technology startups in Virginia and North Carolina. As a venture development organization with the purpose to plan, fund, launch and grow businesses, TLP helps companies to get started, or to expand their operations by providing business consulting services, office space, and by investing in them through its investment funds.  About BioAesthetics:BioAesthetics is a biotechnology company focused on transforming lives through advancements in biomaterials. It’s product, the Nipple Areolar Complex (NAC) Graft, encourages a patient’s cells to integrate into their body, becoming a living structure. https://bio-aesthetics.com https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/185 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/185 Mon, 05 Oct 2020 00:00:00 EST Monday, 05 October 2020 00:00:00 EST The Launch Place, a venture development organization with offices in Danville, VA, and Research Triangle Park, NC, has invested $150,000 from their Seed Fund II in Virginia-based healthcare startup Aperiomics. This marks The Launch Place’s twentieth investment since launching their first seed fund. “We’re very thrilled to have reached this benchmark,” said President and CEO of The Launch Place, Eva Doss. “Not only does this company provide a service that makes an impact during this current state of global health, but it is also a female-led company.” Aperiomics’ mission is to fundamentally shift the paradigm of infectious disease testing through Deep Shotgun Metagenomic DNA sequencing, advanced cloud computing, and artificial intelligence technology capable of identifying every pathogen known to modern science. Spun out of George Washington University in 2013 by a team of medical experts, technologists, and infectious disease researchers, Aperiomics is streamlining the diagnostics process, enabling physicians to uncover the root cause of infections with 97% sensitivity and 99.99% specificity. After going to market with their services, Aperiomics became well connected within the Virginia biotech space, where they were also introduced to members of The Launch Place. Aperiomics’ services are for patients, clinicians, as well as researchers. Their advanced infectious disease identification technology is capable of testing the widest range of clinical sample types – skin, urine, fecal, blood, spinal fluid, environmental, and more – against a database of nearly 40,000 bacteria, viruses, fungi and other pathogens. This is a powerful tool for healthcare providers and can help get a patient on the road to recovery with the correct diagnosis. This removes lost time, wasted money and years of suffering some patients may experience when using older tests that only analyze a handful of microbes at a time.  Already covered by several major insurance companies, Aperiomics’ technology is an incredibly cost-effective mechanism for testing samples against a wide range of potential infectious diseases. Work is being done to ensure that Medicare reimbursements are provided for these services as well.  “Our next-generation testing platform serves as a critically important resource for healthcare providers – ensuring their patients do not suffer unnecessarily from treatable conditions” said Aperiomics CEO and Co-Founder Dr. Crystal R. Icenhour. “We are working to disrupt personalized medicine in a profound and innovative way, and our team at Aperiomics is excited to work with The Launch Place to advance positive clinical outcomes for patients across the country.”  Aperiomics has been on the clinical market for more than 3 years and partnered with more than 1,200 healthcare providers across 24 countries. In the future, Aperiomics’ technology could be utilized for clinical trials, genetic monitoring, bio-surveillance, microbiome characterization, quality monitoring programs and more. Most recently, Aperiomics has begun leveraging their resources and expertise towards increasing testing capacity for the COVID-19 pandemic. Understanding that testing as many people as possible is key to keeping our population healthy during the coronavirus outbreak, Aperiomics is now capable of offering up to 2,500 tests per week for customers in the Loudoun, Virginia region.  With the seed funding, Aperiomics will be able to invest in marketing efforts to educate healthcare providers on the value of their technology. Now as a portfolio company of The Launch Place, they will have access to a new network of investors and potential partners, which Dr. Icenhour says is a huge validation point.  According to Doss, this investment is a long time coming. Like many of their other portfolio companies, The Launch Place kept an eye on Aperiomics after their original acquaintance until they felt they had reached the point to really make a difference within their respective market.  “We take our investments very seriously, and though our due-diligence process may have been long, we are excited to add Aperiomics to our portfolio companies,” said Doss. “Their novel technology is unmatched in the market and their products have the potential to make a real impact.”    About The Launch Place: The Launch Place provides new and early stage business support services and pre-seed and seed investments for technology startups in Virginia and North Carolina. As a venture development organization with the purpose to plan, fund, launch and grow businesses, TLP helps companies to get started, or to expand their operations by providing business consulting services, office space, and by investing in them through its investment funds. www.thelaunchplace.org   About Aperiomics: The only company of its kind and scope in the world combining advanced DNA testing, the power of big data and decades of infectious disease expertise, Aperiomics is revolutionizing the way that medical professionals around the world identify infections. Supported by the National Science Foundation, Aperiomics identifies every known bacterium, virus, fungus, and parasite through deep shotgun metagenomic sequencing, using its proprietary, world-renowned database containing nearly 40,000 microorganisms. Helping doctors and their patients identify the causes of infections that other tests cannot identify, Aperiomics streamlines the path to a positive clinical outcome. Aperiomics was named Life Science Innovator of the Year in 2016 and International Start Up of the Year in 2018.  www.aperiomics.com https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/184 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/184 Thu, 01 Oct 2020 00:00:00 EST Thursday, 01 October 2020 00:00:00 EST Today, we're excited to announce the 2020 Judges for Big Launch Challenge ‘Lite’ Pitch Competition. BLC 'Lite' will include an opportunity for 10 companies to share their pitches with a panel of 5 investors representing multiple investor groups located across the country. After each pitch, investors will have the opportunity to ask questions and provide feedback on each company’s pitch. Entrepreneurs will be able to ask investors questions about their pitches as well. TLP’s goal is for each company to walk away with valuable insights on their pitch that can help them secure investment funding in the future. Learn more about the pitch competition and how to apply here.   Tim Cartwright Co-Founder and Partner of Fifth Avenue Family Office; Founder and Chair of the Tamiami Family of Angel Funds Timothy J. Cartwright is a partner at Fifth Avenue Family Office. Fifth Avenue Family Office provides a broad range of services ranging from investment management to sophisticated estate planning, evaluation of private equity and venture investment opportunities, thoughtful multi-generational legacy transfers and lifestyle services. Mr. Cartwright serves as volunteer Treasurer of the Florida Gulf Coast University Foundation and was recently named as one of Florida Trend’s 500 Most Influential Floridians due to his venture capital and private equity activity with the Tamiami Angel Funds and Adrenaline Venture Fund. Prior, he co-founded By-Products Interactive, an electronic trading, market research and publishing company; and Benchmark Solutions, a supply chain consulting company. He began his career working with middle market companies at Arthur Andersen in Chicago, Illinois. He resides in Naples with his wife and three children. He is a softball coach, a soccer coach, and an active member of First Baptist Church of Naples. Mike Eckert Founder and Chairman of the NO/LA Angel Network Mike Eckert, a native of Chicago is a seasoned business executive and investor with particular expertise in the early-stage investment ecosystem. Mike has been an angel investor since 1997 and currently is Chairman of the NO/LA Angel Network,  a group of 115 high net-worth individuals in New Orleans. Mike is also Chairman of the Investment Committee of The Pelican Angel Fund, is on the Investment Committee of the New Orleans Start-Up Fund, and the Limited Partner Advisory Committee of the Louisiana Venture Capital Funds. He has extensive start-up experiences,  as a member of the launch team of The Weather Channel/Weater.com where he served as its President and CEO for 14 years, and which brought him to New York City and Atlanta.   He also served as Chairman and CEO of Pathfire, a leading digital video asset management and distribution company, which was acquired.   Mike was a member of the Board of Directors of the national Angel Capital Association (ACA) which is comprised of over 200 angel investing groups and 15,000 individual investors nation-wide. He served as Vice Chairman of the ACA and Chair of  ACA’s Public Policy and Strategic Planning Committees.  Mike is past Chairman of the Atlanta Technology Angels, the largest angel investment group in the Southeast, and one of the most active angel investment groups in the USA, and is a former fellow in Georgia Tech’s Advanced Technology Development Center.   Mike is a limited partner in a number of Venture Capital Funds and an active angel investor. Maneesha Ghiya Founder and Managing Partner, FemHealth Ventures Maneesha is the Founder and Managing Partner at FemHealth Ventures, which is focused on developing and growing women’s health-related companies through investment capital and strategic guidance. Maneesha has been investing in healthcare for over 20 years both on the private side as a venture capitalist as well as a healthcare specialist at hedge funds. She has invested in many public and private healthcare companies within therapeutics, medical devices, diagnostics, and digital health. Maneesha earned an MBA from Harvard Business School. She graduated summa cum laude with two bachelor’s degrees (part of the dual-degree Management and Technology Program) from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and the engineering school at the University of Pennsylvania. She is a Judge for the Harvard Business School VC Day competition and a member of Impact100 Essex. Maneesha serves on the Board of Directors for HealthyWomen.org and also serves on the Board of the University of Pennsylvania Metro Club of New Jersey. Maneesha is also a Strategic Advisor for ExSight Ventures. Maneesha’s board work includes advising healthcare start-ups on financial matters, capital raising, market sizing, strategic planning, and valuation milestones. Robbie Hardy Founder and Chair of xElle Ventures Robbie Hardy, founder and Chair of xElle Ventures, has worn many different hats during a career that has stretched from the vineyards of Napa Valley to the boardrooms of Fortune 500 companies. She’s driven a school bus, worked in both the public and non-profit sectors, served as CEO of several IT companies and founded angel funds. For more than a decade Robbie has focused on aiding entrepreneurs, especially women trying to get a company started. Her experience founding, growing, guiding and exiting successful startups herself makes her an “entrepreneurologist” by trade, a term she coined to describe both her experience and her passion. Today, Hardy is most passionate about empowering women in their careers, helping them overcome obstacles they face such as sexism, workplace politics, and self-doubt, and connecting them with strong women role models to help them succeed. In 2016, she published a book, “Upsetting the Table: Women Mentoring Women,” aimed at establishing a “girl’s club” to off-set the “boy’s club” that has for so long dominated company executive offices. In 2019, Hardy founded xElle Ventures, an angel fund network dedicated to investing in the ideas, products and services of women. The 15 women founders hope to change the fact that, although women comprise half of the workforce and own millions of businesses, companies founded by women receive only 2.3 % of venture financing. Also in 2019, Hardy initiated Empowering Women Together, a series of panel discussions designed, she says, “for ambitious women who want to invest in themselves and others.” The once a month meetings, held in Durham’s First Flight Venture Center, feature panels composed of strong, successful, confident women including scientists, lawyers, technologists, corporate execs, and business leaders, paying it forward by sharing the secrets of their success and the lessons they learned along the way. Karen LeVert CEO, Ag TechInventures  Karen LeVert is CEO of Ag TechInventures (AgTI) and also President of Southeast TechInventures (STI).  She co-founded these entities as technology innovation labs focused on further developing promising technologies from universities and spinning them off into the commercial marketplace.  AgTI has a sole focus on technology innovation in agriculture.    Ms. LeVert’s business experience encompasses both corporate and entrepreneurial worlds with over twenty-five years of successful leadership experience in start-ups, technology commercialization, and executive management.  She started her career at a Fortune-500 insurance company in positions of increasing responsibility over 14 years from computer programmer, to controller, to general manager of a 500-person Property & Casualty service center. Her first entrepreneurial venture was launching a franchise bioremediation company in 1998 that she later sold in 2001. Before co-founding STI, Karen co-founded a Silicon Valley based software company focused on recruiting in collegiate athletics.  Karen earned an MBA from the University of Dayton and an Information Technology undergraduate degree from Eastern Michigan University (while receiving All-Academic honors captaining her Division 1 basketball team).     Along with her professional duties she serves as a Board member for the North Carolina Biotechnology Center, Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina, North Carolina School of Science and Math, NC IDEA Foundation, and LCBA Life Insurance company.  She also is on the Board of Advisors for The Center of Entrepreneurship and Innovation at The Fuqua School of Business at Duke University.       Master of Ceremonies Mark Friedman  President and Co-founder of RTP Capital Associates; CEO of Lakeview Business Advisory; The Launch Place Seed Fund Advisory Board Mark Friedman is a founding member and President of RTP Capital Associates, Inc., an angel investor network based in Research Triangle Park, NC. Mark is currently CEO of Lakeview Business Advisory and Management, Inc. Additionally, he is an Executive Advisor to Excelerate Health Ventures Fund II and a member of the Seed Stage Advisory Board for the Launch Place. He is also chairman of the nationwide series of educational conferences--the Mid-Sized Retirement and Plan Management Conferences. Mark has been involved with many entrepreneurial and later stage businesses in senior operating roles or as an investor/adviser. He served as CEO of Cutting Edge Information, LLC, a leader in providing Fair Market Value databases and market research to the pharmaceutical industry. Earlier, Mark was a member of the senior management team and Vice President of Development for Affordable Care, Inc, one of the largest dental support organizations in the country having affiliation with more than 260 Affordable Dentures and Implants practices in 39 states. Before that, Mark was COO and Director of UAI Technology and its Phoenix-Hecht, University Conference Services and Alexander Business Suites divisions as well as past President of Mid-Jersey Realty, LLC. He was also president of Garden State Dental, LLC, a Dental Support Organization, and Group Dental Health Administrators, Inc., a dental insurance company, and President of Leonard Financial Planning Systems. He has his bachelor’s degree from the University of Rochester, his MBA from Duke University and holds the Certified Financial Planner designation. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/183 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/183 Tue, 15 Sep 2020 00:00:00 EST Tuesday, 15 September 2020 00:00:00 EST The Launch Place, a venture development organization with offices in Danville, VA, and Research Triangle Park, NC, has invested $75,000 from their Pre-Seed Fund II in Virginia-based KinergyCare.   KinergyCare provides a low cost, patient-centric health care experience through collaboration between technology, health care professionals, patients and their caregivers. The company was started as a passion project by founder Gail Embt, who became the primary caregiver for her mother who was battling Alzheimer’s disease. During this time in her life she came to a conclusion that there had to be a better way to help patients manage their health outside of a health care setting.  By connecting with hospitals and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) KinergyCare identifies qualified Medicare patients and deploys Community Health Workers to assist with care coaching and coordination, which Medicare programs provide reimbursement for. These workers not only assist patients with managing their health, but also help address what are called social determinants of health, such as coordinating needs in transportation or housing.  KinergyCare combines this support with a unique focus on health care data collection to better identify and address unmet patient needs. The end result is improved health and a reduction in emergency room visits. This service is a low cost solution that many hospitals and other care providers cannot currently offer patients.   “Our goal is to be an extension of a practice,” said KinergyCare CEO Arthur Spivy. “We hire within the local community to better identify with and support patients in their area.  Our unique local focus includes supporting hospitals and Federally Qualified Health Centers in the same area, creating a natural synergy of addressing patient issues early enough that we can reduce emergency room visits significantly.”  Currently, KinergyCare is serving more than 200 patients in Southwest Virginia and has hired a team of six staff from that area.  The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) recognizes the work Community Health Workers do to bridge the gap between the health care system and members of the community. The Virginia Community Health Worker Advisory Group, which Spivy serves on, has been working over the past several years to build educational tools and other resources to effectively sustain the Community Health Worker workforce in the state.  “The work of expanding this valuable network of individuals within the commonwealth’s health care system has been a great collaborative effort between the health care community and private sector partners,” said VDH Health Director Dr. Scott Spillmann. “The number of patients in our communities that qualify for Medicare reimbursement is a driving force behind the workforce development and health care policy recommendations.” By tapping into these underutilized resources within communities, KinergyCare’s care coordination solution has the potential to serve a network of 32 million patients nationwide.   With the investment from The Launch Place, KinergyCare hopes to continue building their workforce by training more Community Health Workers, expand their network of health care providers and developing a pilot program in the Danville region that offers additional support services, such as additional support services for Medicaid recipients. The team hopes that their pilot program will act as a model for the rest of the Commonwealth of Virginia as KinergyCare works to expand across southern Virginia and potentially into North Carolina.  “Start-ups in the health care industry like KinergyCare have offered strong investment opportunities for The Launch Place in the past,” said President and CEO of The Launch Place, Eva Doss. “We helped our investment portfolio companies focused on health care, health tech and medical devices facilitate introductions to local and regional hospitals, as well as other investors throughout the Southeast. We are keeping our eye on KinergyCare and hope to be able to carry on investing in the future as they achieve their expansion goals.”  While KinergyCare is primarily a virtual company at this time, according to Spivy the company hopes to set up a hub office in Danville. Their team holds virtual meetings daily to discuss ongoing work and problem-solve. “Every day during our meetings we discover a big impact that a member of our team has made with a patient, including a number of exceptional efforts that probably saved someone’s life,” said Spivy. “This is a heartwarming and much needed service.”     About The Launch Place: The Launch Place provides new and early stage business support services and pre-seed and seed investments for technology startups in Virginia and North Carolina. As a venture development organization with the purpose to plan, fund, launch and grow businesses, TLP helps companies to get started, or to expand their operations by providing business consulting services, office space, and by investing in them through its investment funds.   About KinergyCare: KinergyCare bridges the gap between health care providers and patients by facilitating low cost care coaching and coordination. KinergyCare envisions a model where better health comes through collaboration and empowerment of all members of the health care team including the patient and family caregivers. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/182 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/182 Tue, 08 Sep 2020 00:00:00 EST Tuesday, 08 September 2020 00:00:00 EST There are many goals for organizing the annual Big Launch Challenge business plan competition, but one of the most important goals is to connect entrepreneurs with investors. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused much disruption across the world and has eliminated many entrepreneurship events. The Launch Place (TLP) shares many characteristics of entrepreneurs such as innovation, flexibility and adaptiveness and therefore has decided to host the Big Launch Challenge ‘Lite’ edition.  The Launch Place strives to foster an environment for new and serial entrepreneurs to raise capital and garner the support system needed to take their products and/or solutions into the marketplace. Although there will not be a pitch competition with prize money awarded in 2020, The Launch Place is focused on fostering the support system entrepreneurs need by providing the opportunity for company introductions to investors. This year’s BLC ‘Lite’ edition will include an opportunity for 10 companies to share their pitches with a panel of 5 investors representing multiple investor groups located across the country. After each pitch, investors will have the opportunity to ask questions and provide feedback on each company’s pitch. Entrepreneurs will be able to ask investors questions about their pitches as well. TLP’s goal is for each company to walk away with valuable insights on their pitch that can help them secure investment funding in the future.  Companies interested in participating must complete an application. The top 10 companies will be invited to pitch virtually to the panel of judges on Tuesday, November 18, 2020. Applications can be found at http://www.thelaunchplace.org/big-launch-challenge. Deadline to apply is October 5, 2020. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/181 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/181 Mon, 03 Aug 2020 00:00:00 EST Monday, 03 August 2020 00:00:00 EST (August 3, 2020, Raleigh, NC)  Panaceutics Nutrition Inc., a provider of personalized nutrition products, today announced the general availability of its i-Vive branded nutritional support products. i-Vive products are tailored to meet specific nutritional goals that Panaceutics customers have identified as important to their health.  The first product released is i-Vive Immune Support, a nutrition product designed to help support immune health.  Panaceutics anticipates releasing more products that address specific health needs in the next few months. Panaceutics Nutrition is a leader in customized and personalized nutrition, leveraging years of research in formulations and automation to create personalized nutrition products. Due to our research and technology, our products combine a range of micro- and macro-nutrients, fibers and other helpful nutrients in a single serving that is easy to use, can be consumed anywhere, and tastes great. “Through our work with channel partners, we have demonstrated the ability to create truly personalized nutritional products.  The i-Vive brand allows us to create products for specific needs or customer segments that may not need complete personalization initially,” said Edison Hudson, the company’s founder and CTO. “Our i-Vive products have the same benefits as our personalized products – combining great nutrition with a convenience and flexibility unmatched by other nutrition products, in an exceptionally tasty fruit puree.” The i-Vive Immune Support products can be purchased on the i-Vive brand website (www.i-vive.com).  The Immune Support product was specifically formulated to provide nutrients that support immune health, including vitamins A, B complex, C and D, minerals such as selenium and zinc, and other ingredients demonstrated to provide immune support, such as elderberry concentrates and beta-glucan. About i-Vive i-Vive is a brand within the Panaceutics Nutrition company, created to provide customized nutrition products to meet specific health or customer segment needs.  You can learn more about i-Vive, or purchase i-Vive Immune Support at www.i-vive.com About Panaceutics Nutrition Inc. Panaceutics® is the registered trademark of Panaceutics Nutrition Inc. The company was founded in 2018 in Research Triangle Park, NC by Edison Hudson, a robotics inventor and entrepreneur with multiple exits, and Lloyd Staton Noel III, a pharmacologist with 20 years in drug development at Glaxo Smith Kline.  Based on its deep intellectual property and automated processes, Panaceutics can provide a spectrum of nutritional products from mass customization to products personalized to an individual, giving consumers the nutrition they need, safely and conveniently.  For more information visit: www.panaceutics.com.   https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/180 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/180 Tue, 21 Jul 2020 00:00:00 EST Tuesday, 21 July 2020 00:00:00 EST DANVILLE, VA – July 20, 2020 – After much evaluation and consideration due to the COVID-19 pandemic, The Launch Place has decided to cancel IdeaFest 2020 which had originally been postponed in March.  The IdeaFest pitch competition not only introduces the Dan River Region to entrepreneurs and investors, it also exposes The Launch Place’s services and investment funds to start-up companies that are seeking early stage capital. The Launch Place could potentially invest in IdeaFest competitors from its Seed and Pre-Seed Funds. IdeaFest attendees also learn about the region's entrepreneurial ecosystem resources, have the opportunity to network with a wide range of business professionals, and can explore entrepreneurship as a career option. Since most of the above cannot be accomplished by organizing a virtual event, The Launch Place made the difficult decision to cancel the 2020 competition and will seek to hold it in 2021. Applicants for the 2020 IdeaFest pitch competition will automatically have their applications transferred to the 2021 competition.  Nonetheless, The Launch Place is developing ways for our entrepreneurs to gain insights on how to pitch to investors. A new virtual event will be held replacing the annual Big Launch Challenge business plan pitch competition set for November 10, 2020. More details coming soon! https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/179 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/179 Mon, 20 Jan 2020 00:00:00 EST Monday, 20 January 2020 00:00:00 EST     7th Annual IdeaFest Business Pitch Competition - Postponed Danville, VA, March 12, 2020 – Based on the latest developments regarding the Coronavirus (COVID-19), today The Launch Place and its Seed Fund Advisory Board have decided to postpone its 7th annual IdeaFest business pitch competition scheduled for April 2, 2020 to a later date. The health and safety of our attendees, presenters, judges, and organizers are our top priorities; and we think that this is the safest decision for everyone. We will notify everybody once we have a new date selected. Thank you for your understanding and co-operation. IdeaFest is a Business Pitch Competition where 20 finalists will pitch their startup idea to a panel of judges and a live audience.  The top three competitors will be awarded $5,000 for first place, $3,000 for second place and $2,000 for third place. Winners of the competition will also be eligible to receive twenty-five hours of free business consulting from The Launch Place. The Launch Place, assists with business formation, job creation and retention through its business consulting services and investment funding, while having a dual responsibility to recruit and retain entrepreneurs to the Dan River Region. The IdeaFest competition exposes The Launch Place’s services and funds to start-up companies that are ready to establish or seeking early stage capital. The Launch Place could potentially invest in the company from its Seed and Pre-Seed Funds. Awards 1st Place $5,000 2nd Place $3,000 3rd Place $2,000 IdeaFest is free and open to the public. Attendees are encouraged to attend any part of the day’s activities. Community members of all ages and professions are invited to attend to learn about the region's startup development resources, to network with a wide range of business professionals and to explore entrepreneurship as a career option. Deadline EXTENDED to Apply: March 15 The applications will stay open until March 15th. Applications will be reopened for updates and new applications 6 weeks prior to the newly selected date.       View a summary of the 2019 Pitch Competition For additional information, contact Varun Sadana at vsadana@thelaunchplace.org. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/178 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/178 Tue, 07 Jan 2020 12:00:00 EST Tuesday, 07 January 2020 12:00:00 EST FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE DANVILLE, Va. (January 7, 2020) –Five years ago, Danville, Virginia based investment fund, The Launch Place invested $40,000 from their Pre-Seed Fund to help early stage wearable tech startup FokusLabs (now Revibe Technologies) conduct research and develop their prototype. During the last 5 years, the company has grown, the name has changed and the prototype has become a highly rated product, the partnership has remained strong and The Launch Place invested an additional $250,000 from its Seed Fund 2. Revibe Technologies started out as a dream for CEO Rich Brancaccio to help students with attention disorders or who exhibit inattentive behavior succeed. As a school psychologist working with children with ADHD and on the autism spectrum, Brancaccio saw a tremendous need for tools that positively help students overcome obstacles that make completing school work challenging. With nothing currently on the market, he took it upon himself to create one, learning how to code algorithms and build product prototypes on his own. The 2015 investment by The Launch Place helped expedite Revibe Technologies’ early product development. “The Launch Place name is very fitting because they were the catalyst that literally helped to launch our company and have helped Revibe Technologies fulfill our mission since the beginning,” said Brancaccio.  Revibe Technologies’ latest product, “Revibe Connect” is a smart watch that uses machine learning to send vibration signals to remind the wearer to stay focused and achieve their best work independently inside and out of the classroom. The watch learns the user’s needs an adapts itself accordingly. Though the watch’s main consumers are students, it is also marketed as a resource for teachers, schools and parents. Besides the focus vibration reminders, Revibe’s key features include date and time display, step counting, splash-resistant hardware and an app that shows metrics of the wearer’s daily activity (e.g., attention span, fidgeting, etc.). “One thing I enjoy about investing in and working with startups at The Launch Place is seeing how the companies grow and expand over the months and years we partner with them,” said Eva Doss, The Launch Place President and CEO. “The Launch Place was the first institutional investor of Revibe; we took an early risk, and it has been a pleasure watching Revibe Technologies grow to where they are now, and I look forward to seeing what the future holds for them.” To date, The Launch Place has invested $4.3 million in 17 portfolio companies. It also provides valuable business resources from its offices in Danville, VA, and the Research Triangle Park, NC. The Launch Place has traditionally invested in companies that align with the advanced manufacturing, IT, medical technology and other high growth industries. According to Brancaccio, one component of the partnership that Revibe Technologies is looking forward to is meeting The Launch Place’s Danville connections in the packaging and distribution space. With a product on the market, they are looking to expand the scale of their operations. “The Launch Place has already helped us proliferate fundraising efforts and gain capital through their extensive network of investors,” said Brancaccio. “Their help has allowed our company to grow bigger and better, and we’re confident their expertise will help us continue to scale our business well into the future.” Revibe Connect currently has a 4.2 star rating with more than 300 consumer reviews. The technology was built through insight from hundreds of case studies and the watch has improved the educational outcomes of thousands of students across the United States.   For Media: Photo Downloads About The Launch PlaceThe Launch Place, funded through grants by the Danville Regional Foundation, provides new and early-stage business support services and seed funding for the Danville City and Pittsylvania County region of Virginia and Caswell County in North Carolina. As an entrepreneurship development organization with the purpose to plan, fund, launch and grow businesses, TLP helps companies to get started or to expand their operations by providing business consulting services, office space, and by investing in them through its investment funds. For more information visit: www.thelaunchplace.org About Revibe TechnologiesRevibe Technologies is passionate about leveraging technology to help children and adults with various difficulties overcome obstacles in order to succeed in life. Their product, the Revibe Connect, is a machine learning-powered wearable that provides personalized vibrations optimized for each user to increase focus, while tracking various metrics that provide actionable data through historical and predictive analytics. Revibe Technologies hopes to be a resource for students, parents, teachers, schools and clinicians. https://revibetech.com/ https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/177 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/177 Mon, 25 Nov 2019 00:00:00 EST Monday, 25 November 2019 00:00:00 EST The Launch Place will host the NC Small Business and Technology Development Center (SBTDC)'s  "Becoming an Investor-Ready Entrepreneur" workshop on January 16, 2020 at Regional Center for Advanced Technology & Training (RCATT) in Danville, VA. Many small businesses need to raise money from investors at some point in their lives.  Are you and your business prepared to take this leap? Join investors and companies that have successfully raised capital for a full day of discussion. LEARN ABOUT: Investor expectations and norms The equity funding landscape and the key players How to position your company for a successful raise How investors approach valuation and structure deals INVESTOR PANELISTS: Eva Doss, The Launch Place Kip Johnson, Morningstar Law Group Ed Pettiss, Director, Vice President and Treasurer, RTP Capital REGISTRATION: Update - Free to attend SOLD OUT   Keynote Lunch Speaker:Rich Brancaccio, CEO Revibe Technologies (The Launch Place's PreSeed Fund portfolio company), will share his experience starting and growing Revibe Technologies including his experience working with investors and raising capital.  Revibe Technologies is on a mission to leverage technology to drive improved outcomes in Focus and Attention for Kids, Parents, Teachers, and Researchers. The Revibe Connect is a Machine Learning-powered wearable that provides personalized vibrations optimized for each user to increase focus, while tracking various metrics (e.g. Attention Span, Fidgeting, etc.) to provide actionable data through historical and predictive analytics. Revibe has begun thoughtfully disrupting behavioral intervention and data collection for schools, parents and clinicians and has improved the educational outcomes of tens of thousands kids across the United States. About Rich: Rich spent much of his career working as a school psychologist specializing in autism spectrum disorders, serving on several school district autism evaluation teams. Rich is truly passionate about helping children with various difficulties overcome obstacles to attain success. He has personally evaluated hundreds of children with various developmental needs and provided consultation and insight for over one thousand cases. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/176 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/176 Mon, 28 Oct 2019 00:00:00 EST Monday, 28 October 2019 00:00:00 EST The Launch Place (TLP) is pleased to announce that Mark Friedman has joined the organization to serve as its Portfolio Manager. The Portfolio Manager is primarily responsible for monitoring the performance of TLP’s Pre-Seed and Seed Fund portfolio companies. In this capacity, Mark will oversee TLP’s portfolio companies compliance with the terms of The Launch Place’s investments and meet agreed upon milestones, assist with additional fund-raising, analyze portfolio company financial and operational projections, help with business development efforts as well as focus on regional partnering opportunities.  “Mark’s proven track record, investment knowledge, skills and experience will bring added value to our organization and to our portfolio companies’ future performance and success,” said Eva Doss, The Launch Place President and CEO. “We are looking forward to proactively work with our portfolio companies to determine how The Launch Place can continue to support them in areas such as market research, business planning, financing, personnel recruitment, business development, and their overall scale-up,” said Doss.  Mark is a founding member and President of RTP Capital Associates, Inc., an angel investor network based in the Research Triangle Park, NC and is the CEO of Lakeview Business Advisory and Management, Inc. Additionally, he is an Executive Advisor to Excelerate Health Ventures Fund II and Chairman of the nationwide series of educational conferences--the Mid-Sized Retirement and Healthcare Plan Management Conferences.  Mark has been involved with many entrepreneurial and later stage businesses in senior operating roles, or as an investor/adviser.  He served as CEO of Cutting Edge Information, LLC, a leader in providing Fair Market Value databases and market research to the pharmaceutical industry.  Earlier, Mark was a member of the senior management team and Vice President of Development for Affordable Care, Inc., one of the largest dental support organizations in the country having affiliations with more than 260 Affordable Dentures and Implants practices in 39 states. He also was the Chief Operating Officer for UAI Technology for a number of years prior to joining Affordable Care.  He has his bachelor’s degree from the University of Rochester, his Master of Business Administration from Duke University and holds the Certified Financial Planner designation.  “I’ve had the opportunity to work with The Launch Place through various investments over the past few years and have great respect for the organization,” states Friedman.  “I’m excited to work with the TLP team and their interesting group of portfolio companies and help them achieve their objectives." https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/175 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/175 Thu, 10 Oct 2019 00:00:00 EST Thursday, 10 October 2019 00:00:00 EST Entrepreneur Ecosystem Coordinator Job Description: The Dan River Region (DRR) Entrepreneur Ecosystem, under the leadership of The Launch Place (fiscal agent) and the Danville Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce, is looking for a competent and capable individual who will focus on the mission-related activities and critical relationships that create a healthy, effective and robust ecosystem. Reporting to the Ecosystem Advisory Committee about all aspects of his/her job performance, and specifically to The Launch Place President and CEO regarding all accounting, reporting, financial and budgetary matters, this individual will be responsible for guiding the ecosystem along the critical developmental path, convening, communicating and coordinating regional and hyperlocal stakeholders. The DRR Ecosystem has been intentionally building its ecosystem since early 2014, in order to create pathways to push momentum forward, break down silos and facilitate opportunities for entrepreneurs across our region to collide in new and innovative ways. We are working on developing and connecting places, people and programs that will move our ecosystem forward. Responsibilities: Provide a point of contact for entrepreneur activity throughout the Dan River Region Plan, organize and lead the Entrepreneur Ecosystem Advisory Committee meetings with local resource providers, stakeholders and entrepreneurs (6-12 annually) Build trust and relationships with local entrepreneurs and entrepreneurial service providers Provide constant contact with stakeholders, resource providers and entrepreneurs via the development of a comprehensive communication strategy Oversee website, social media, and public relations communications including spotlights of local entrepreneurs In partnership with ecosystem stakeholders, plan, organize and facilitate inclusive programmatic events that empower and support all entrepreneurs. Examples may include small business workshops, networking activities, pitch contests and educational forums. Work with Danville Community College to develop the Steam-Pipe program focused on youth entrepreneurship Help identify leaders in the entrepreneurial community while building a strong network of entrepreneurs Develop a marketing campaign to promote local entrepreneurs with focus on inclusion and to create awareness of the resources available to underserved populations Analyze national and local trends in entrepreneurship and how they can be utilized regional and hyper-locally Recommend annual budget to Advisory Committee based on the parameters of the Danville Regional Foundation grant and subsequently operate within it Understand the activities of hyperlocal entrepreneur groups in all three regions of the service area (Caswell County, NC, Danville, VA, and Pittsylvania County, VA) Work with city, town and county governments and policy makers to provide information on policies that help or hinder entrepreneurship Explore and work with partners to foster and grow markets that help entrepreneurs succeed such as retail, online direct customer or wholesale opportunities            Abilities and skills: Education – bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, or related field. Experience with starting a company and engaging with entrepreneurs is preferred Excellent communication skills Ability to lead through inspired collaboration Budget management Event planning Collaborate with stakeholders on financial investments into the ecosystem work Meeting facilitation, agenda formation and effective presentation in the meetings Effective communication before, during and after meetings Research skills Community visioning Strong computer skills Self-disciplined and organized Comfortably work with public, private and non-profit sectors while remaining a neutral stakeholder in ecosystem   Apply online at http://bit.ly/DRR_EcosystemJob. Deadline to Apply Extended: December 15, 2019 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/174 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/174 Thu, 26 Sep 2019 00:00:00 EST Thursday, 26 September 2019 00:00:00 EST The Danville Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce, the River District Association, Danville Community College and Longwood Small Business Development Center, with infrastructure support from The Launch Place, today announce that a grant has been awarded by Danville Regional Foundation to enhance the local entrepreneurial ecosystem in the Dan River Region (DRR). The entrepreneurial ecosystem is designed to help any business – no matter their size – find help to grow, sustain and enhance their business within the DRR community.  Since 2014, the co-applicants have collaborated with the intention of building and cultivating an entrepreneurial ecosystem (encompassing main street businesses to high-tech start-ups) and have collected data, mapped assets and identified gaps to determine what’s needed to advance the ecosystem. An ecosystem coordinator, housed at The Launch Place, will work with regional partners to continue the development of a robust ecosystem by providing intentional entrepreneurial programming for women and people of color; cultivating a pipeline for youth entrepreneurship; and developing robust support mechanisms for entrepreneurs facing isolation.  “Across the nation, strong ecosystems allow entrepreneurs to quickly find resources and connections they need to thrive and succeed,” said Eva Doss, President & CEO of The Launch Place. “Our region has many strong ecosystem partners and this grant will allow us to formalize the ecosystem structure in order to assist entrepreneurs so they can prosper at each step of establishing and growing their business,” said Doss.  “The Chamber is excited to continue its work with small businesses and entrepreneurs throughout the region by expanding the Dream Launch program into the entire City of Danville and to Pittsylvania County,” said Alexis Ehrhardt, President & CEO of the Danville Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce. “We have witnessed the success of business pitch competitions in the River District and through the Barkhouser Free Enterprise Center at DCC, and know this is a critical piece of a developed ecosystem.”  Healthy, diverse, and inclusive ecosystems allow talent, information, and resources to flow quickly to entrepreneurs when they need it. This region has a strong entrepreneurial history to build on and strong partners working towards the region’s transformation.   The Launch Place strives to foster an environment for new and serial entrepreneurs to raise capital and garner the support system needed to take their products and/or solutions into the market place. By doing so, The Launch Place has positioned the Dan River Region to become once again a hub for innovation. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/173 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/173 Thu, 12 Sep 2019 00:00:00 EST Thursday, 12 September 2019 00:00:00 EST The Launch Place received 129 applications for its 6th Annual Big Launch Challenge Pitch Competition from various start-up companies located in the US and abroad. The top 10 competitors took the stage and presented their innovative business ideas in the Research Triangle Park, NC today.  Winner of this year’s competition was Intake who was awarded a $15,000 cash prize. Intake is a digital health company that provides automatic daily health checkups with professional medical monitoring for proactive intervention. They do this by using a patent-pending technology to measure health biomarkers from urine. Their connected device hangs over the toilet to automatically collect and test urine directly from the bowl with diagnostic level accuracy. Intake believe’s closing the feedback loop between lifestyle choice and health outcomes will empower people to make small course correcting decisions that lead to improved long-term health outcomes.  Second place and a $5,000 cash award went to Optimal Solar. Optimal Solar sells a high efficiency solar module to industrial and utility customers. They offer them a lower cost for their energy spend at a reduced footprint. Their customers therefore have a higher rate of return on their power plant investments. They convert just over 40% of incoming light into electricity through a patent pending process and provide consultative sales.  Competition winners will also receive access to several resources provided by The Launch Place, including training, networking, and mentorship. The Launch Place, located in the River District of Danville, VA and at the First Flight Venture Center in the RTP, NC provides new and early-stage business support services and seed funding to start-up companies.  “The Big Launch Challenge exposes The Launch Place’s services and funds to start-up companies that are ready to launch, or are seeking early stage capital” said Eva Doss, President and CEO, The Launch Place. “The Launch Place Pre-Seed and Seed Fund could potentially invest in the company.”  Each finalist was given eight minutes to present their business plans to a panel of judges followed by a short question and answer block.  6AM City - Redefining the local media landscape. Greenville, SC Hite Health Solutions - Innovation in feminine hygiene serving women’s health & wellness. Burlington, NC Intake - Health empowerment through automated preventive care. Raleigh, NC Kamana - Empowering healthcare employers to efficiently manage and fill critical staffing needs. Richmond, VA Microbial Biosensors, Inc. - New technology to rapidly detect bacterial contamination in food & animal feed. Durham, NC Muuktest - Helps software companies build products faster without armies of test engineers. Raleigh, NC Optimal Solar - Maker of the highest efficiency solar module. Durham, NC PureSurgery - Improving elective surgery experience through digital health powered pathways. Charlotte, NC Point 93 - Allows consumers to exchange their data with retailers for micro price adjustments. Roanoke, VA VerusTitle - Automated & AI enabled underwriting and pricing of title insurance. Durham, NC This year, the Challenge was held at the conclusion of the Angel Capital Association’s (ACA) Southeast Regional Meeting. ACA, the world's largest professional organization for accredited investors, in partnership with RTP Capital Associates, Inc. and The Launch Place, hosted a two-day conference from September 10th to 11th for accredited investors that focused on improving investments and building and growing entrepreneurial ecosystems. The meeting included deep dive sessions on building an entrepreneurial ecosystem and key investment topics such as syndication, valuation, due diligence, and portfolio diversification.  The full panel of judges included Elaine Bolle, RTP Capital Associates, Investment Chair and Board member, Angel Capital Association, Board Member; Tim Cartwright, Co-Founder and Partner of Fifth Avenue Family Office, Founder and Chair of the Tamiami Family of Angel Funds; Marty Kaszubowski,  Executive Director for Innovation Initiatives, Institute for Innovation & Entrepreneurship, Old Dominion University, Chair of The Launch Place Board of Directors; Paul Nolde, Director, NRV, The Launch Place Seed Fund Advisory Board member; and Autumn Visser, Principal, Woods Rogers, PLC. Mark Friedman, President and Co-founder of RTP Capital Associates; CEO of Lakeview Business Advisory, The Launch Place Seed Fund Advisory Board member, served as the Master of Ceremonies. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/172 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/172 Tue, 03 Sep 2019 00:00:00 EST Tuesday, 03 September 2019 00:00:00 EST Today, The Launch Place, a lead entrepreneurial development organization based in Danville, VA with a satellite office in the Research Triangle Park, is pleased to announce the top 10 finalists who will be pitching their businesses on stage at the sixth annual Big Launch Challenge held on September 11th in the Research Triangle Park. This competition provides startups with valuable business networking and investment opportunities where two will walk away with checks totaling $20,000.  These finalists will be given eight minutes to present their business plans to a panel of judges and followed by a short question and answer block.  6AM City - Redefining the local media landscape. Greenville, SC Hite Health Solutions - Innovation in feminine hygiene while serving women's health and wellness. Burlington, NC Intake - Health empowerment through automated preventive care. Raleigh, NC Kamana - Empowering healthcare employers to efficiently manage and fill critical staffing needs. Richmond, VA Microbial Biosensors, Inc. - New technology to rapidly detect bacterial contamination in food and animal feed. Durham, NC Muuktest - Helps software companies build products faster without armies of test engineers. Raleigh, NC Optimal Solar - Maker of the highest efficiency solar module. Durham, NC PureSurgery - Digital platform for optimizing patients before, during, and after surgery. Charlotte, NC Point 93 - Offers dynamic pricing and data exchange for the retail industry. Roanoke, VA VerusTitle - AI enabled processing of title insurance. Durham, NC This year, the Challenge will be held at the conclusion of the Angel Capital Association’s (ACA) Southeast Regional Meeting. ACA, the world's largest professional organization for accredited investors, in partnership with RTP Capital Associates, Inc. and The Launch Place, will host a two-day conference from September 10th to 11th for accredited investors that will focus on building and growing investment and entrepreneurial ecosystems. The agenda focuses on “Taking Good Deeds to the Bank: Making Angel Investing Pay Off”.  The meeting includes deep dive sessions on building an entrepreneurial ecosystem and key investment topics such as syndication, valuation, due diligence, and portfolio diversification. The full panel of judges include Elaine Bolle, RTP Capital Associates, Investment Chair and Board Member, Angel Capital Association, Board Member; Tim Cartwright, Co-Founder and Partner of Fifth Avenue Family Office, Founder and Chair of the Tamiami Family of Angel Funds; Marty Kaszubowski,  Executive Director for Innovation Initiatives, Institute for Innovation & Entrepreneurship, Old Dominion University, Chair of The Launch Place Board of Directors; Paul Nolde, Director, NRV, The Launch Place Seed Fund Advisory Board member; and Autumn Visser, Principal, Woods Rogers, PLC. Mark Friedman, President and Co-founder of RTP Capital Associates; CEO of Lakeview Business Advisory, The Launch Place Seed Fund Advisory Board member, will serve as the Master of Ceremonies.  The Challenge is free to attend, but registration is required. Registration can be found at www.thelaunchplace.org/big-launch-challenge.  “The goal of the Big Launch Challenge is to provide early-stage startups the opportunity to pitch their ideas to investors, and for The Launch Place Pre-Seed and Seed Fund to generate deal flow,” says The Launch Place President and CEO, Eva Doss. “Every year it is a different experience, with different business ideas and founding teams, and I look forward to hearing the pitches.”  Competition winners will also receive access to several resources provided by The Launch Place, including training, networking, and mentorship. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/170 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/170 Mon, 19 Aug 2019 00:00:00 EST Monday, 19 August 2019 00:00:00 EST   The Angel Capital Association (ACA), the world's largest professional organization for accredited investors, in partnership with RTP Capital Associates, Inc. and The Launch Place, will host a two-day conference from September 10th to 11th for accredited investors that will focus on building and growing investment and entrepreneurial ecosystems. The 2019 ACA Southeast Regional Meeting will take place in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. Immediately following the regional meeting, The Launch Place will hold its 6th annual Big Launch Challenge pitch competition.  This year’s agenda focuses on “Taking Good Deeds to the Bank: Making Angel Investing Pay Off”.  The meeting includes deep dive sessions on building an entrepreneurial ecosystem and key investment topics such as syndication, valuation, due diligence, and portfolio diversification. Ted Zoller, T.W. Lewis Clinical Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship and Director of the Entrepreneurship Center of the University of North Carolina will deliver the keynote. Two ACA Education sessions are included in the conference—Fundamentals of Angel Investing and Term Sheet Basics.   Active angel investors representing over 25 southeastern ACA member groups have already registered.  The conference allows attendees to connect with other key investors to share expertise and deals.  “ACA regional meetings have always provided value for angel investors, whether new or more experienced,” said Elaine Bolle, RTP Capital Investment Committee Chair, ACA board member and conference co-chair. “It’s an excellent opportunity for experienced investors to connect with other angel networks, key industry leaders, or if new to angel investing, simply learn and network with other regional investors.”  Pat Gouhin, CEO of the ACA, added “we know that angel investors are a critical piece to the successful growth of an innovation ecosystem. The Angel Capital Association is pleased to work with RTP Capital Associates and The Launch Place to provide this unique opportunity for new and active investors to connect with smart investment practices rooted in the Southeast market. Most angels invest in companies near to them or alongside trusted co-investors and this event is an opportunity for angels to build important connections with like-minded regional investors.”  Attendees will hear panels packed with peer investors where they will share experiences in angel investing. Panelists will discuss examples of entrepreneurial ecosystems in their respective communities, as well as compare the differences between large cities, rural communities, and university driven localities to see how entities such as angels, accelerators, economic development organizations, venture capitalists and other entrepreneurial support organizations have come together.  RTP Capital Associates, the largest private angel network in the Triangle, is actively involved in growing angel investing in the region.  “We are thrilled to be hosting angel investors from throughout the southeast for this event,” indicates RTP Capital President and conference co-chair Mark Friedman.  “We’re proud to be part of the ecosystem that’s developed in the Triangle region and are looking forward to hearing many of the ways other southeastern groups have developed ecosystems in their areas, learn from each other and enhance the way we all work together in the future.”   “We are excited to be co-hosting this year’s regional meeting,” said Eva Doss, The Launch Place President & CEO and conference co-chair. “This experience helps The Launch Place build our network of investors. The connections made at events like this are invaluable and the information shared will help drive the entrepreneurial ecosystem.”  The Launch Place’s 6th annual Big Launch Challenge is a pitch competition where aspiring startups could win up to $15,000 for their company, as well as training, networking opportunities and mentorship for the entrepreneurs.  This event immediately follows the regional conference, beginning at 1:30pm on September 11th. Not only does the competition offer entrepreneurs exposure for their brands, but it provides constructive feedback on their ideas and builds lasting and valuable connections. The pitch competition is free and open to the public to attend. Registration can be found at www.thelaunchplace.org/big-launch-challenge.  Registration information for the 2019 ACA Southeast Regional Meeting can be found at https://angelcapital.swoogo.com/19se.   About the Angel Capital Association (ACA): ACA is the professional association of angel investors across North America and offers education, best practices, public policy advocacy, and significant benefits and resources to its membership of more than 14,000 accredited investors, who invest individually or through its 250 angel groups, accredited platforms, and family offices. For more information, visit: www.angelcapitalassociation.org or contact Sarah Dickey at sdickey@angelcapitalassociation.org. About The Launch Place (TLP): The Launch Place, funded through grants by the Danville Regional Foundation, provides new and early-stage business support services and seed funding for the Danville City and Pittsylvania County region of Virginia and Caswell County in North Carolina. As an entrepreneurship development organization with the purpose to plan, fund, launch and grow businesses, TLP helps companies to get started or to expand their operations by providing business consulting services, office space, and by investing in them through its investment funds. For more information visit: www.thelaunchplace.org or contact Eva Doss at edoss@thelaunchplace.org. About RTP Capital Associates, Inc.: RTP Capital is a group of accredited angel investors who evaluate early stage investment opportunities, pool resources and expertise, socialize, and make a difference. The group engages with a wide variety of opportunities and provides insight, guidance, and other strategic resources for seed and early-stage companies primarily in the Southeastern US. For more information about RTP Capital visit http://www.rtpcapital.org or contact Elaine Bolle at ebolle@rtpcapital.org or Mark Friedman at mfriedman@rtpcapital.org.   https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/171 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/171 Mon, 19 Aug 2019 00:00:00 EST Monday, 19 August 2019 00:00:00 EST   Portfolio Company Panaceutics is hiring multiple positions. View the job descriptions below and apply online. Plant Manager Productions Technician Quality Assurance Associate About Panaceutics: The new era of personalized healthcare is built on a foundation of on-demand formulation, which enables B2B stakeholders, such as healthcare systems, integrated delivery partners, pharmaceutical companies, and nutritional product manufacturers to provide personalized pharmaceutical poly therapies and clinical nutrition products to high volume populations – fast, safely, accurately, and efficiently – with enhanced CGMP compliance and without the need for costly in-house infrastructure and associated overhead. Formulation With over 100 years of combined expertise in specialty medications and pharmacies, cloud computing, and robotics technologies, Panaceutics has started a revolution in next generation precision poly therapy dosing and delivery. Panaceutics is focused on automating production of personalized healthcare solutions under CGMP manufacturing standards. Through our innovative cloud-based, robot-automated, high-throughput system, Panaceutics quickly develops individual formulations using high- quality generic medications based on an individual’s personal clinical and genomic profile for safer, more effective drug combinations. Leran more at https://panaceutics.com/. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/169 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/169 Mon, 29 Jul 2019 00:00:00 EST Monday, 29 July 2019 00:00:00 EST   $20,000 in Awards | LIVE Competition - September 11, 2019 NEW! This year the Big Launch Challenge is being held at the end of the Angel Capital Association’s (ACA) Southeast Regional meeting. The ACA, the world's largest professional organization for accredited investors, Southeast meeting will focus on angel investing through workshops and keynotes covering regional entrepreneurial ecosystem building, different models and structures of angel investing, the changing face of angels and investor networks, syndication across state lines and more. The Launch Place, with offices in Danville, VA and Research Triangle Park, NC, will host its’ 6th annual pitch competition immediately following the ACA Southeast meeting. The goal of the Big Launch Challenge is to provide early-stage startups the opportunity to pitch their ideas to investors, and for The Launch Place Pre-Seed and Seed Fund to generate deal flow. The top 10 finalists will have 10 minutes to pitch their business plans to a panel of investor judges followed by a short question and answer block. Competition winners will also receive access to several resources provided by The Launch Place including training, networking, and mentorship. Awards 1st Place $15,000 2nd Place $5,000 10 Finalists will be selected. Deadline Extended to August 5       Register to attend the Big Launch Challenge. It's free and open to the public. The challenge is an annual event and offers startups valuable business networking and capital opportunities, as well as critical resources. The goal of The Big Launch Challenge is to foster entrepreneurship by offering education, team creation, mentorship, early-stage prototyping, and potential follow-on seed financing. For additional information, contact Kelly Fitzgerald at kfitzgerald@thelaunchplace.org. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/168 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/168 Tue, 02 Apr 2019 00:00:00 EST Tuesday, 02 April 2019 00:00:00 EST The Angel Capital Association (ACA), the world's largest professional organization for accredited investors, in partnership with RTP Capital Associates, Inc. and The Launch Place, will host investors at its 2019 ACA Southeast Regional Meeting on September 10-11 in the Research Triangle Park region of North Carolina. The 2019 Southeast Regional Meeting will focus on angel investing through workshops and keynotes covering regional entrepreneurial ecosystem building, different models and structures of angel investing, the changing face of angels and investor networks, syndication across state lines and more.  This event attracts angel investors, venture capitalists and business leaders from across the Southeast. Investors will share ideas and deals, and discuss current issues that matter to angel investors through dedicated networking and educational sessions targeted at both new and experienced angel investors. Sessions offered at the event will discuss many subjects critical to successful investing in promising early stage companies, angel group management and the importance of an overall angel/entrepreneur ecosystem. It’s a great event to grow relationships with other angels and business leaders where the Southeast will be showcased and connections made with key ecosystems from across the region.    Registration information will be posted later this spring at www.angelcapitalassociation.org/events.  About the Angel Capital Association (ACA)  ACA is the professional association of angel investors across North America and offers education, best practices, public policy advocacy, and significant benefits and resources to its membership of more than 14,000 accredited investors, who invest individually or through its 250 angel groups, accredited platforms, and family offices. For more information, visit: www.angelcapitalassociation.org or contact Sarah Dickey at sdickey@angelcapitalassociation.org.  About RTP Capital Associates, Inc. RTP Capital is a group of accredited angel investors who evaluate early stage investment opportunities, pool resources and expertise, socialize, and make a difference. The group engages with a wide variety of opportunities and provides insight, guidance, and other strategic resources for seed and early-stage companies primarily in the Southeastern US. For more information about RTP Capital visit http://www.rtpcapital.org/ or contact Elaine Bolle at ebolle@rtpcapital.org or Mark Friedman at mfriedman@rtpcapital.org.  About The Launch Place (TLP)The Launch Place, funded through grants by the Danville Regional Foundation, provides new and early-stage business support services and seed funding for the Danville City and Pittsylvania County region of Virginia and Caswell County in North Carolina. As an entrepreneurship development organization with the purpose to plan, fund, launch and grow businesses, TLP helps companies to get started or to expand their operations by providing business consulting services, office space, and by investing in them through its investment funds. For more information visit: www.thelaunchplace.org or contact Eva Doss at edoss@thelaunchplace.org. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/167 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/167 Fri, 22 Mar 2019 00:00:00 EST Friday, 22 March 2019 00:00:00 EST The Launch Place received 99 applications for the 6th Annual IdeaFest Pitch Competition from various start-up companies located in the US and abroad. The top 20 competitors took the stage to present their innovative business ideas in the River District of Danville, VA today.  The competition kicked off at 1:00pm, with a keynote speech from Sanjay Patel, Founder & CEO of TiO, a portfolio company of The Launch Place. Short for “Turn it On,” TiO is the only smart home system designed with builders in mind. TiO creates simple hardware and software products that allow for wireless control of the home through various mediums: a single app on a homeowner’s phone or tablet, wall touch switches and through voice control. TiO was selected as a Sound & Vision magazine “Top Pick” in 2016 and a 2017 Consumer Technology Association Mark of Excellence winner.  Winner of this year’s competition was Pocket Protector who was awarded a $5,000 cash prize. Pocket Protector is a medical device company aiming to prevent pocket hematomas (the buildup of blood) after pacemaker implantation. The product is a simple device that applies even pressure to the “pocket” of a patient after pacemaker implantation. The applied pressure to the region prevents blood from pooling into the pocket through the muscular fascia or blood vessels.  Second place and a $3,000 cash award went to NIRSleep. NIRSleep is developing a more accurate and native method to measure sleep to enable better patient outcomes. Battery Xchange took home third place with a $2,000 cash prize. Battery Xchange is a rental platform that provides portable batteries to cell phone users on-the-go.  Check out all the pitches on The Launch Place's Facebook Page. Winners of the competition will also be eligible to receive twenty-five hours of free business consulting from The Launch Place. The Launch Place, located in the River District of Danville, assists with business formation, job creation and retention through its business consulting services and investment funding, while having a dual responsibility to recruit and retain entrepreneurs to the Dan River Region. The IdeaFest competition exposes The Launch Place’s services and funds to start-up companies that are ready to launch, or are seeking early stage capital. The Launch Place could potentially invest in the company from its Seed and Pre-Seed Funds that were established from a grant awarded by the Danville Region Foundation.  IdeaFest Judges and Master of Ceremonies: Judge: Mark Friedman, President and Co-founder of RTP Capital Associates; CEO of Lakeview Business Advisory Judge: Nancy Galli, Founder and Director of Sales & Marketing, Nancy’s Candy Company; The Launch Place Board of Directors Member Judge: Marty Kaszubowski, Executive Director for Innovation Initiatives, Institute for Innovation & Entrepreneurship, Old Dominion University; The Launch Place Board of Directors, Board Chair Judge: Karen LeVert, CEO, Ag TechInventures Judge: Autumn Visser, Partner, Woods Rogers PLC Master of Ceremonies: Tom Snyder, Executive Director, RIoT (Regional Internet of Things); Instructor, Product Innovation Lab at NC State University  IdeaFest 2019 Finalists wirl Presenter: Benjie Davis Description: wirl is the only marketplace which helps everyday people find and hire affordable personal stylists so they can dress confidently!Location: Durham, NC QuickTech Medical Presenter:  Glenn Feit, Gregory Grande and Jacob Merizian Description: QuickTech makes arthritic recovery faster, easier, and cheaper while improving patient outcomes by introducing new technologies such as 3D scanning and artificial intelligence (AI) into orthopedic clinics.Location: Blacksburg, VA NeuroView Diagnostics Presenter: Omar Uribe Description: NeuroView's mission is to improve the detection of stroke using artificial intelligence and the camera in your pocket.Location: Charlottesville, VA NIRSleep Inc Presenter: Ember Melcher Description: NIRSleep is developing a more accurate and native method to measure sleep to enable better patient outcomes. Location: Richmond, VA SWELL Systems, Inc Presenter: Derek Schmidt Description: SWELLEnterprise is an all-in-one business management application that allows creative agencies and b2b startups to manage their administrative, sales and production in one integrated system. Location: Wilmington, NC Single Baked Sweets  Presenter: Melissa Stefaniak Description: Single Baked Sweets provides single-serve, bake-at-home dessert kits that come with the pre-measured dry ingredients, bakeware and simple instructions needed to make a delicious homemade treat for one!Location: Charlottesville, VA Groove Watersports Presenter: Drew Bartek Description: We bring music to Watersports through a patented vest with integrated speakers. Location: Charlotte, NC Pocket Protector Presenter: Kayla Burkholder Description: A Medical device company aiming to prevent pocket hematomas (the buildup of blood) after pacemaker implantation.Location: Richmond, VA Everywhere Ad Presenter: Dezbee McDaniel & Rashaad Galloway Description: Everywhere Ad is a mobile rideshare advertising platform that pays Uber, Lyft and other rideshare drivers to advertise small and local businesses in their vehicles.Location: Raleigh, NC Chirp! Presenter: Andrew Bowker & Praneet Mocherla Description: Since half of all house fires originate from the kitchen stove, we created Chirp: an IoT-enabled Smart Home device that leverages a combination of sensors guided by a proprietary algorithm to monitor the stove and immediately address threats to help reduce emergency response times by an estimated 50%. Location: Raleigh, NC Gig Connected Presenter: Keith Clithero Description: A mobile-friendly web application that streamlines the construction staffing process.Location: Charlotte, NC Kwistr Presenter: Thad “TC” Parker Description: Kwistr is a SaaS based automated regression testing solution for web apps, mobile apps, APIs, and websites.Location: Raleigh, NC Rendyr, Inc. Presenter: Martin Angst Description: Rendyr has developed a portable laser cutter to make rapid product development accessible to everyone.Location: Blacksburg, VA Decidedly by Pathos Ethos Presenter: Greg Akinbiyi Description: “Decidedly” is a next-generation productivity intelligence platform that helps organizations automate meetings, streamline their decision-making process, and leverage data to remove bias when measuring performance.Location: Durham, NC Brise-solette Presenter: Chandana Muktipaty, Joshna Seelam, Aniket Kulkarni, and Kashyap Venuthurupalli Description:  Brise-Solette -- enables neonatal care providers to precisely control the amount of light received by premature infants hospitalized in NICU chambers, positively impacting the critical cognitive, optical and overall physical development of this most vulnerable infant population.Location: Richmond, VA Housebyrd Presenter: Chris Phillis Description: Get an immediate answer on buying your dream home. Location: Charlotte, NC Vortix Apparel  Presenter: Alan Sexten  Description: Swimming trunks with waterproof pockets, so you can carry your phone, wallet, keys, and other valuables in and around water.  Location: Liberty University Lynchburg VA Nanomosaic Presenter: Sheeba Dawood Description: Extraction of lithium using nanomaterials: A network of solutions. Location: Greensboro, NC Battery Xchange Presenter: Desmond Wiggan  Description: A rental platform that provides portable batteries to cell phone users on-the-go. Location: Charlotte, NC  iMonitR  Presenter: Emmanuel Borkor Nuakoh Description: iMonitR is a mobile application for preventing credit/debit card fraud in real time using machine learning and human collaboration.Location: Greensboro, NC  Media Coverage WRAL Tech Wire Danville Register & Bee Richmond Times-Dispatch Richmond INNO Virginia Business Start Charlotte https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/166 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/166 Tue, 19 Mar 2019 00:00:00 EST Tuesday, 19 March 2019 00:00:00 EST The Launch Place will host the 6th Annual IdeaFest Pitch Competition on Thursday, March 21 at Cottontail Weddings & Events, 600 Craighead St., Danville, VA. IdeaFest is a pitch competition where 20 finalists will pitch their startup business idea to a panel of judges and a live audience. A total of $10,000 will be awarded to the top 3 competitors. The competition will be held starting at 1pm. Attend all or join us at the reception at Ballad Brewing at 5pm. This year The Launch Place received 99 applications from various competitors who were vying for one of the top 20 spots. Below are a list of the 20 Finalists: IdeaFest 2019 Finalists wirl QuickTech Medical NeuroView Diagnostics NIRSleep Inc SWELL Systems, Inc Single Baked Sweets Groove Watersports Pocket Protector Everywhere Ad Chirp! Gig Connected Kwistr Rendyr, Inc. iMonitR Brise-solette Housebyrd Vortix Apparel Nanomosaic Battery Xchange Decidedly by Pathos Ethos https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/165 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/165 Wed, 06 Mar 2019 00:00:00 EST Wednesday, 06 March 2019 00:00:00 EST The Launch Place (TLP) has been selected as a recipient of the Economic Development Administration’s 2018 Regional Innovation Strategies (RIS) program competition award. The Launch Place was one of 40 entrepreneurship-focused organizations spanning 28 states that received grants from the 230 applicants. The Launch Place received a $300,000 award for a three-year time period as part of the Seed Fund Support (SFS) Program along with 15 other organizations.  The SFS Program supports the formation, launch, or scale of cluster-focused seed funds that invest their capital in innovation-based startups with a potential for high growth and job creation. This award will enable The Launch Place to hire a Portfolio Manager to manage its 17 portfolio companies, market TLP’s investment funds, evaluate start-ups for potential investment, and participate in continuous fund management training.  “We are extremely honored to receive this coveted award,” said Eva Doss, The Launch Place, President and CEO. “This EDA grant award will allow us to increase our capacity and provide additional assistance to our investment portfolio companies.” Doss went on to express how honored she was to see The Launch Place on a list with highly accomplished groups from across the US such as Chicago, IL and New Orleans, LA.  This award will help The Launch Place continue their mission of fostering an environment for new and serial entrepreneurs to grow and raise capital, and to create an idea based entrepreneurial culture in the Dan River Region. By providing pre-seed and seed funding to startups of varying sizes and backgrounds, The Launch Place is not just investing in companies that could disrupt the Internet of Things (IoT), MedTech or advanced manufacturing industries, but looking for businesses that can boost the region’s economy.  The RIS Program empowers communities to provide proof-of-concept and commercialization assistance to innovators and entrepreneurs and operational support for organizations that provide essential early-stage funding to startups, building platforms from which they can best leverage public and private sector infrastructure investments in broadband and digital connectivity, transportation, education, and beyond. Through the SFS Grant Competition, the Economic Development Administration  (EDA) provides funding for technical assistance and operational costs, such as conducting feasibility studies, engaging in planning activities, etc., that support the formation, launch, or scale of cluster-focused seed funds that invest their capital in innovation-based startups with a potential for high growth and job creation. In total, the RIS program competition awarded $21 million.   About The Launch Place:The Launch Place, funded through a grant by Danville Regional Foundation, provides new and early-stage business support services and seed funding for the Danville City and Pittsylvania County region of Virginia and Caswell County in North Carolina. As an entrepreneurship development organization with the purpose to plan, fund, launch and grow businesses, TLP helps companies to get started or to expand their operations by providing business consulting services, office space, and by investing in them through its investment funds. www.thelaunchplace.org   About the US Economic Development Administration The mission of the US Economic Development Administration (EDA) is to lead the federal economic development agenda by promoting competitiveness and preparing the nation's regions for growth and success in the worldwide economy. An agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce, EDA makes investments in economically distressed communities in order to create jobs for U.S. workers, promote American innovation, and accelerate long-term sustainable economic growth. www.eda.gov https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/164 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/164 Fri, 04 Jan 2019 00:00:00 EST Friday, 04 January 2019 00:00:00 EST     6th Annual IdeaFest Business Pitch Competition - March 21 IdeaFest is a Business Pitch Competition where 20 finalists will pitch their startup idea to a panel of judges and a live audience.  The top three competitors will be awarded $5,000 for first place, $3,000 for second place and $2,000 for third place. Winners of the competition will also be eligible to receive twenty-five hours of free business consulting from The Launch Place. The Launch Place, assists with business formation, job creation and retention through its business consulting services and investment funding, while having a dual responsibility to recruit and retain entrepreneurs to the Dan River Region. The IdeaFest competition exposes The Launch Place’s services and funds to start-up companies that are ready to establish or seeking early stage capital. The Launch Place could potentially invest in the company from its Seed and Pre-Seed Funds. Awards 1st Place $5,000 2nd Place $3,000 3rd Place $2,000 IdeaFest is free and open to the public. Attendees are encouraged to attend any part of the day’s activities. Community members of all ages and professions are invited to attend to learn about the region's startup development resources, to network with a wide range of business professionals and to explore entrepreneurship as a career option. Applications open January 7 | Apply to Pitch your Business Idea - DEADLINE February 18 Register to attend IdeaFest on Thursday, March 19 from 1pm - 6pm at Cottontail Weddings and Events, 600 Craghead St., Danville, VA. For additional information, contact Kelly Fitzgerald at kfitzgerald@thelaunchplace.org. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/163 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/163 Fri, 07 Dec 2018 00:00:00 EST Friday, 07 December 2018 00:00:00 EST The Caswell Messenger By LUKE BURRIS On a chilly Thursday afternoon, the Caswell Economic Development Commission announced that tech company mesur.io will move its corporate headquarters to Yanceyville, creating over 24 jobs, an estimated economic impact of over $1.5M. Measur.io specializes in data management, combining localized data in real-time with machine learning to improve environmental resource management, a set of tools useful to farm business. Company founder Mike Prorock said Caswell County seemed like a perfect fit for the company due to its agricultural history and supply of farming entrepreneurs. (Caswell Local Foods Council was present.) “Our big goal is to connect people to the right information they need to do their jobs easier and put it to them in a way that they can understand,” said Prorock. “Our goal is to help farmers actually make a living. That’s a hard thing to do, especially in smaller Ag. these days, and well, that’s what most of what Ag. is. People tend to forget that.” According to Yanceyville Mayor Alvin Foster, mesur.io will be an “anchor tenant” in the soon to be developed co-working Enterprise Center on Yanceyville Square at the old Drug Store. “This exciting project will stimulate revitalization in our downtown area,” said Foster. “In the next few years, the creation of more than two dozen jobs will create in excess of more than $1.5M in economic impact in our community.” Foster is the chairman of Caswell Economic Development Commission. “Caswell County, the Town of Milton, and the Town of Yanceyville had a joint vision to create the Caswell County Economic Development Commission. This EDC had a vision and campaigned for an economic developer for Caswell County. The Yanceyville Town Council, Caswell Commissioners, and Piedmont Community College brought that to be by going together to fund this particular position. With the hiring of Cori Lindsay (as economic director), we now have a person who has their finger on the pulse of economic development on a daily basis. Without all of this groundwork being done and put into place, today would not have occurred.,” said Foster. According to Kenny Flowers, N.C. Department of Commerce Assistant Secretary of Rural Development, a building reuse grant of $120,000 will go towards renovating the downtown space, which is designed as a meeting place and incubator for future businesses. “Economic development is a puzzle in my opinion, especially in an economically depressed county and town. Today, we add another piece to our puzzle,” said Foster. “Thank you for this investment, for yours and our future,” Foster said. “Together, we will accomplish great things.” The event was hosted at the farm of Liz and Rich Mason, Honey Bee Hills. As a new mesur.io user, Liz said, “We’re going to be certified organic hopefully by the the beginning of the year and a part of organic certification is a lot of record keeping. So, hopefully we’re going to use their software to do a lot of the tracking. They have options for things like tracking harvesting and tracking planting.” Chris Abernethy, mesur.io senior software engineer said, “We’re constantly talking to new customers to figure out what are the specific things that people are looking for and how we can develop this app. in the best way so that it’s really functional for the people that need it.” “They’re very interested in working with small farms that are going towards organic certification or need some sort of documentation for their own personal reasons as well,” said Mason. “They’re helping us get a lot of the data in. It’s going to be very helpful. As a part of the certification process, we have to be able to document from ‘seed to sale,’ so we have to be able to tell somebody, ‘This is when I planted it; this is when it went into the ground, was harvested, and how much was harvested; and this is how much was sold and how much it sold for.’ Being able to document all of that in one place will be great.” A free version of the mesur.io app. with a limited set of functionality is available now on most download platforms including Apple iTunes and Google Play. The software has various tiers depending on need and is in a constant state of improvement, said Abernethy. Piedmont Community College, which houses Cori Lindsay’s economic development and small business office, soon enters its second semester of a new agribusiness curriculum. PCC Public Information Director Elizabeth Townsend said the college wants to be a driver in economic development, in part, by educating and training the next generation of agribusiness technology users. “Mesur.io’s decision to move to Yanceyville is great timing (for the college),” she said. “They’re on local farms using technology, displaying to current and future students the importance of agribusiness programming.” The event’s attendees included members of various N.C. state agencies that spent the day in Caswell County as a part of N.C. Governor Roy Cooper’s “Hometown Strong” initiative that partners with local leaders to identify templates of success to improve education, health, income, and empowerment of N.C. citizens. “Caswell County is a great example of a community working to enhance their rural assets. The discussions today and mesur.io’s new presence will help to catalyze positive change in their community,” said Kenny Flowers. Partners that helped with this project include Caswell County, the Town of Yanceyville, Piedmont Community College, the Golden Leaf Foundation, the Economic Development Partnership of N.C., The Launch Place, and the N.C. Department of Commerce. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/162 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/162 Fri, 09 Nov 2018 00:00:00 EST Friday, 09 November 2018 00:00:00 EST Ten finalists took the stage on Wednesday, November 7 to compete at the Big Launch Challenge held in Danville, VA. In its fifth year, the Big Launch Challenge has received 218 applications, awarded $119,000 to 12 companies since its inception. The finalists were given twelve minutes to present their business to a panel of judges followed by a short question and answer block.  The competition kicked off at 10:00am with an opening welcome from Eva Doss, President & CEO of The Launch Place, and Luke Marshall, Cofounder & CEO of VitalFlo. VitalFlo, a lung health analytics platform with a patent-pending mobile spirometer, was the winner of last year’s competition and has since received a $75,000 investment from The Launch Place.   The goal of the Big Launch Challenge is to provide early-stage startups the opportunity to pitch their ideas to investors, and for The Launch Place Pre-Seed and Seed Fund to generate deal flow.  The winners for the 2018 competition were:  1st Place – INF Robotics 2nd Place – Skyphos Technologies Competition winners will also receive access to several resources provided by The Launch Place and First Flight Venture Center, including training, networking, mentorship and early-stage prototyping.  This year, Paul Singh, founder of Disruption Corporation and serial investor in 2,600+ companies, was the keynote speaker for the event and joined the panel of judges. With his startup background and vast corporate experience, Singh shared his unique insights to competitors and audience members throughout the competition. Paul was in Danville from November 6-8, as part of his American Tech Tour, meeting with entrepreneurs, community leaders and established businesses.  10 Finalists  Crate Systems, LLC - New breed of modular, providing patent pending portable storage systems for college students EnerVision - Li-ion battery solution provider for portable power stations EverSafe Bracelet - Child safety tracking wearable device with proprietary locking mechanism INF Robotics - Developed RUDY, the intuitive mobile social robot that is designed to promote an active and independent lifestyle, while keeping older adults connected to their care community KnoNap - Rape drug detecting napkin Murano Corporation - Helps manufacturers cut waste from their supply chains using AI Protopia - Protopia is the ‘easy button’ for entrepreneurial communities Skyphos Technologies - High Range Resolution-3D printing or additive manufacturing Wellthly - Saving and controlling employer healthcare costs (20-500 employees) Zogo, Inc. - The Zogo app is the first forward looking financial coach for your teenagers The full panel of judges included Paul Clark, Managing Director, VentureSouth; Jan Davis, Retired CEO, ShopperTrak RCT Corporation; Investor, Triangle Angel Partners; Board Chair, The Launch Place Seed Fund; and Entrepreneur in Residence; Paul Nolde, Director, NRV; Paul Singh, Serial Entrepreneur, Investor, Airstreamer, & Disruptor; and Autumn Visser, Principal, Woods Rogers, PLC. The challenge is an annual event and offers startups valuable business networking and capital opportunities, as well as critical resources. The goal of The Big Launch Challenge is to foster entrepreneurship by offering education, team creation, mentorship, early-stage prototyping, and potential follow-on seed financing. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/160 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/160 Fri, 02 Nov 2018 00:00:00 EST Friday, 02 November 2018 00:00:00 EST Today, The Launch Place, an entrepreneurial development organization based in Danville, VA, is pleased to announce the top 10 finalists who will be pitching their businesses on stage at the fifth annual Big Launch Challenge held on November 7th in Danville. This competition provides startups with valuable business networking and investment opportunities where two will walk away with checks totaling $20,000.  These finalists will be given twelve minutes to present their business plans to a panel of judges and will then go through a short question and answer block.  Crate Systems, LLC - New breed of modular, providing patent pending portable storage systems for college students EnerVision - Li-ion battery solution provider for portable power stations EverSafe Bracelet - Child safety tracking wearable device with proprietary locking mechanism INF Robotics - Developed RUDY, the intuitive mobile social robot that is designed to promote an active and independent lifestyle, while keeping older adults connected to their care community KnoNap - Rape drug detecting napkin Murano Corporation - Helps manufacturers cut waste from their supply chains using AI Protopia - Protopia is the ‘easy button’ for entrepreneurial communities Skyphos Technologies - High Range Resolution-3D printing or additive manufacturing Wellthly - Saving and controlling employer healthcare costs (20-500 employees) Zogo, Inc. - The Zogo app is the first forward looking financial coach for your teenagers  This year, Paul Singh, founder of Disruption Corporation and serial investor in 2,200+ companies, will be the keynote speaker for the event and will join the panel of judges during the competition. With his startup background and vast corporate experience, Singh will be able to offer unique insight to competitors and audience members throughout the competition. Paul will be in Danville from November 6-8, as part of his American Tech Tour, meeting with entrepreneurs, community leaders and established businesses.  The full panel of judges include Paul Clark, Managing Director, VentureSouth; Jan Davis, Retired CEO, ShopperTrak RCT Corporation; Investor, Triangle Angel Partners; Board Chair, The Launch Place Seed Fund; and Entrepreneur in Residence; Paul Nolde, Director, NRV; Paul Singh, Serial Entrepreneur, Investor, Airstreamer, & Disruptor; and Autumn Visser, Principal, Woods Rogers, PLC.  The Challenge is free to attend, but registration is required.  “The goal of the Big Launch Challenge is to provide early-stage startups the opportunity to pitch their ideas to investors, and for The Launch Place Pre-Seed and Seed Fund to generate deal flow,” says The Launch Place President and CEO, Eva Doss. “Every year it is a different experience, with different business ideas and founding teams, and I look forward to hearing the pitches.”  Competition winners will also receive access to several resources provided by The Launch Place and First Flight Venture Center, including training, networking, mentorship and early-stage prototyping.    The Launch PlaceThe Launch Place provides new and early stage business support services and seed funding for the Danville City and Pittsylvania County region of Virginia and Caswell County in North Carolina. As an entrepreneurship development organization with the purpose to plan, fund, launch and grow businesses, TLP helps companies to get started or to expand their operations by providing business consulting services, office space, and by investing in them through its investment funds. About First Flight Venture CenterFirst Flight Venture Center (First Flight) is a high-science, high-impact science and technology incubator located in the heart of Research Triangle Park. Established in 1991, with a mission to support the development and growth of high-science, high-impact entrepreneurial companies by providing the tailored resources, guidance, connections, and support required for their commercial success. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/161 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/161 Fri, 02 Nov 2018 00:00:00 EST Friday, 02 November 2018 00:00:00 EST Paul Singh and the Results Junkies will be visiting with Danville’s entrepreneurs, educational institutions, government leaders, economic development organizations, and established businesses, during a three-day conference on November 6-8, 2018. “The real goal of the Tech Tour is to bring functional expertise and venture capital dollars to parts of North America that don’t regularly get the same amount of attention as the well-known tech hubs,” Singh said. Singh is an entrepreneur, speaker, investor, and Airstreamer. Previously, Singh was a managing director at 1776 and a general partner is 1776’s Seed Fund. Prior to 1776, Singh was the founder of Disruption Corporation (acquired by 1776) and general partner of Disruption’s post-seed venture capital arm, Crystal Tech Fund. Before that, Singh was an early partner at 500 Startups, an accelerator and venture firm headquartered in Silicon Valley that has invested in more than 2,200 companies across 50-plus countries. Singh has founded a few of his own startups (two successful exits and a number of failures in between) and spent some time at AOL, Carmax, PBworks, and Symantec. With more than 94 cities visited in 2016 & 2017, the Results Junkies team will be visiting Danville in 2018. The conference will offer support and guidance and will get deeply involved in the local business community through a multi-day series of events and programs. The tour will include free and open to the public office hours, tours of incubators with local innovators, investor dinners, workshops, and pitch sessions. “This tour isn’t just for companies that want to raise VC money or tech startups trying to be the next ‘Uber for this or Uber for that’ Singh said. “We want brick and mortar businesses, too, and those who are working on their own entrepreneurial dream. It’s important to realize that technology is so interwoven into business such that every startup or entrepreneur needs to understand how to make it work for them.”   Agenda Tuesday, November 6 9:00am - 10:30am       Tour of Danville (invitation only) 10:30am - 12:00pm     Regional Ecosystem Meeting (invitation only) 2:30pm - 6:00pm         1:1 Company Meetings 6:00pm - 7:00pm         River District Association (limited to first 30 registrations) Growing Main Street Businesses Join RDA, The Launch Place and Paul Singh as he shares stories from across the country about how Main Streets are growing and building communities. Paul will focus on best practices he’s seen utilized at small businesses from across the country. For example, how can each of you cross promote in order to grow both businesses – one retail business can tape 5,000 coupons to takeout boxes and in exchange the retail business will distribute restaurant coupons to the next 5,000 customers that walk through their door. Local examples include: Dell’Anno’s Pizza Kitchen and Ballad Brewery with pizza delivery every hour. Another example is Me’s Burgers & Brews supporting businesses by giving a free appetizer to customers who presented a receipt for shopping locally. Light refreshments served. Cost: Free to attend, but registration required. Register to Attend   Wednesday, November 7 10:00am - 4:00pm       Big Launch Challenge Join us to hear the top 10 Pitches for The Big Launch Challenge. The Launch Place, an established entrepreneurial development organization headquartered in Danville, Virginia, and First Flight Venture Center, the largest technology incubator in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, have come together to host their 5th business plan competition. The pitch competition includes awards totaling up to $20,000 for the winners. The challenge has a total of two rounds, plus a final LIVE event. Paul will serve as a judge and provide a keynote address over lunch. Cost: Free to attend, but registration required. Learn More & Register to Attend   Thursday, November 8 7:30am - 8:30am         Business at Breakfast: Danville Pittsylvania Chamber of Commerce Having a Job is Riskier Than You ThinkThere are many common concerns for people when they think about what it means to be an entrepreneur — or more specifically it’s the risks that come with it. For most of our parents, success was a function of hard work over a period of a long time. For our generation, success is a function of the number of things you try. If you want to reduce the risk in your life, start to think more entrepreneurially and start to take control of your own future. Join Danville Pittsylvania Chamber of Commerce, The Launch Place and Paul Singh as Paul shares his insights into innovation and the links to an entrepreneurial culture. Whether you are a business owner, an employee or a side hustler, come hear how it’s necessary today to just start something because the best entrepreneurs actually take the least risky bets. Cost: Chamber Member $20, Non-member $30 Register to Attend   11:00am - 11:50am     Event at Danville Community College (limited seating) From the Side Hustle to Solopreneur to Scaling a Business & the Entrepreneur Mindset During the side hustle, you’re probably holding down your full-time gig — maybe you’re consulting for others or producing products on the evenings and weekends — but you’re focused on getting to a steady monthly revenue from the gig first. Let’s say $1,000 per month. Next, you build that side hustle to $6,000 per month and you’re working for yourself — you’re a solopreneur. You’ve made the leap from your previous gig and you’re working on your own business full time. Then you’re on your way to building a business and you’re growing to $50,000 per month. You’re probably hiring people to help you — maybe they’re part-time or virtual assistants, but you’re growing. Earning your first dollars in revenue is an act of brute force. Don’t waste time looking for growth hacks or strategy. Instead, focus on speed, tactics and iteration. Join DCC, The Launch Place and Paul Singh as he talks about going from a side hustle to a growing business.  Not only does it require the right focus but mindset is everything.  Everywhere we go, people complain about how hard it is to start something. Starting a company is the easiest part of the process. In fact, it’s never been easier. Execution is the hard part. Cost: Free to attend, but registration required. Register to Attend   12:00pm - 1:00pm     Tech at Lunch - Southern Piedmont Technology Council Join SPTC, The Launch Place and Paul Singh as he tours Danville in his Tech Tour of 115+ startup communities. Paul, investor and entrepreneur, will share insights from other tech communities he’s visited as well as some technology dos and don’ts. Come hear Paul discuss where you should put your technology investments. “This tour isn’t just for companies that want to raise VC money or tech startups trying to be the next ‘Uber for this or Uber for that’ Singh said. “We want brick and mortar businesses, too, and those who are working on their own entrepreneurial dream. It’s important to realize that technology is so interwoven into business such that every startup or entrepreneur needs to understand how to make it work for them” said Paul Singh. Cost: SPTC Member $15, Non-member $20 Register to Attend       EVENT PURPOSE The purpose of this conference is to strengthen the entrepreneurial community and local economy in Danville by providing functional expertise and venture capital funding from top notch Silicon Valley investors to our local entrepreneurs Government leaders, educators, and economic development officials will also benefit from hearing about Paul’s experience and lessons learned from investing in over 1,900 companies across 50+ countries. They can take his best practices and apply them to our own entrepreneurial ecosystem. Learn more about Paul Singh, his team and the Tech Tour at the following URL: www.resultsjunkies.com Target Audience Local entrepreneurs Educational institutions Government leaders Economic development organizations Established small and large businesses BENEFITS For Entrepreneurs: connect with high profile venture funders and business leaders who can become valuable resources for you and your company. For the Community: help outside investors learn more about the Danville region and what unique talents, industries, and opportunities are available here. For Sponsors: show your forward thinking leadership by helping to bring resources and connections to our region that we would not otherwise see. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/159 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/159 Fri, 19 Oct 2018 00:00:00 EST Friday, 19 October 2018 00:00:00 EST DANVILLE, VA – October 19, 2018 – The Launch Place has been on a mission since 2013 to help early stage startups with strong teams and impactful business models get a product to market. The Launch Place announces today that biotech startup CytoRecovery will be the first to receive a $75,000 investment from The Launch Place Pre-Seed Fund 2, which was established in July of this year. To date, The Launch Place has invested in and is supporting 15 portfolio companies.  While searching for new investment opportunities that would align with their mission, The Launch Place was introduced to CytoRecovery. The Blacksburg, VA, startup has ties to Virginia Tech, and is manufacturing licensed microfluidic microchip technology developed at the university. This technology rapidly separates and recovers rare cell populations from biological samples. Because their product does not require antibodies, CytoRecovery believes it will aid ongoing cancer research and pharmaceutical development, as well as offer a low-cost method to create more effective treatment solutions for cancer patients.  “We are delighted to receive this investment from The Launch Place,” said Steve Turner, CytoRecovery’s CEO. “We appreciate this vote of confidence and look forward to working together to build a major new cell biology enterprise.”  CytoRecovery is not Turner’s first entrepreneurial endeavor. Turner is the founder of several other life science and biotech companies, and has brought multiple oncology products to market, including the first FDA approved gene test for breast cancer. His background, experience in starting new companies and the growing demand for cell separation technologies gave The Launch Place’s Pre-Seed Fund 2 Investment Committee enough confidence in the company to make the $75,000 pre-seed investment.  “With Steve’s experience in the biotech industry, he already has the connections a startup like CytoRecovery needs to get traction in a competitive market,” said Eva Doss, The Launch Place President and CEO. “We believe this partnership will have positive impacts that will stretch far beyond Blacksburg and Danville. We look forward to helping CytoRecovery succeed.”  The Launch Place Pre-Seed Fund 2 helps entrepreneurs expedite the early stages of their startup development at a time when it might be too early for angel funds and venture capitalists to invest. Applicants for Pre-Seed Fund 2 must be in the process of validating their business model with a developed Alpha product. According to Turner, the pre-seed funding will allow CytoRecovery to conduct beta testing with potential customers.  Not only does The Launch Place look for investment prospects with solid business plans, they also look for companies that will bring positive economic impact to the Dan River Region where they are headquartered. Over the next three years, CytoRecovery plans to utilize a local contract manufacturer for their instrument design, manufacturing, shipping and quality assurance.    About The Launch Place:The Launch Place provides new and early stage business support services and seed funding for the Danville City and Pittsylvania County region of Virginia and Caswell County in North Carolina. As an entrepreneurship development organization with the purpose to plan, fund, launch and grow businesses, TLP helps companies to get started or to expand their operations by providing business consulting services, office space, and by investing in them through its investment funds. About CytoRecovery:CytoRecovery is a Virginia-based biotech startup that develops new products that improve the ability to rapidly separate and recover rare cell populations from biological samples, including tumor biopsies, for use in cancer research and pharmaceutical development. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/158 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/158 Tue, 28 Aug 2018 00:00:00 EST Tuesday, 28 August 2018 00:00:00 EST   $20,000 in Awards | LIVE Competition - November 7, 2018 The Launch Place, an established entrepreneurial development organization headquartered in Danville, Virginia, and First Flight Venture Center, the largest technology incubator in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, have come together to host their 5th business plan competition. The pitch competition includes awards totaling up to $20,000 for the winners. The challenge has a total of two rounds, plus a final LIVE event. Keynote & Judge - Paul Singh Paul Singh and the Results Junkies will be visiting with Danville’s entrepreneurs, educational institutions, government leaders, economic development organizations, and established businesses, during a three-day conference on November 6-8, 2018. Singh is an entrepreneur, speaker, investor, and Airstreamer. Previously, Singh was a managing director at 1776 and a general partner is 1776’s Seed Fund. Prior to 1776, Singh was the founder of Disruption Corporation (acquired by 1776) and general partner of Disruption’s post-seed venture capital arm, Crystal Tech Fund. Before that, Singh was an early partner at 500 Startups, an accelerator and venture firm headquartered in Silicon Valley that has invested in more than 2,200 companies across 50-plus countries. Singh has found a few of his own startups (two successful exits and a number of failures in between) and spent some time at AOL, Carmax, PBworks, and Symantec. View a full list of Tech Tour events  Awards 1st Place $15,000 2nd Place $5,000 10 Finalists will be selected. The challenge is an annual event and offers startups valuable business networking and capital opportunities, as well as critical resources. The goal of The Big Launch Challenge is to foster entrepreneurship by offering education, team creation, mentorship, early-stage prototyping, and potential follow-on seed financing. Application Deadline Extended - September 4     Live Pitch Event: When: November 7, 2018 Where: Institute for Advanced Learning and Research, 150 Slayton Ave. Danville, VA 24541 Time: 10am - 4pm Lunch will be served. No cost to attend, but please register online.   The challenge is an annual event and offers startups valuable business networking and capital opportunities, as well as critical resources. The goal of The Big Launch Challenge is to foster entrepreneurship by offering education, team creation, mentorship, early-stage prototyping, and potential follow-on seed financing. For additional information, contact Kelly Fitzgerald at kfitzgerald@thelaunchplace.org.  https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/157 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/157 Wed, 08 Aug 2018 00:00:00 EST Wednesday, 08 August 2018 00:00:00 EST The City of Danville has become a focal point in the Virginia race for U.S. Senate, and prior to that, the subject of a story from a national media outlet. To assist you in your reporting, we have prepared the following facts and a statement from Mayor Alonzo Jones:   Statement from Mayor Alonzo Jones “In recent days, the Danville community has garnered considerable attention across the commonwealth of Virginia, as well as national attention. Our focus is on moving forward. We have developed strong public and private partnerships and, together, we are planting seeds that are yielding big results. We invite everyone to visit Danville to see what is taking place. Enjoy our award-winning River District, which features specialty stores for shopping and multiple restaurant and entertainment options. Take a walk along our Riverwalk Trail or enjoy our parks and open spaces. Speak with the business owners. You will learn that Danville is a great place to do business. Every city faces challenges, and we are aggressively addressing them. We are confident in the path we have charted and excited about our future.”   Fact sheet:    Danville’s unemployment rate was 5.4 percent in May, which is the latest figures available. This rate is the lowest for the same month in more than 25 years. Five years ago, the May rate was 10.3 percent. Eight years ago, the May rate was 13.5 percent. The City has accelerated economic development through international recruitment and nurturing of existing businesses. As of today, there are 11 companies with eight different foreign headquarters operating in Danville or just outside the city limits. Earlier this year, Danville was recognized internationally by FDI Intelligence as one of the Top 10 micro cities for economic potential. The March issue of Site Selection Magazine placed Danville in the top 50 micro cities in economic activity in the nation. Earlier this year, Danville received the Virginia Economic Developer’s Association Community Economic Development Award for workforce development programming. The award recognized the creativity of the programs and the multiple partnerships in place. Those partnerships include the City of Danville, Danville Community College, Danville Public Schools, the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research, Pittsylvania County and Pittsylvania County Public Schools. Danville this week hosted the national the 2018 HAAS Americas CNC Educators Training Conference. More than 200 leaders in the automation and machining field from around the country spent this week in Danville learning about the workforce training partnerships that were created here and now serve as a model for other localities. There have been four new industry announcements and four expansions in the region in the last two years. Through the City’s partnership with The Launch Place, 13 new high growth and tech entrepreneurial startups have been announced in the last four years. The City continues to make investments for future growth. The former Dan River Inc. White Mill building is one example. The Danville Office of Economic Development recently was awarded a $25,000 feasibility grant from the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development’s Virginia Main Street program to develop a conceptual site plan for the building. The four-story textile mill building is part of the city’s historic district, and developers will be eligible to take advantage of federal and state historic rehabilitation tax credits, as well as New Markets Tax Credits and other creative financing tools. Danville is in its eighth year of implementing an award-winning redevelopment plan for the River District, which encompasses downtown and the adjoining historic tobacco warehouse district. This development plan has produced a more than three-fold return on investment, with $35 million in public seeding and investment and nearly $150 million in private investment. Four public streetscape phases are now complete and buildings continue to be repurposed for residential units and for locating, starting or growing businesses, including retail shops and restaurants. The City is focused on reducing violent crime. Gang and youth services task forces have been established. A youth services and gang violence prevention coordinator has been hired. The police department has been working to positively impact the quality of life for residents by increasing community engagement. Since February, the police department has hosted monthly “community engagement walks” in neighborhoods across the city to build trust and effectively engage our residents in the problem solving process. A newly created Community and Youth Engagement Unit has partnered with other community stakeholders in weekly youth engagement events and recently graduated 40 city youth from the first-ever Summer Youth Police Academy. The police department has worked tirelessly with federal and state law enforcement partners to address the issues of both gang and gun violence. In June, 20 violent gang members were indicted on federal charges. As of today, the city has experienced a 50 percent reduction in homicides in 2018 versus the same period a year ago. Danville Parks and Recreation currently maintains 18 parks totaling more than 922 acres, 30-plus miles of continuous single-track mountain bike trails, 17 athletic fields, 26 playground units, a high ropes course, a zip line, more than 26 picnic shelters and picnic sites, four recreation centers, and 11.7 miles of paved walking trail along the Dan River called the Riverwalk Trail. The Anglers Ridge and Dan Daniel Mountain Bike System was ranked one of the best in Virginia, according to www.SingleTracks.com. Plans are being developed for a future riverfront park that will include a spray plaza, observation pier, covered stage and lawn area, promenade, playground and whitewater course. Recent Editorial in the news: Roanoke Times - Editorial: Stewart is wrong about Danville. It's actually a success story.   https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/156 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/156 Fri, 27 Jul 2018 00:00:00 EST Friday, 27 July 2018 00:00:00 EST $20,000 in Awards | LIVE Competition - November 7, 2018 The Launch Place, an established entrepreneurial development organization headquartered in Danville, Virginia, and First Flight Venture Center, the largest technology incubator in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, have come together to host their 5th business plan competition. The pitch competition includes awards totaling up to $20,000 for the winners. The challenge has a total of two rounds, plus a final LIVE event. Keynote & Judge - Paul Singh Paul Singh and the Results Junkies will be visiting with Danville’s entrepreneurs, educational institutions, government leaders, economic development organizations, and established businesses, during a three-day conference on November 6-8, 2018. Singh is an entrepreneur, speaker, investor, and Airstreamer. Previously, Singh was a managing director at 1776 and a general partner is 1776’s Seed Fund. Prior to 1776, Singh was the founder of Disruption Corporation (acquired by 1776) and general partner of Disruption’s post-seed venture capital arm, Crystal Tech Fund. Before that, Singh was an early partner at 500 Startups, an accelerator and venture firm headquartered in Silicon Valley that has invested in more than 2,200 companies across 50-plus countries. Singh has found a few of his own startups (two successful exits and a number of failures in between) and spent some time at AOL, Carmax, PBworks, and Symantec. View a full list of Tech Tour events   Awards 1st Place $15,000 2nd Place $5,000 10 Finalists will be selected. The challenge is an annual event and offers startups valuable business networking and capital opportunities, as well as critical resources. The goal of The Big Launch Challenge is to foster entrepreneurship by offering education, team creation, mentorship, early-stage prototyping, and potential follow-on seed financing. Application Deadline - August 27     Live Pitch Event: When: November 7, 2018 Where: Institute for Advanced Learning and Research, 150 Slayton Ave. Danville, VA 24541 Time: 10am - 4pm Lunch will be served. No cost to attend, but please register online.   The challenge is an annual event and offers startups valuable business networking and capital opportunities, as well as critical resources. The goal of The Big Launch Challenge is to foster entrepreneurship by offering education, team creation, mentorship, early-stage prototyping, and potential follow-on seed financing. For additional information, contact Kelly Fitzgerald at kfitzgerald@thelaunchplace.org.  https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/155 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/155 Tue, 19 Jun 2018 00:00:00 EST Tuesday, 19 June 2018 00:00:00 EST Come learn about the Internet of Things (IoT) industry including market trends, legal protections and safeguards as well as how to secure investor funding. IoT is here, growing and disrupting many established markets. Tom Snyder, Executive Director of RIoT, will share the latest advances in the IoT technology stack coming from industry and academia. Mike Hertz, Intellectual Property Attorney with Woods Rogers, will share why it’s important to protect your ideas, and more, including a few points on how these ideas can be valuable assets. And finally if you are looking to raise investor funding for your IoT endeavor, Varun Sadana, VP of The Launch Place, will share investor’s insights when it comes to business model creation, how to approach investors and nailing the pitch. When: Tuesday, July 10 Time: 4:30-6:30pm Location: Canal at Riverside Mill, 109 Bridge St Suite 600, Danville, VA 24541 No cost to attend, but please register online. Bios: Tom Snyder - Executive Director of RIoT Tom is Executive Director of RIoT, supporting Internet of Things and disruptive technology industry growth. By day he runs RIoT Labs at HQ Raleigh. In his spare time, Tom co-instructs Product Innovation Lab, a Forbes award winning multi-disciplinary course in Innovation and Entrepreneurship at NC State.Prior to joining RIoT, Tom held an executive leadership role at the ASSIST Center, a National Science Foundation sponsored effort to create wearable electronics for healthcare monitoring. Previously, he spent two decades in product development and technology incubation in NC.He’s passionate about creating and fostering collaborations across disciplines, markets and cultures. He enjoys the outdoors, woodworking, board games, big crowds, craft beer and ideas that are just crazy enough to work.     Mike Hertz - Intellectual Property Attorney with Woods Rogers Mike’s experience includes merger and acquisition and contract drafting and review for companies in high-tech and other industries. He files and prosecutes state and federal trademark applications and copyright applications. He has represented clients in administrative proceedings in federal and state court as well as before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Prior to joining Woods Rogers, Mike had the privilege to clerk for the Honorable Jackson L. Kiser, U.S. District Court Judge for the Western District of Virginia in Danville.Mike earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Virginia and his law degree from Wake Forest University. While in law school, Mike served as an editor of the Wake Forest Law Review.         Varun Sadana - Vice President at The Launch Place Varun Sadana is currently serving as Vice President of The Launch Place, the lead entrepreneurial development organization offering business consulting, training, office space and subsidies, and seed investments through its two equity funds to entrepreneurs in Danville, Virginia, and in the Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. He leads all the consulting projects and screening/due-diligence process for the seed and pre-seed investment opportunities for the Launch Place. Prior to joining the Launch Place, Varun worked as a consultant for a benefits company in Greensboro, North Carolina and a family business in India. Varun has over a decade of experience in business consulting, market research, business development, and financial analysis. He received his undergrad degree from University of Delhi, India and MBA from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Varun also has Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certificate from Virginia Tech and Project Management certification from UNCG.   https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/154 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/154 Fri, 27 Apr 2018 00:00:00 EST Friday, 27 April 2018 00:00:00 EST Press Release from the Angel Resource Institute 2017 HALO Report Released Analyzing Angel Investment Activities in U.S. The Angel Resource Institute (ARI) and Florida Atlantic University's Tech Runway have released the 2017 HALO Report™ analyzing investment activities of angel investors in the U.S. The report also notes data in many other countries and hints at more global perspectives to come. The HALO Report was generated from deal data submitted by angel investors, with a focus on the analysis of investments by angel groups. The HALO Report does not reveal individual investors' identities and does not reveal the terms of any specific investment, but instead aggregates all data for analytical insights. This is the seventh annual release of the HALO Report, whose benchmarks are closely followed by the angel investor and venture capital communities alike. ARI has also produced several "Returns Studies" in concert with Rob Wiltbank, Ph.D., CEO of Galois. ARI is well versed in analyzing investment performance by angel investors in structured groups and provides insight into the asset class as a whole. The 2017 HALO Report notes a continuing trend of geographic dispersion of angel groups investing outside of their headquarters states; the sustained (though narrowing) dominance of both software and healthcare IT as angels' preferred investment sector; an increased ratio of initial investments versus follow-on financing rounds; an increase in the number of deals funded where female entrepreneur(s) also have founder status; consistency in deal structures, with a noted increase in the use of convertible notes for first-time investments; and a slight decline in the valuations companies received from angel groups. This was the first time that ARI and FAU Tech Runway have collaborated on producing the HALO Report. "Working with researchers and staff from Florida Atlantic University provided an analytical depth and rigor to the HALO Report that was impressive," said Gwen Edwards, chair of ARI. "ARI is thrilled to be partnering with FAU in setting the research bar ever higher, to the benefit of both angel investors and entrepreneurs alike," Rebel Cole, Ph.D., Kaye Family Endowed Professor in Finance at FAU's College of Business, said: "The ability to expand and extend our findings in future releases of the HALO Report on angel investment activity and on the profile of the entrepreneurs they back financially should break new ground in our understanding of this critical sector of the innovation economy." Kevin Cox, Ph.D., assistant director of FAU's Adams Center for Entrepreneurship, said ARI has amassed an impressive amount of data on early-stage, angel, and angel group investment activity. "Given the private nature of these transactions, available data is generally and historically scarce," Cox said. "Undoubtedly, the data and our partnership will yield new and original insights into the understudied and often misunderstood context of angel investing." Rhys L. Williams, managing director of FAU Tech Runway and ARI trustee, said the quality of the partnership between ARI and FAU producing this year's HALO Report provides an important tool for angel investors and entrepreneurs alike. "We are exceptionally grateful to the staff, researchers, and board members of both organizations, who labored selflessly to produce quality research in such an important area," Williams said. He added special thanks is due to Troy Knauss, ARI trustee and Assistant Professor of Entrepreneurship at High Point University, who continues to be a critical source of continuity in methodology and insights, and also to Pinar Yildirim, investor relations and research administrator for FAU Tech Runway, for research and production support. For trends and analysis, download a free copy of the HALO Report at www.angelresource.org.    ABOUT FLORIDA ATLANTIC UNIVERSITY Florida Atlantic University, established in 1961, officially opened its doors in 1964 as the fifth public university in Florida. Today, the University, with an annual economic impact of $6.3 billion, serves more than 30,000 undergraduate and graduate students at sites throughout its six-county service region in southeast Florida. FAU's world-class teaching and research faculty serves students through 10 colleges: the Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, the College of Business, the College for Design and Social Inquiry, the College of Education, the College of Engineering and Computer Science, the Graduate College, the Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing and the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science. FAU is ranked as a High Research Activity institution by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. The University is placing special focus on the rapid development of critical areas that form the basis of its strategic plan: Healthy aging, biotech, coastal and marine issues, neuroscience, regenerative medicine, informatics, lifespan and the environment. These areas provide opportunities for faculty and students to build upon FAU's existing strengths in research and scholarship. For more information, visit www.fau.edu. ABOUT FAU TECH RUNWAY FAU Tech Runway is a public-private partnership founded in 2014 supported by Florida Atlantic University's Division of Research. It serves as a hub to accelerate early-stage technology ventures and incubate startup companies. The program operates a 28,000-square-foot collaborative working space that provides entrepreneurs with a complete ecosystem in which to office, educate, mentor and fund their companies across the full spectrum of early-stage development.  ABOUT THE ANGEL RESOURCE INSTITUTE The Angel Resource Institute (ARI) is a charitable organization devoted to increasing the effectiveness and availability of financial and mentor capital to entrepreneurs. The organization provides education, training, and information on best practices related to the earliest stages of angel investing and new venture development. Through its core competencies of research, data collection and analysis, ARI develops educational workshops, white papers, and toolkits for angel investors, entrepreneurs, and the entire startup community. The founders of the Angel Resource Institute include leading angel investors and entrepreneurs in collaboration with the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. Download Full Report https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/153 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/153 Wed, 25 Apr 2018 00:00:00 EST Wednesday, 25 April 2018 00:00:00 EST The Launch Place has added another young company to their diverse portfolio. Raleigh medtech company VitalFlo will receive a $75,000 pre-seed investment from The Launch Place to help them develop their lung health analytics platform and patent-pending mobile spirometer.  Founded in 2017, VitalFlo represents an ideal candidate for The Launch Place’s Pre-Seed Fund. With competition wins like NASA Tech Briefs’ Create the Future Contest, North Carolina State University’s Lulu eGames – once as students and again as a startup – and The Launch Place’s own Big Launch Challenge under their belt, The Launch Place President and CEO, Eva Doss, believes VitalFlo has the drive to build and streamline their product to tap into a $50 billion market opportunity1.  “The Pre-Seed investment program is intended to help growing companies, like VitalFlo, expedite the development process, specifically in product and market validation and business model refinement,” says Doss. “This initial investment may become a precursor to our seed fund, where a larger round of early stage funding is available.”  It isn’t just the idea that sparked The Launch Place’s interest in VitalFlo. With a working prototype and an obvious passion for their company mission, Doss says that they have the potential to be a competitive market player. “The management team is committed with a well thought out plan and they have established an excellent team of trustworthy advisors,” says Doss.  The idea behind VitalFlo came to company cofounder and Chief Technology Officer, James Dieffenderfer, while participating in a product innovation class at North Carolina State University (NCSU). Tasked with finding a solution for asthma management, Dieffenderfer and his team formulated a concept for a mobile spirometer, where the data would be recorded with an accompanying smartphone app. The team’s design for a mobile spirometer was then nurtured by Dieffenderfer within the NSF Advanced Self-Powered Systems of Integrated Sensors and Technologies (ASSIST) Center at NCSU, where the device was developed to reliably help asthma patients manage their condition.  According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one in 13 people have asthma, which totals to about 25 million Americans2. The CDC also reported that around ten people die every day from asthma related symptoms—in 2015, it was recorded that 3,615 people died from asthma3. Between doctor visits, medications and hospital treatment, patients can spend upwards of $5,000 on treating asthma symptoms alone.  VitalFlo isn’t just providing a band-aid for the problem, says company cofounder and CEO, Luke Marshall. They are building a lung health data repository to support their product that they hope will one day open the door to a future with no asthma attacks.  Marshall shared that he is optimistic about the direction VitalFlo can take with the help of The Launch Place. “They are enabling us to get geared up for our fourth clinical trial this summer,” says Marshall. “We want to become a lung health data company and build a data set for our predictive algorithm. The goal is to predict exacerbations to enable preventive interventions before an attack, keeping people out of the emergency room.”  Over the next year, VitalFlo plans to finalize their mobile spirometer design and get clearance from the Food & Drug Administration (FDA), which will allow them to go to market.  Pre-Seed Advisory Board member Greg Feldmann believes VitalFlo’s mobile spirometer holds a lot of promise given the size of the asthma market opportunity.  The medical device segment is generally less capital intensive and offers a faster commercialization path than other medical related opportunities such as drug development, which can take a decade or more and cost $1 - 2 billion to commercialize a single drug. “In contrast, VitalFlo is developing a product to bring to market in twelve months’ time,” says Feldmann. “We can then move forward to help them grow and gain market traction.”  As they kick off their partnership with The Launch Place, Marshall says the VitalFlo team is excited about the assistance The Launch Place can offer with business and administrative needs, as well as the professional introductions that can be made through the relationship. With the south-central region of Virginia holding the highest rates of inpatient hospitalizations due to asthma4, Marshall also believes that Danville will provide a wealth of clinical data to build upon their repository.    [1] Atsjournals.org. (2018). The Economic Burden of Asthma in the United States, 2008 - 2013 | Annals of the American Thoracic Society | Articles in Press. [online] Available at: https://www.atsjournals.org/doi/abs/10.1513/AnnalsATS.201703-259OC. [2] CDC.gov. (2018). CDC - Asthma. [online] Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/asthma/default.htm. [3] CDC.gov. (2018). CDC - Asthma - Most Recent Asthma Data. [online] Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/asthma/most_recent_data.htm. [4] Virginia Department of Health (2018). Asthma Burden in Virginia. [online] Available at: http://www.vdh.virginia.gov/content/uploads/sites/94/2016/07/AsthmaBurdenReport.pdf.   The Launch Place The Launch Place, from a $10 million grant received from the Danville Regional Foundation in 2012, assists with entrepreneurship and business development, and job creation and retention through its business consulting, mentoring and training, residential and office subsidies, and two seed investment funds in the Dan River region of Virginia and North Carolina.  VitalFlo VitalFlo is pairing technology with clinical data in to build a world where no one ever suffers an asthma attack. They are redefining the standard of care for asthma management by providing actionable recommendations to patients before they have an attack. Their mobile spirometer is patent-pending and licensed by North Carolina State University. ### https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/152 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/152 Wed, 04 Apr 2018 00:00:00 EST Wednesday, 04 April 2018 00:00:00 EST Twenty competitors took the stage to pitch their business to a panel of judges for a chance to win cash prize money to turn their idea into a reality.  This year The Launch Place received 122 applications from various competitors who were vying for one of the top 20 spots.  In its fifth year, IdeaFest has awarded $45,500 to 20 companies since its inception by fellows of the inaugural class of Middle Boarder Forward in collaboration with The Launch Place.  Many of the companies are still around today and are working to grow their business.  The competition kicked off at 1:00pm, with an opening panel including investors as well as a legal advisor who discussed factors that will move a company past the investment screening committee, key success factors they have seen in companies and from a legal perspective what are the things that need to be established before seeking funding from outside investors.   Winners  1st Place $5,000 - Cascade Rapid Response 2nd Place $3,000 - Ventri Health 3rd Place - $1,500 Efficient Innovations Audience Choice $500 - SaniBrands Winners of the competition will also be eligible to receive twenty-five hours of free business consulting from The Launch Place. The Launch Place, located in the River District of Danville, assists with business formation, job creation and retention through its business consulting services and investment funding, while having a dual responsibility to recruit and retain entrepreneurs to the Dan River Region. The IdeaFest competition exposes The Launch Place’s services and funds to start-up companies that are ready to launch, or are seeking early-stage capital. The Launch Place could potentially invest in the company from its Seed and Pre-Seed Funds that were established from a $10 million grant awarded by the Danville Region Foundation.  IdeaFest Judges, Panelists and Master of Ceremonies (Read Bios): Judge: Eva Doss, President & CEO, The Launch Place; Judge: Robin Jones, Owner, Vintages by the Dan, Danville, VA; Judge: Ed Pettiss, Vice-President and Board Director for RTP Capital; Judge: Jim Roberts, Founder, WALE Angel Network; Founder, NEW (Network for Entrepreneurs Wilmington); Judge: Tom Snyder, Executive Director, RIoT (Regional Internet of Things); Instructor, Product Innovation Lab at NC State University Master of Ceremonies: Troy Knauss, Board Member, The Launch Place Board of Directors; Assistant Professor of the Practice of Entrepreneurship, High Point University; Angel Investor; Vice Chairman, Board of Trustees, Angel Resource Institute Panelist: Autumn Visser, Principal, Woods Rogers PLC     IdeaFest 2018 Finalists Name of the Company/Idea Brief Description Efficient Innovations, LLC Patent-pending French Slide is the first two-panel, dual sliding and hinging residential patio door system. Dog Leash A retractable dog leash used to measure and alert dog owners of the dangerous ground temperature their dog's paws are exposed to. Beechi “Beechi” is a clothing brand that creates sustainable surf clothing.  Ventri Health Unfortunately, 45% of feeding tubes clog over their lifetime and Ventri Health has developed a product that will remove buildup from previous feedings while filtering the patient’s food, and seamlessly integrate into the standard feeding process. TruDiary TruDiary is a Women's Health startup that utilizes Blockchain technology to help women manage their health. ARCIS ARCIS's solution integrates neuromuscular electrical stimulation and shoe inserts to cause slight muscle contractions of the lower leg to improve the outcomes of compression stockings.  Colldex Colldex allows users to access an online library of college textbooks through a low cost subscription model. RheoPrinter RheoPrinter Duo tackles challenges faced in 3D printing used in additive manufacturing by introducing a high strength polymer with a printing solution that improves interlayer adhesion.  Watchdog Medical Watchdog Medical is developing a monitoring system that will identify early symptoms of Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in a premature infant and inform physicians of this risk so that prompt care is provided. Redshift Education The traditional U.S. education system kills creativity. Education should foster collaboration, innovation, critical thinking, and resilience. There’s a better, proven way to educate, and we’re going to help it grow. Cascade Rapid Response Cascade Rapid Response has developed an assistive transport device for Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) to use when moving obese patients. Sow App Using recent advancements in machine learning and natural language processing, Sow will help create study materials and help guide students to study by creating materials like flashcards and multiple choice questions from lectures and textbook pages and then immediately schedule out time to study those materials in your calendar. Imbeau, Inc Imbeau is your salon stylist and spa esthetician's customer engagement tool to better know what 'makes you beautiful' and imbue you with confidence.  OpenGait OpenGait aims to increase the quality of life for amputees around the world through their low-cost modular AK prosthetic kit; which contains all components and tools required to fit an individual with a complete prosthesis; including a novel, non-casted adjustable socket able to a fit a range of amputees and a high-performance mechanical knee. Tray’s Gourmet Tracy’s Gourmet® produces healthy, artisan foods made from high quality ingredients that are clean-free of chemical preservatives, corn starch, corn syrup and GMOs- flavorful and fun without compromise.  SaniBrands SaniBrands' signature product is a patented oral device disinfectant known commercially as Defense Sport mouthguard rinse which safely eliminates dirt and harmful pathogens on contact with a 3-second rinse. Quinn Riddle The goal of the EverSafe bracelet is to reduce the number of lost children by creating a bracelet that locks onto a child’s wrist, and is equipped with GPS tracking as well as other beneficial technologies to minimize the possibility of losing a child even if it is just for a minute or two. Rent Assured Rent Assured is on a mission to take the uncertainty out of renting. Grouptrades Grouptrades is an app that helps regular people invest successfully. Teamed for Learning Education organizations are struggling to evolve with rapid technological advancements. Teamed provides access to new types of experts needed to design, build, and maintain digital education experiences and flexible, on-demand staffing solutions.   https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/151 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/151 Tue, 06 Mar 2018 00:00:00 EST Tuesday, 06 March 2018 00:00:00 EST     DANVILLE, VA [March 6, 2018] – Governor Ralph Northam today announced that Panacea Biomatx , a manufacturer of personalized medicine and nutrition solutions, will invest $5.8 million to establish a research and development and high-tech manufacturing facility in the Cane Creek Centre Industrial Park in Pittsylvania County. The project will create 70 new jobs. With a global audience and competitive market, oral medication is one of the leading drivers in the billion dollar pharmaceutical industry. According to a 2013 study conducted by The Mayo Clinic , 20 percent of Americans take five or more medications daily, a majority of these being senior citizens. With individuals who have cardiovascular or other severe medical conditions, doctors claim it is a challenge to get them to take all of their regulatory pills daily—which can be up to 20. This can lead to worsened health problems or even loss of life. Additionally, standard pill regimens lack the personalization to fully meet any one pill taker’s needs. As with any problem, there are those that recognize the gap and say, “There has to be a better way.” This was the case for Edison Hudson and Staton Noel. Together, they searched for a means to repair the “one pill fits all” method that was circulating the industry when they started Panaceutics (a subsidiary of Panacea Biomatx, Inc.) in 2013. Pushing towards the future of pharma and nutraceuticals, Hudson and Noel combined years of experience in pharmaceuticals, robotics, and software innovations to develop a process to deliver personalized medicine that would not only meet the needs of an individual, but would also be easy to consume. However, starting from scratch in a regulated, high dollar market proved to be a challenge. In 2015, Panaceutics received a $250,000 seed investment from The Launch Place , making them the fifth company to join The Launch Place’s portfolio . “The initial investment was made to enable Panaceutics to expand its robotic manufacturing technology in order to position the company at the front of the shifting pharmaceutical industry”, said Eva Doss, President and CEO of The Launch Place. “Seed-stage funding typically entails a small investment aimed at financing the early development of a product. Companies can apply for venture capital when a product is further along in development, which can lead to multimillion dollar deals with high returns”, Doss explained. “For us, raising early capital was difficult,” says Noel. “Really, The Launch Place was one of the only institutional investors interested in helping early stage companies, and they have a very good model for companies like us.” During the last 3 years, The Launch Place has invested an additional $250,000 in Panaceutics. The Launch Place’s Seed Fund Advisory Board member Ken Ferris says that not only did the board like Panaceutics’ leadership team and product during their pitch, but their authenticity separated them from the rest. “It just felt like it was a great fit for Danville,” Ferris says. “and Panaceutics was serious about making a long-term commitment to the Dan River Region.” Today, Panaceutics is reshaping pharma and nutraceuticals by delivering personalized monthly subscriptions of “pill free” portable nutritional pouches, combining up to 20 active ingredients that offer a convenient way to consume medications, vitamins, and supplements. Each pouch will deliver the right nutrients and correct dosage for each individual, reducing drug related side effects or adverse events. Pouch flavors include combinations like Mango Blend, Apple Spice, and more. During their early stage development, Panaceutics successfully raised $1 million in investments, which allowed them to move into First Flight Venture Center , a business incubator located in the Research Triangle Park (RTP), North Carolina in early 2015. But as demand grew for the personalized nutritional packet, so did the need for additional space. Virginia Governor Ralph Northam announced Panaceutics will expand its manufacturing operations to Pittsylvania County in the Dan River Region. Panaceutics’ expansion will create an estimated 70 jobs, adding millions to the annual revenue of the Dan River Region. This move goes well beyond the partnership requirements of The Launch Place, which states that a company must establish a minimum of five jobs in the Dan River Region in three years as part of their investment criteria . “This will have a huge impact,” says Jimmy McGarry, Chair of The Launch Place’s Board of Directors. “This move is a perfect example of collaboration between new businesses we bring into the area and the available space, existing workforce, and ability to train new talent.” CEO of Panaceutics, Mark Montgomery, says the company is excited to move to their 12,500 square foot plant in April, and that Danville is the perfect community for them. “Making this move to Danville will open up doors and not only allow us to get more recognition as a company, but also to get recognition for The Launch Place.” Montgomery adds that this move will create opportunities for more national and international partnerships, as well as the ability to serve more clients. But the space wasn’t the only thing that interested Panaceutics in Danville. The proximity of the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research will ideally offer Panaceutics top talent that are trained and certified in advanced machinery and controlled systems. “There’s an untapped market, particularly if you look at the technology and training that is available in the community,” Montgomery says about Danville. “A lot of talent may go unrecognized.” The plant they are expanding to will house their second automated machine that produces their nutritional pouches, doubling their output. Each machine can serve up to 15,000 clients a month. As interest for their product grows, Panaceutics can easily add lines or even build onto the plant with the 23 acres at hand on their new property. President and CEO of The Launch Place, Eva Doss, admits that the investment was a risk, but The Launch Place could not deny Panaceutics’ potential in the shifting market. “We believed in the founders, and decided to move forward because we saw trends shifting in the industry, where people no longer wanted to take multiple pills a day,” says Doss. “It was such a novel idea, but we believed they would make a change to the industry.” The Launch Place will continue to partner with Panaceutics and provide them with business services as needed and introduce them to other venture funds to push Panaceutics forward. “We have really enjoyed working with Eva and the board,” says Noel. “They are very supportive, open, and don’t let us get in our own way. It is obvious that they want us to succeed.” Looking towards the future, Panaceutics has five product launches planned with billion dollar partners in their network. They also plan to experiment with new delivery systems for their nutritional pouches. Hiring for the plant expansion is scheduled to begin at the end of 2018.   The Launch PlaceThe Launch Place, from a $10 million grant received from the Danville Regional Foundation in 2012, assists with entrepreneurship and business development, and job creation and retention through its business consulting, mentoring and training, residential and office subsidies, and two seed investment funds in the Dan River region of Virginia. www.thelaunchplace.org About PanaceuticsFounded in 2013 as Panacea Biomatix, Inc., Panaceutics delivers personalized monthly subscriptions of “pill free” portable nutritional pouches, combining up to 20 active ingredients that offer a convenient way to consume medications, vitamins, and supplements. https://panaceutics.com   Media Coverage with Video Governor of Virginia - Governor Northam Announces 70 New Jobs in Pittsylvania County WSLS - Pharmaceutical company to invest $5.8M, create 70 jobs in Southside Danville Register & Bee - Pharma company to invest $5.8 million in county expansion WSET - Pharmaceutical company investing $5.8M to expand in Pittsylvania Co., creating 70 jobs Virginia Business - Company plans to create 70 jobs in Pittsylvania County WDBJ 7 - Panaceutics to create 70 new jobs in Pittsylvania County WBTM Danville - 70 healthcare jobs coming to the Dan River region Triangle Business Journal - RTP firm picks Virginia for 70-job expansion WRAL Techwire - RTP drug startup Panaceutics to open plant in Virginia; HQ stays in NC https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/150 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/150 Mon, 12 Feb 2018 00:00:00 EST Monday, 12 February 2018 00:00:00 EST A new company will be joining the diverse portfolio of The Launch Place in February. Chapel Hill-based mesur.io, an internet of things (IoT) company that focuses on providing ag-based businesses with automated data tracking and analytics, received a $200,000 seed investment. This partnership makes mesur.io The Launch Place’s thirteenth venture since 2014.  The Launch Place, a nonprofit investment group supporting startups in the Dan River Region of Virginia and North Carolina, selected mesur.io due to the position their technology holds in the market and mesur.io’s persistence in developing early stage partnerships.  “The management team at mesur.io is committed, experienced, and open to receiving feedback,” says Eva Doss, President and CEO of The Launch Place. “We are impressed with their technology, early pilots, and customers.”  mesur.io combines environmental measurements with advanced analytics, using in-ground sensors along with the cloud-based data hub Cloudera to make it easier for clients to collect data on ground conditions and needs. This data enables clients to manage their turf or crop, reduce labor costs, and maximize output. With insights collected, users can receive recommendations in real time on water consumption, fertilization, and potential threats.  The concept was born from real life struggles of the company’s co-founder and chief technology officer, Mike Prorock, when he purchased a farm in Carrboro, NC. As he cultivated his land, Prorock searched for a tool that would show him what was going on below the surface of the soil. With no suitable device on the market, he decided to create one.  Currently, mesur.io’s technology has been used for golf and turf management, smart agriculture, and small farms and gardens. However, mining and vineyard management are possibilities for future endeavors.  “Our core focus is to help the small to mid-size farmer,” says CEO Tom Rump, mentioning how their technology has helped one of their earlier clients, a mushroom farmer, regulate the humidity, light, and temperature in his greenhouse.  To date, mesur.io has successfully piloted their technology and are serving seven customers in their target areas. According to mesur.io, they have seen their technology help companies lower their personnel costs up to 30 percent.  As part of their partnership with The Launch Place, mesur.io has opened an office in Danville, VA, which will create several new jobs and generate economic growth within the region.  Rump believes that Danville will provide an ideal environment for the company’s continued development. “We look forward to using the entrepreneurial infrastructure that The Launch Place provides, as well as their space and business development experience to grow and give back to the region,” says Rump.  On top of the investment, mesur.io is celebrating another win this month as they attend the nationally renowned accelerator program Techstars in Austin, TX. This 90 day program, which kicked off in late January, brings in ten companies from a thousand applicants to undergo fundamental business acumen training, ramp up tech skills, and meet with advisors.  The Launch Place The Launch Place, from a $10 million grant received from the Danville Regional Foundation in 2012, assists with entrepreneurship and business development, and job creation and retention through its business consulting, mentoring and training, residential and office subsidies, and two seed investment funds in the Dan River Region of Virginia and North Carolina. www.thelaunchplace.org  About mesur.io In order to fill a gap in the golf and agricultural market, mesur.io provides cost-effective and easy to use technology that utilizes in-ground sensors, satellites, weather data, and analytics to provide insight into ground conditions and needs. Clients can manage the water, fertilization, and risks their crops face without the need of additional personnel. www.mesur.io ### Media Coverage with Video WSLS - Company using technology to help farmers, golf courses manage soil opens in Danville Danville Register & Bee - New company receives $200,000 boost from Danville’s Launch Place WSET - Launch Place makes $200,000 investment to improve soil monitoring for farmers Virginia Business - The Launch Place announces $200,000 investment WDBJ 7 - Launch Place invests $200K into new Danville business https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/148 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/148 Wed, 31 Jan 2018 00:00:00 EST Wednesday, 31 January 2018 00:00:00 EST DANVILLE, VA – January 31, 2018 –The Launch Place, a nonprofit investment group supporting startups in the Dan River Region of VA, celebrated their first exit in November. Durham, NC, based healthtech company iScribes, a recent investment of The Launch Place, was acquired in late 2017.  In February of 2017, iScribes became The Launch Place’s twelfth venture with a $250,000 seed investment. The Launch Place, as the lead investor, partnered with Research Triangle Park angel fund Triangle Angel Partners II, LLC, (TAP II) to co-invest a total of $410,000 to help iScribes grow their infrastructure and optimize new technology.  Eva Doss, President and CEO of The Launch Place, says that the financial stability, strong management team, and iScribes’ willingness to utilize Danville as a growth region made them a valid selection for funding.  “People can have great ideas, but it all comes down to if they can execute them,” says Doss. “iScribes was overall a well-rounded company in a fastgrowing industry, and we wanted to help them scale up.”  iScribes is a HIPAA compliant mobile application that helps healthcare providers easily document their patient encounters without the need of dictation. Doctors can use the app to record encounters with patients, and virtual scribes will pull significant medical details and submit the notes directly into the provider’s electronic medical records (EMR).  Dr. Jared Pelo, Co-founder and CEO of iScribes, developed the service to reduce the time consuming burden documentation can have on doctors driven by his first-hand experiences. The company kicked off in 2014, and quickly transformed from a technology company to a tech-enabled service company, employing trained scribes dedicated to providing top of the line documentation. The idea was such a hit that iScribes’ customers provided the initial funding, helping iScribes raise $1 million before The Launch Place lead the partnered investment with TAP II.  The acquisition of iScribes delivered a favorable return to The Launch Place, which Doss says will be used to invest in additional startups through The Launch Place Seed Fund.  “iScribes’ exit proves that the processes and the structure of The Launch Place Seed Fund will work, even in a rural area,” says Doss.  Jan Davis, a member of TAP II and a mentor of iScribes, is confident that the exit will lead to good things for the Dan River Region in the future.  “As an investor, it is exciting to see this positive outcome, and it is a good demonstration of The Launch Place’s execution,” says Davis. “It demonstrates to other angel funds that The Launch Place is a good partner.”  With the combined funding from The Launch Place and TAP II, iScribes was able to train and hire additional scribes and expand their client base.  Reminiscing on iScribes’ partnership with The Launch Place, Pelo appreciates the support of the board and says the overall experience was a positive one. Pelo adds that it was apparent that The Launch Place wants to help entrepreneurs succeed.    Photo from iScribes Investment Announcement in February 2017   The Launch PlaceThe Launch Place, from a $10 million grant received from the Danville Regional Foundation in 2012, assists with entrepreneurship and business development, and job creation and retention through its business consulting, mentoring and training, residential and office subsidies, and two seed investment funds in the Dan River region of Virginia. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/149 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/149 Wed, 31 Jan 2018 00:00:00 EST Wednesday, 31 January 2018 00:00:00 EST Naples Angel Fund Posts Big Win for Investors  Tamiami Angel Fund III investors notched the highest return on an investment since the fund’s inception. NAPLES, Fla. (Jan. 25, 2018) — Tamiami Angel Funds scored an investment win recently when one of the firms it invested in was acquired by a publicly traded company. Naples-based Tamiami Angel Fund III reported internal rate of return of 32% on investment in iScribes after publicly traded Nuance Communications acquired it. The fund invested $265,000 in the transcription service for physicians in July 2017, about four months before the company was acquired for an undisclosed amount later in 2017.  “Our investment in iScribes was the kind of home run that angel investors want to hit when they invest in early stage companies,” says Timothy Cartwright, chairman of Tamiami Angel Funds. “Angel investors take significant risk on early stage companies with the understanding that only a few will reach successful exits and we are proud to say this was one of them.”  iScribes equips physicians with a mobile app and wearable technology to record patient visits, enabling trained virtual medical scribes to complete all necessary medical documentation. iScribes has incorporated leading security features to ensure that their technology is 100% HIPAA compliant.  iScribes began out of the frustration of co-founder, Dr. Jared Pelo.  “Once I started practicing medicine, I quickly saw how burdensome documentation had become. Doctors were burning out. Counterintuitively, technology didn’t seem to help. In fact, the adoption of widespread electronic medical records just made matters worse for overworked doctors, nurse practitioners and physician assistants.”  Then Dr. Pelo found something that fixed the problem. “My first medical scribe was a breath of fresh air. I knew every doctor should have one. But I also knew it would take technology that worked seamlessly to make scribing accessible,” says Dr. Pelo.  Dr. Jared Pelo notes: “Tamiami Angel Fund invested at a critical juncture in the growth of the company and in addition to the investment offered sage business advice.”  Angel investing is an important source of financial support and mentoring for new and emerging-growth businesses such as iScribes. These investors help entrepreneurs before they seek venture capital but after they’ve exhausted money from friends and family. Angel investors typically are wealthy individuals or families who have the means to risk their capital and give freely of their time to mentor entrepreneurs in the startup phase of a business.  Headquartered in Naples, Fla., Tamiami Angel Funds now consist of three member-managed funds that allow high-net-worth individuals and families to invest in promising early stage and expansion-stage companies located in the U.S., with a preference for those in the state of Florida.  Tamiami Angel Funds invested in iScribes as part of network of funds that belong to the Angel Capital Association, a national organization of angel funds. Co-investors included The Launch Place Seed Fund, Triangle Angel Partners and NW Tennessee Angels. “We’re helping put Florida on the map for entrepreneurs seeking capital for their promising startups,” says Cartwright.  “We have had a strong relationship with Triangle Angel Partners for multiple years and it was beneficial for both of us to add Tamiami Angel Fund III into the investor pool,” says Eva Doss, president and CEO of The Launch Place.   About Tamiami Angel Funds Tamiami Angel Fund I, Tamiami Angel Fund II, and Tamiami Angel Fund III are member-managed funds that allow high-net-worth individuals and families to invest in promising early stage and expansion-stage companies located in the U.S., with a preference to those in the state of Florida. The funds are members of the Angel Capital Association and the Florida Venture Forum. For more information, visit www.tamiamiangels.com.   Tamiami Angel Fund wins big for investors By: Naples Daily News A bet on a health tech company has netted a healthy return for investors in a Naples-based fund. The Tamiami Angel Fund III reported its highest return on an investment with the sale of iScribes, a medical transcription service for physicians, to a publicly traded company. The fund — the third for Tamiami Angel Funds — invested $265,000 in iScribes in July. Less than six months later, the young company was acquired by Nuance Communications, a multinational computer software technology business headquartered in Massachusetts that provides speech and imaging applications. The sale brought the fund's investors an internal rate of return of 32 percent, which takes into account the present value of future payments, said Tim Cartwright, chairman of Tamiami Angel Funds. "This is the fifth acquisition or recapitalization transaction we've had out of our 17portfolio companies across the three funds and our highest return to date," he said. The actual profit is about $137,000, and most of it has been paid out to investors, Cartwright said. "About 80 percent of the returns have been paid out to us," he said. "The majority of the deal has already been realized. Over the next two years we will get the payments out of escrow and earn-out." iScribes was born out of the frustrations of its co-founder Jared Pelo, an ER doctor who found it a pain to complete all the documentation his hectic job required. His company offers a mobile app and wearable technology that allows doctors to record visits with patients — and provides virtual medical scribes to decipher the information and complete the documentation, while remaining compliant with HIPAA privacy and security rules. "Once I started practicing medicine, I quickly saw how burdensome documentation had become," Pelo said in a news release. "Doctors were burning out." The documentation is loaded right into the patients' medical records and it's ready to view by noon the following day. iScribe, based in North Carolina, sought money from the Tamiami Angel Fund to crank up its marketing and to recruit more scribes. "They actually grew their revenues by about 25 percent during the period that followed our investment, which is meaningful," Cartwright said. Tamiami Angel Funds was one of the largest investors in iScribe. After the company made its "Shark Tank-style" pitch to the fund's investors, there was a supermajority vote to consider the opportunity, and after more research there was a unanimous decision to invest in it. "Tamiami Angel Fund invested at a critical juncture in the growth of the company and in addition to the investment offered sage business advice," Pelo said. Angel investors help entrepreneurs before they seek venture capital, but come in after the startups have exhausted the money their founders rounded up from friends and family. These early investors put in their own money and work with companies to help them succeed. Money is still being raised for Tamiami Angel Fund III, and only about 25 percent of the money raised so far has been spent, Cartwright said. The fund is at $4.2 million, and Cartwright expects it to grow to $5.5 million to $6 million. "So we still have a lot of investment activity in front of us," he said. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/147 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/147 Tue, 09 Jan 2018 00:00:00 EST Tuesday, 09 January 2018 00:00:00 EST Entrepreneur. It is defined as a person who an innovative and scalable opportunity, organizes the resources, and creates a successful enterprise..  But at the heart of it, what is an entrepreneur, really? Likely, they are someone who started off with an idea. Many of us have ideas but aren’t sure where to go or what to do with them. That’s where The Launch Place comes in. The Launch Place strives to foster an environment for new and serial entrepreneurs to raise capital and garner the support system needed to take their products and/or solutions into the marketplace. Beyond this, the organization was looking for other ways to attract creative minds with good ideas. In 2014, the first IdeaFest was held. The event selected 25 entrepreneur teams to present an “elevator pitch” of their ideas to a panel of judges. Participants came from Danville, Pittsylvania County, Blacksburg, Lynchburg, and Charlottesville, as well as North Carolina regions, such as Caswell County, Raleigh and Durham. One participant had even come from California. In the years since, IdeaFest has only gotten bigger and better. Recently, we sat down with Eva Doss, President and CEO of The Launch Place, to discuss the history of IdeaFest and what we can expect this year and beyond. Where did the concept for IdeaFest come from?  In 2013, as part of Danville Regional Foundation’s Middle Border Forward initiative, a group of six fellows choose “business” as part of a community development project.  The group reached out to various regional business resources including The Launch Place to do a community project with a focus on business.  The Launch Place suggested to organize a pitch competition in Danville. The fellows took the lead on the suggestion and the concept of IdeaFest was born.  The first IdeaFest in cooperation between the Middle Border Forward fellows and The Launch Place took place in March 2014. What were some of the steps involved with putting the first event together? The concept started as a pitch competition but turned into a full day event to foster entrepreneurship and raise awareness of business development resources in the region.   We had the signature pitch event, but it also included start-up readiness workshop, round table discussions, and an Entrepreneurial Resource Fair to showcase resources in the region.  Recalling the first event, it took about eight months or more to plan the event.   There were many planning meetings and multiple brainstorming sessions among fellows to put together the events.  Focus of the Planning: How can we encourage local entrepreneurs to share their idea? How can we showcase the regions to competitors who will be visiting from other cities/towns?  What do we want to name it? How to raise funds for the event and prizes?  Where to host the event?  How to reach out to various universities and colleges to encourage students to share their ideas?  Who will judge the competitions?  These were just some of the concerns that needed to be addressed.  Under the leadership of The Launch Place, the fellows collaborated with multiple service providers in the region and sponsors in the area to put together the first event.   The first event was challenging but feedback and responses from the community was encouraging to continue pursuing and improving the event in future. What do you hope to achieve through these events? We want to stimulate innovation and entrepreneurship to continue to diversify the economy in the Dan River Region. As the lead entity for entrepreneurship development in the region, The Launch Place has strongly supported IdeaFest and has decided to continue to support the pitch competition.  We feel it’s a great event to engage the local community as well as introduce people from other regions to the assets available for entrepreneurial growth here in the Dan River Region.  For entrepreneurs, it’s a forum for them to develop their ideas by pitching their venture to a panel of judges and allows the entrepreneur to receive constructive feedback that will help them grow their new venture.  And the best part, the top competitors will walk away with cash prizes to use to grow the venture. Another key part of the event is networking.  Entrepreneurs will be able to network with fellow entrepreneurs, future customers as well as investors such as The Launch Place.  We follow the companies that pitch at IdeaFest and track their progress for possible future investment from the Pre-Seed or Seed Funds. What changes do you see coming in future IdeaFests? We are in the midst of planning IdeaFest 2018 and welcome all input and suggestions to make this year a success. Who should participate in IdeaFest and why should those who aren't involved in the contest come watch it? IdeaFest is truly what it sounds like – “IDEAS” are pitched.  Yes, it’s true that questions will need to be answered focused on the business model around the idea, however, the venture can be very early without customers.  Eligibility includes the ideas and concepts pitched must be in the initial stages of development where funding to date is no more than $50,000. We want to ensure the ideas that have a solid business model can proceed onto market validation and the prize money awarded to the top competitors can enable the validation to be conducted whether through pilot customers or third party review. Therefore, any entrepreneur that has a venture idea should apply to IdeaFest. Audience members not pitching a venture, perhaps budding entrepreneurs not ready to launch, will also gain experience of how venture pitches should be structured and they will hear questions the judges will ask participants which gives them insight into how investors are evaluating ventures for investment.  Overall the event is educational and has great potential for networking with entrepreneurs, business leaders and investors. About Ideafest - In the past 4 years received a total of 257 applications total number of companies that have pitched 85 awarded a total of $35,500 to 16 companies Dates for 2018 Competition: January 4 – Applications Open February 13 – Application Deadline March 29 – IdeaFest Pitch Competition  View the full Showcase Magazine   IdeaFest is free and open to the public. Attendees are encouraged to attend any part of the day’s activities. Community members of all ages and professions are invited to attend to learn about Danville’s startup development resources, to network with a wide range of business professionals and to explore entrepreneurship as a career option.   Apply to Pitch your Business Idea - DEADLINE February 13   Register to Attend IdeaFest - March 29 at 1pm   For additional information, contact Kelly Fitzgerald at kfitzgerald@thelaunchplace.org.   https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/146 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/146 Thu, 04 Jan 2018 00:00:00 EST Thursday, 04 January 2018 00:00:00 EST     5th Annual IdeaFest Business Pitch Competition - March 29 IdeaFest is a Business Pitch Competition where 20 finalists will pitch their startup idea to a panel of judges and a live audience.  The top three competitors will be awarded $5,000 for first place, $3,000 for second place and $1,500 for third place. Audience members will also have the chance to vote on a favorite competitor to win the $500 Audience Choice Award. Winners of the competition will also be eligible to receive twenty-five hours of free business consulting from The Launch Place. The Launch Place, located in the River District of Danville, assists with business formation, job creation and retention through its business consulting services and investment funding, while having a dual responsibility to recruit and retain entrepreneurs to the Dan River Region. The IdeaFest competition exposes The Launch Place’s services and funds to start-up companies that are ready to establish or seeking early stage capital. The Launch Place could potentially invest in the company from its Seed and Pre-Seed Funds that were established from a $10 million grant awarded by the Danville Region Foundation. Awards 1st Place $5,000 2nd Place $3,000 3rd Place $1,500 Audience Choice $500 IdeaFest is free and open to the public. Attendees are encouraged to attend any part of the day’s activities. Community members of all ages and professions are invited to attend to learn about Danville’s startup development resources, to network with a wide range of business professionals and to explore entrepreneurship as a career option. Apply to Pitch your Business Idea - DEADLINE February 13   Register to Attend IdeaFest - March 29 at 1pm   For additional information, contact Kelly Fitzgerald at kfitzgerald@thelaunchplace.org. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/145 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/145 Mon, 11 Dec 2017 00:00:00 EST Monday, 11 December 2017 00:00:00 EST ALEXANDRIA – Governor Terry McAuliffe and U.S. Senator Mark Warner today announced the launch of the Virginia is for Entrepreneurs (VA4E) initiative, an effort to better match entrepreneurs with potential investors across regions, backgrounds and industries. V4E’s first initiative will feature a standardized online application to better link entrepreneurs with more than 50 investment firms and potential funders to help launch or grow their Virginia-based businesses. Partners in the network includes a number of universities including Virginia Tech and the University of Virginia’s College at Wise ; angel investment groups such as 757 Angels and Shenandoah Valley Angel Investors; venture funds including Revolution and Village Capital; and statewide organizations including the Center for Innovative Technology . “The Commonwealth has long been home to innovators and entrepreneurs who make up the backbone of our new Virginia economy,” said Governor McAuliffe. “That’s why it’s so important that we continue to expand our support for promising new ventures. The Virginia is for Entrepreneurs initiative will open new doors for local start-ups by increasing access to the capital they need to thrive and create good-paying jobs.” “While Virginia boasts a number of innovative communities and ecosystems across the Commonwealth, a consistent problem has been connecting promising entrepreneurs with capital available to support their vision,” said Senator Mark Warner. “As part of a broader effort to strengthen the connective tissue between Virginia’s startup communities, this tool will help founders evaluate their product fit and maturity, and connect them with venture and angel investors across the Commonwealth.” “Having a single point of entry to a statewide capital network will greatly enhance the likelihood that Virginia startups will be able to secure the funding they need without having to rely on out-of-state resources,” said Secretary of Technology Karen Jackson . “And for those in regions that lack an organized venture community, access to these funds will open up a myriad of entrepreneurial opportunities.” “Whether you're an agriculture entrepreneur in Abingdon or a cyber-security entrepreneur in Arlington, if you've got a great idea and work hard, you should be able to succeed,” said Ross Baird, founder of the venture firm Village Capital and one of the organizers of the V4E initiative. “Today, too often the best ideas don't even get the opportunity to start because of who they are or where they come from. Virginia is for Entrepreneurs is testing ideas statewide to fix that.” The pilot initiative announced today that the online application was successfully tested by more than 200 entrepreneurs and investors statewide at the TomTom Festival in Charlottesville and by the Roanoke-Blacksburg Technology Council. The initiative will help build strategic sectors in Virginia. For example, one of the initial areas of focus for the investment portfolio will be a state-led pilot program to promote the growth of early stage unmanned aerial systems companies , which has been identified as a cornerstone industry for the New Virginia Economy. For more information, please contact Ross Baird, ross@vilcap.com; Paul Hirschbiel, phirschbiel@edencapital.net; or visit va4e.org. Press Release Contacts: Office of the Governor: Brian Coy, Brian.Coy@governor.virginia.gov ### The Launch Place is a founding Partner of the VA4E Initiative. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/144 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/144 Fri, 13 Oct 2017 00:00:00 EST Friday, 13 October 2017 00:00:00 EST The Launch Place received 59 applications for the Big Launch Challenge and invited the top 10 companies to pitch.  To date, $119,000 in awards have been given to 9 companies since the first competition was held in 2013. VitalFlo, focused on preventing asthma attacks, took home the top prize of $20,000 for first place. PT Wired, which provides a digital solution for the physical therapy industry, was awarded $10,000 for second place. The Audience Choice winner, The Wed Clique, received a $2,000 award. “Based on the number of inquiries, The Big Launch Challenge has become a highly anticipated event in the region,” said Eva Doss, President and CEO of The Launch Place. “Not only does the competition provide entrepreneurs with prize money, but it also serves as a platform for them to learn about The Launch Place’s entrepreneurship services and investment opportunities in Danville, Virginia.” VitalFlo is a digital health company that is redefining the standard of care for asthma management. The company utilizes mobile handheld spirometry test and a digital health management app to enable asthmatic patients to track their lung health and asthma medications at home. Luke Marshall, Founder of VitalFlo, is a scientist turned entrepreneur who is passionate about taking scientific innovations from the lab bench into the real world through startups. Despite good medicinal treatments and known triggers, asthma attacks are disruptive to patients' lives, are costly, and occur with little warning. This is because asthma management is plagued by bad data. High-quality lung function data is only accessible in-clinic, where it is collected too infrequently to have predictive value. Current take-home devices are inaccurate and provide low-value data. By enabling the collection of daily lab-quality lung function data at home, VitalFlo can predict patients' risk of an asthma attack and provide actionable recommendations to prevent their occurrence.  PT Wired enables physical therapists to provide better services to patients through software and mobile devices.  Vikram Sethuraman, Founder & CEO of PT Wired, is a 2016 graduate from UNC- Chapel Hill, where he majored in Business Administration and co-founded PT Wired during his junior year.  Completion of at-home exercise routines is extremely important for a successful recovery in physical therapy, yet only 30-35% of patients adhere to their prescribed routines. This is because current prescription methods suffer from inefficiencies, poor communication, and a lack of patient accountability. Patients are typically given a piece of paper that is easily lost or forgotten, or simply oral instructions. Non-adherence often leads to prolonged rehabilitation timelines, and, in some cases, additional surgical procedures. Furthermore, the lack of patient engagement during out-of-clinic rehabilitation results in increased documentation burden for physical therapists. Physical therapists are disconnected from patients in between clinic visits, and often spend 15-25% of an appointment talking to patients to learn how they have been progressing since the last clinic visit. Afterwards, physical therapists must painstakingly document these discussions in the electronic medical records. PT Wired is a physical therapy SaaS product that enables physical therapists to provide better service to patients while saving time in the process. Patients receive a mobile app with videos, notes, and reminders to guide them through their routine. Physical therapists are able to track patient progress/outcomes and save time with documentation. The Wed Clique, a product of Techstars startup accelerator program, is an ecommerce platform that enables brides to shop and book their dream wedding venues, with one simple click.  Lisa Ganderson, CEO and Co-founder, is a Duke MBA graduate with background experience in finance and venture capital.  Couples spend, on average, 500 hours planning their weddings. The first step in this process is to browse Pinterest and other visual inspiration blogs. Couples cannot purchase the goods or services from these images, and instead are left individually sourcing over 15 professional vendors to recreate their favorite images. In addition, the content they are recreating, was produced by vendors that will never get credit or a booking for their work. These images aren’t driving revenue back to vendors, because they aren’t actually bookable. The Wed Clique is putting a buy button on customized styled shoots, creating localized, auto-curated vendor packages matched to a bride's unique vision for her event. With the One-Click Wedding platform, a bride can book the exact vendor team that has already worked together at her venue, and created the exact style of wedding she wants. Vendors, in turn, get booked more frequently, and earlier in the planning process creating increased revenue and business predictability. 10 Finalists Dough 4 Degrees - Dough 4 Degrees is an online education center that teaches students how to obtain scholarships enabling them to graduate college debt free. LivingLAB - LivingLAB is a platform for easily finding high quality roommates with mutual interests for rental property. NeuroVice - NeuroVice is developing The Protector Against Tongue Injury (PATI), a symptom-management, oral device technology that prevents, oral trauma, tongue biting, and drooling during seizures. PT Wired - PT Wired, the fully feature digital solution to the physical therapy industry that enables physical therapists to provide better services to patients through software and mobile devices. Purillume - Purillume is a LED lighting Startup Company that is committed to helping people create and enjoy superior, personalized lighting environments. Purillume focuses on providing bright, high quality natural light to indoor spaces.   SharkDreams - SharkDreams is a digital healthcare company that is redefining the way patient health is monitored by combining software, hardware technology, cloud-based data analytics, and artificial intelligence capabilities. SmartBridge - Smartbridge is an online platform that gives cancer patients 24/7 remote access to quality-verified oncologists, on a freelance basis. The Waggle Company - A tech-enabled, on-demand dog walking and pet care company. The Wed Clique - The Wed Clique is an ecommerce platform that enables brides to shop and book their dream wedding venues, with one simple click. VitalFlo - VitalFlo is a digital health company that is redefining the standard of care for asthma management. The company utilizes mobile handheld spirometry test and a digital health management app to enable asthmatic patients to track their lung health and asthma medications at home. Judges Stephen Clossick, Fund Manager, Triangle Angel Partners Bob Creeden, Managing Director, University of Virginia Seed Fund & New Ventures; Board Member, The Launch Place Seed Fund Jan Davis, Board Member, Angel Investor, Executive in Residence; Board Member, Chair, The Launch Place Seed Fund Paul Nolde, Director, NRV James Ramey, Principal and Fund Manager, Virginia Tech/Carilion Innovation Fund Andy Schwab, President, First Flight Venture Center; Founder & Director at RTP Capital  View Judges Profiles The challenge is an annual event and offers startups valuable business networking and capital opportunities, as well as critical resources. The goal of The Big Launch Challenge is to foster entrepreneurship by offering education, team creation, mentorship, early-stage prototyping, and potential follow-on seed financing.  Startups from the nanotechnology, green technology, alternative energy, advanced manufacturing, advanced materials, medical devices, and information technology industries were invited to apply for The Big Launch Challenge’s fourth year.     https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/143 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/143 Tue, 03 Oct 2017 00:00:00 EST Tuesday, 03 October 2017 00:00:00 EST One Week Away! Register to Attend The Big Launch Challenge is a joint venture between The Launch Place and the First Flight Venture Center designed to showcase technology-related business ideas in a highly competitive environment. The pitch competition includes awards totaling up to $32,000 for the winners. The challenge has a total of two rounds, plus a final LIVE event. The Big Launch Challenge LIVE event is scheduled for 1:00 pm on October 10, 2017, at the Research Triangle Park Headquarters located at 12 Davis Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC. Register to attend Cash Award Breakdown: 1st Place $20,000 2nd Place $10,000 Audience Choice $2,000 -- NEW this year 10 Finalists Dough 4 Degrees LivingLAB NeuroVice PT Wired Purillume SharkDreams SmartBridge The Waggle Company The Wed Clique VitalFlo Judges Stephen Clossick, Fund Manager, Triangle Angel Partners Bob Creeden, Managing Director, University of Virginia Seed Fund & New Ventures; Board Member, The Launch Place Seed Fund Jan Davis, Board Member, Angel Investor, Executive in Residence; Board Member, Chair, The Launch Place Seed Fund Paul Nolde, Director of Business Development, NRV.VC James Ramey, Principal and Fund Manager, Virginia Tech/Carilion Innovation Fund View Judges Profiles The challenge is an annual event and offers startups valuable business networking and capital opportunities, as well as critical resources. The goal of The Big Launch Challenge is to foster entrepreneurship by offering education, team creation, mentorship, early-stage prototyping, and potential follow-on seed financing.  Startups from the nanotechnology, green technology, alternative energy, advanced manufacturing, advanced materials, medical devices, and information technology industries are invited to apply for The Big Launch Challenge’s fourth year. Register to attend Learn more: http://www.thelaunchplace.org/2017-challenge https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/142 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/142 Mon, 05 Jun 2017 00:00:00 EST Monday, 05 June 2017 00:00:00 EST $32,000 in Awards LIVE Competition - October 10, 2017 The Big Launch Challenge is a joint venture between The Launch Place and the First Flight Venture Center designed to showcase technology-related business ideas in a highly competitive environment. The pitch competition includes awards totaling up to $32,000 for the winners. The challenge has a total of two rounds, plus a final LIVE event. The Big Launch Challenge LIVE event is scheduled for 1:00 pm on October 10, 2017, at the Research Triangle Park Headquarters located at 12 Davis Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC. Awards 1st Place $20,000 2nd Place $10,000 Audience Choice $2,000 -- NEW this year 10 Finalist will be selected this year. The challenge is an annual event and offers startups valuable business networking and capital opportunities, as well as critical resources. The goal of The Big Launch Challenge is to foster entrepreneurship by offering education, team creation, mentorship, early-stage prototyping, and potential follow-on seed financing.  Startups from the nanotechnology, green technology, alternative energy, advanced manufacturing, advanced materials, medical devices, and information technology industries are invited to apply for The Big Launch Challenge’s fourth year.   Applications are now open - Deadline to apply is July 24.     Details from last year’s event are available at https://thebiglaunchchallenge.launchgen.com/. 2016 Judges - View bios here For additional information, contact Kelly Fitzgerald at kfitzgerald@thelaunchplace.org. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/141 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/141 Fri, 02 Jun 2017 00:00:00 EST Friday, 02 June 2017 00:00:00 EST Click here to read more https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/140 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/140 Thu, 04 May 2017 00:00:00 EST Thursday, 04 May 2017 00:00:00 EST   By Kirsten Barber https://www.linkedin.com/in/kirstenlemmons/ @kirsten_lemmons The Virginia-based seed fund adds a new company to its investment portfolio: a startup making significant headway in the home automation industry. The Launch Place, a nonprofit organization in Danville, Virginia, that provides support and funding for startups in the Dan River Region, recently announced it would be adding a new company to its portfolio. TiO, a home automation startup that has expanded to Raleigh from its headquarters in Florida, became The Launch Place’s thirteenth investment. This $250,000 seed investment is the fund’s first partnership with a startup within the home automation industry, and it provides enough backing for TiO to expand operations in the Dan River Region (one requirement of The Launch Place investment) and bring at least five employees to the new office. TiO, short for “Turn it On,” creates hardware and software products that allow for wireless control of the home through a single app on a homeowner’s phone or tablet. The Launch Place President and CEO, Eva Doss, says one reason the organization chose to invest in TiO is because of the CEO’s previous successes in building startup companies. Continue reading on ExitEvent.com   https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/139 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/139 Wed, 05 Apr 2017 00:00:00 EST Wednesday, 05 April 2017 00:00:00 EST The Launch Place announced today that it is investing $250,000 in TiO, to further immerse TiO’s brand in the home building and custom installation market. TiO is common sense home automation that is uncommonly simple, providing a unique approach to automation and control systems. TiO is an entirely new approach to home automation driven by an "outside in" philosophy that focuses on the customer experience. Designed to be simple and intuitive, TiO truly adapts to the client's lifestyle, unlike other home automation solution that forces the user to adapt to the system. Recently, TiO has been recognized as Sound & Vision Magazine’s “Top Pick” and a 2017 Consumer Technology Association Mark of Excellence winner. “We are thrilled to announce the Launch Place as an investor in our line of common sense home automation products,” said Sanjay Patel, President and Chief Executive Officer for TiO. “With the support of The Launch Place, we will be able to further expose our brand to builders and custom installers throughout the United States.” As part of the investment requirements, TiO will expand its operations to the Dan River Region by hiring additional employees with an extensive long-term plan through 2020. The company, in addition to receiving a $250,000 investment from The Launch Place, will also use the organization’s entrepreneur wrap-around services of mentoring, training and coaching and business consulting services. “Typically an intuitive control ecosystem like the TiO solution are usually reserved for higher-priced and complex home automation systems,” said Eva Doss, President & CEO of The Launch Place. “We are very impressed with the solution they have built as well as the niche market potential for the company to really grow.” The investment in TiO will be The Launch Place’s thirteenth investment totaling $2.5 million. The Launch Place is co-investing with angels across the south east including VentureSouth. VentureSouth is one of the largest angel investment groups in the United States that manages angel groups and funds comprised of more than 200 accredited investors across the Southeast. End-users choose how TiO interacts with their lifestyle in ways that have never before been possible. Users create the desired mood in every room of their home, using the actual devices. This Mood is then “Captured” with a single button press on the TiO Home App (a free download for Android and iOS) and can be recalled or edited at any time, and even scheduled to occur at a preset time each day or relative to sunrise or sunset. TiO “Experiences” collect these Moods for easy control of the entire Home. When a user’s mood changes, so does TiO. About TiOTiO is common sense home automation that is uncommonly simple, providing a unique approach to automation and control systems. TiO products are made in the USA and sold exclusively through authorized installing professionals. TiO is engineered to provide flexibility, ease of installation and scalability that accommodates a variety of residential applications.Website: http://www.tiohome.com ### Media Coverage Watch announcement by River City TV   Danville Register & Bee by John Crane   WSLS News by Colter Anstaett      https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/138 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/138 Mon, 03 Apr 2017 00:00:00 EST Monday, 03 April 2017 00:00:00 EST With over 100 applications received for the 4th Annual IdeaFest Business Pitch Competition, it has proved to be the toughest competition to date. Applications were received from as far away as California to West Bengal, India and ranged from sensor based training equipment for athletes to a biotech company that gives farmers precise control over their harvesting schedule. Twenty entrepreneurs pitched their business concepts to a panel of judges for a chance to win part of the $10,000 in prize money. The winners are highlighted below: 1st Place: Urinary Catheter Solutions Urinary Catheter Solutions aims to improve the design of the urinary catheter with a twofold solution. Its’ device improves the cleaning process and reduces the profile within the bladder to reduce high amounts of residual urine.  2nd Place: Inventory Connection Inventory Connection's web application transfers retailers' real-time inventory data to each of their vendors allowing them to stock their supermarket's shelves better. 3rd Place: Spira Spira grows algae and then bottles it as a delicious prebiotic beverage. Spira grows spirulina in a closed-loop process, harvests it, and presents spirulina in a unique way that keeps it fresh, healthy and alive, preserving a neutral flavor that can be used in a variety of custom food products for a delicious nutrient boost.  Audience Choice: Riveles Riveles is a commercial real estate data and analytics service provider that will put a wealth of information at users' fingertips, allowing them to make investment decisions faster and easier using unique visual features.   20 Presenting Finalists: Busy Box, Danville, VA AgroSpheres, Charlottesville, VA AthloTech, Research Triangle Park, NC BlaznTech, Durham, NC En-counter, Chatham, VA Just Cause Coffee, Greensboro, NC Knedia, Elkin, NC Riveles, Raleigh, NC CastCade: Your Media, Your Way, Danville, VA Supervize, Raleigh, NC Urinary Catheter Solutions, Cary, NC Intake (formerly Renourish), Raleigh, NC NEXT Wear: Low-cost smart clothing, Raleigh, NC Spira, Richmond, VA SweatHogs, Williamsburg, VA TechStar Tutors, Midlothian, VA Mappify, Chalfont, PA Inventory Connection, Sussex, NJ Reazone, Durham, NC HotShoe Instruments, Raleigh, NC   River City TV Video:    WSLS Coverage: Software solutions popular at Danville entrepreneur competitionBy Colter Anstaett      DANVILLE (WSLS 10) – Four entrepreneurs now have money from The Launch Place in Danville to help develop their ideas. Friday, The Launch Place held its annual Idea Fest pitch competition. 20 entrepreneurs were selected from over 100 applicants to pitch their ideas to judges. The winner, receiving $5,000, was Urinary Catheter Solutions. The company is focused on improving the design of urinary catheters. Second place, receiving $3,000, was Inventory Connection. It is an app that transfers retailers’ real-time inventory to each of the retailers’ vendors in order to help the retailer better stock its shelves. Third place, receiving $1,500, was Spira, a company that grows and bottles algae so it can be used as a nutrient boost in a variety of custom food products. The fourth place winner was chosen by the audience and received $500. The company, Riveles, is a commercial real estate data and analytics service that uses unique visual features to help users make investment decisions faster and easier. “Most of the applications, or the applicants, are really focused on software solutions for certain problems all across; from healthcare to grocery store solutions to actual manufacturing solutions,” The Launch Place CEO, Eva Doss, said. The winners will have an opportunity to work with The Launch Place to develop a potential business plan for their ideas. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/136 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/136 Fri, 17 Mar 2017 00:00:00 EST Friday, 17 March 2017 00:00:00 EST The Launch Place announced today that it is investing $250,000 in iScribes to further develop its operational capacity and technology for delivering virtual scribe services to healthcare providers across the United States. iScribes is a HIPAA-compliant mobile application and virtual medical scribing service. Healthcare providers record patient encounters using the mobile application, and virtual scribes listen to patient encounters, write medical documentation, and put it in the electronic medical record (EMR) for healthcare providers, saving doctors hundreds of hours per year of clerical work. The adoption of EMRs is an important step in the modernization of the US healthcare system, but it has created significant new challenges for providers. It is estimated that physicians now spend 40% of their time documenting patient encounters in EMRs, which directly reduces time available for patient care. EMRs have also impeded the doctor-patient relationship, as many physicians now conduct exams while facing a computer instead of their patients. "iScribes exists to make healthcare functional and efficient," said Dr. Jared Pelo, Co-founder and CEO of iScribes. “Virtual medical scribes enable providers to conduct patient encounters naturally and efficiently with exceptionally high-quality documentation.,” said Dr. Pelo. Unlike with medical transcription, no dictation is required and scribes complete documentation directly in the provider’s EMR. "The problem of time-consuming documentation for every patient office visit has been reduced," says Dr. John Mahoney, Orthopedic Surgeon with Spectrum Medical in Danville, who has used iScribes since October of last year. “I can focus more time on my patients instead of spending long hours at a computer or working with dictation services,” said Dr. Mahoney. When a company is raising a round of funding, oftentimes multiple investors participate in the round. The Launch Place led the syndication of this deal where Triangle Angel Partners II, LLC (TAP II), an angel investment fund based in the Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, co-invested for a total of $410,000 investment. This investment marks how two regions can work together and enable an early-stage company to grow and expand operations. “The membership of TAP II found the combination of iScribes' management team and application of technology to the healthcare services sector a compelling reason to make iScribes the 6th portfolio company” said Stephen Clossick, TAP II Fund Manager. “TAP II is equally pleased with its newly strengthened relationship with The Launch Place, as this co-investment has shown how well the two organizations can work together to provide early stage funds to regional start-ups,” said Clossick. “We have had a strong relationship with TAP for multiple years and look forward to continuing our work together,” said Eva Doss, The Launch Place President & CEO. “iScribes’ use of technology to improve a health provider’s productivity and accuracy as well as overall patient satisfaction has shown tremendous traction in the last year by the number of customers that have selected to use iScribes for their medical documentation,” said Doss. iScribes began out of the frustration of co-founder, Dr. Jared Pelo. "Once I started practicing medicine, I quickly saw how burdensome documentation had become. Doctors were burning out. Counterintuitively, technology didn't seem to help. In fact, the adoption of widespread electronic medical records just made matters worse for overworked doctors, nurse practitioners and physician assistants." Then Jared found something that fixed the problem. "My first medical scribe was a breath of fresh air. I knew every doctor should have one. But also knew it would take technology that worked seamlessly to make scribing accessible," said Dr. Pelo. Customers believe in this combination of technology and service. Up to this point, many of the same healthcare providers who use iScribes have funded the early stages of the company. "We know the validation that comes with customers who believe in your product so much that they invest," said Christopher McGuire, Co-founder and Head of Sales at iScribes. "Now we are excited to work with The Launch Place to move us into our next phase of development. With new funds, we will optimize our service and infrastructure for stable growth, while investing in technology that continues to delight our customers and move scribing forward. We especially look forward to the benefits of partnering with an organization with such advising and mentoring expertise here in our backyard," said McGuire. Dr. Jared Pelo Christopher McGuire The Launch PlaceThe Launch Place, from a $10 million grant received from the Danville Regional Foundation in 2012, assists with entrepreneurship and business development, and job creation and retention through its business consulting, mentoring and training, residential and office subsidies, and two seed investment funds in the Dan River region of Virginia. About iScribesThe iScribes virtual scribe service relieves providers of the documentation burden using technology that fits seamlessly into physician workflows and highly-trained scribes based in the United States. iScribes is HIPAA-compliant and tailored to the needs of providers end-to-end. Providers record patient encounters using a mobile application. Unlike transcription, no dictation is required, and providers can interact with patients naturally. Virtual scribes write and submit documentation directly into the electronic medical record (EMR). Doctors approve the notes and go home on time.Website: www.iscribes.co River City TV Videos:       https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/135 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/135 Thu, 16 Mar 2017 00:00:00 EST Thursday, 16 March 2017 00:00:00 EST As part of IdeaFest, The Launch Place and RIoT will host a free Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) workshop at the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research in Danville.  The agenda includes an IIoT overview as well as case study applications on improving facility energy efficiency through IIoT, real-time monitoring for predictive maintenance and deploying sensors to improve capital equipment deployment. Registration is limited to industry professionals, plant managers, engineers, maintenance and facility managers, quality control specialists, information system specialists, etc. Register by emailing Kelly Fitzgerald at kfitzgerald@thelaunchplace.org. Registration will be limited to 100 to ensure high engagement and time for Q&A with the presenters.  Download Flyer     https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/133 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/133 Wed, 01 Mar 2017 00:00:00 EST Wednesday, 01 March 2017 00:00:00 EST Article located on WRAL TechWire Get behind the scenes of The Launch Place, an organization and fund that promotes job creation and economic growth in the Dan River region. Read full article by clicking here https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/134 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/134 Wed, 22 Feb 2017 00:00:00 EST Wednesday, 22 February 2017 00:00:00 EST by Colter Anstaett   DANVILLE (WSLS 10) – This year could be the toughest yet for a popular entrepreneur competition in Danville.As of Wednesday, there was just one week left to submit applications for The Launch Place’s IdeaFest.So far, 53 applications have been submitted.According to The Launch Place CEO Eva Doss, that’s about average for one week to go before the deadline.The top 20 will be chosen and those people will have two minutes to pitch their idea to a panel of judges.The judges will choose the three best ideas and each will get a share of $10,000 to help develop their idea.“I think the judges are going to have a pretty difficult time. Each and every year, I think, with these competitions we have a tendency to see stronger applications,” Doss explained.Iulian Bobe, founder and Chief Technology of Tyton Bio Energy Systems located in Danville, is a first-time judge for the 2017 competition.He said he is excited.“I think this can put Danville on the map for entrepreneurs,” Bobe said. “We see more and more entrepreneurs coming here and we see, also, companies coming here from the Northeast and Europe.”The 20 ideas that are chosen will be pitched to the judges on March 31 at the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/132 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/132 Tue, 31 Jan 2017 00:00:00 EST Tuesday, 31 January 2017 00:00:00 EST The Launch Place is excited to host Business After Hours with the DP Chamber and looks forward to opening their doors to the business community.  Come meet and chat with portfolio company entrepreneurs who have received investment from The Launch Place. Attendees will learn about the investment program as well as The Launch Place's superior business consulting services for all stages of businesses, from helping entrepreneurs in the earliest stage of a great idea to business growth and expansion for existing businesses. Register to attend   https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/131 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/131 Fri, 27 Jan 2017 00:00:00 EST Friday, 27 January 2017 00:00:00 EST IdeaFest is a fun, fast-paced Business Pitch Competition with $10,000 in prize money. Twenty entrepreneurs will take the stage to pitch an original business idea to a panel of judges. You have 2 minutes to pitch your idea followed by 3 minutes of Q&A with a panel of expert judges. The top three competitors, as selected by the judges, will be awarded $5,000 for first place, $3,000 for second place, and $1,500 for third place. The live audience will vote to select the winner of the $500 Audience Choice Award. All competitors will gain access to free business consulting and prototype development through The Launch Place. Eligibility - Ideas and concepts pitched must be in the initial stages of development where funding to date is no more than $25,000. Learn more at www.ideafestdanville.com.   Download flyer https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/130 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/130 Tue, 10 Jan 2017 00:00:00 EST Tuesday, 10 January 2017 00:00:00 EST The Launch Place announced today that it is investing $75,000 in ProAxion from the Pre-Seed Investment Program. After completing pilot installations, including two locally at Blue Ridge Fiberboard and Drake Extrusion, The Launch Place decided to invest to help ProAxion bring their TACTIX™ Machine Health Monitoring System to market.  ProAxion is defining the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) through the development of cloud-connected sensors that bring the benefits of predictive maintenance to industrial machinery operations. Historically, if an industrial facility wanted to perform remote 24/7 monitoring of a machine asset, a significant upfront investment would be necessary to procure hardware and integrate with existing control systems. Through their cloud-based wireless sensor system, ProAxion helps facilities improve reliability and uptime, helping them avoid costly downtime and reduce the total cost of operations and maintenance by performing service only when necessary. These benefits are very important to thousands of facilities in the manufacturing, water treatment, power and other industries that rely on rotating machinery. “Our system is truly plug & play, and designed for DIY install, requiring zero systems or IT integration, which bypasses historical cost barriers associated with legacy machine health monitoring systems. Our customers can reap the benefits of data-driven operations and maintenance for all of their machine assets, and help them gain a competitive advantage by improving the reliability and uptime of their facility,” said Justin Rothwell CEO & Co-Founder.ProAxion piloted the system locally at Blue Ridge Fiberboard in Danville, VA as well as at Drake Extrusion that is located in Martinsville, VA. “When we first met Justin over a year ago, and learned about ProAxion, we could see the potential for their product. However, the company was too early in development for The Launch Place investment,” said Eva Doss, The Launch Place President & CEO. “We are very grateful to these local companies for opening their doors to ProAxion. The product has been tested and reached specific milestones that brought them to become investment ready,” Doss said.“The system fits well in our predictive maintenance program by providing 24/7 monitoring of the equipment where it is being used,” said Mark Custer, Plant Manager, Blue Ridge Fiberboard.  “The hope is that the machine vibration and temperature data will help to identify issues before they result in a breakdown,” Custer said. “We rely on our machines to operate reliably 24/7 to remain competitive as a U.S.-based manufacturer. The ProAxion system is helping us reduce the risk of unexpected downtime by alerting us when service is required ahead of time, versus after a problem already occurs,” said John Parkinson, Drake Extrusion CEO. “Their system helps us remain competitive by avoiding disruptive downtime and potential missed customer shipments, plus it helps us optimize maintenance activities by servicing machines only when necessary,” said Parkinson.“The Launch Place funding is helping us pull our product from a development project, into commercial production, and enables us to design attributes related to robustness and durability, which are critical considering the demanding industrial environments where they are installed,” Rothwell said. “The Pre-Seed Investment program is intended to help companies, like ProAxion expedite the early stages of their startup development process, specifically in product and market validation and business model refinement. We have been impressed with ProAxion’s ability to achieve milestones and look forward to watching them continue to grow in our region,” Doss said.  “Partnering with The Launch Place makes a lot of sense for us. In addition to providing tremendous support and helpful feedback as we cross the chasm from idea to successful business operations, they have also introduced us to early customers. The greater Danville area is home to a significant number of facilities where our system can provide immediate value,” Rothwell said.About The Launch PlaceThe Launch Place, from a $10 million grant received from the Danville Regional Foundation in 2012, assists with entrepreneurship and business development, and job creation and retention through its business consulting, mentoring and training, residential and office subsidies, and two seed investment funds in the Dan River region of Virginia and North Carolina. About ProAxionProAxion brings the benefits of Predictive Maintenance to the millions of industrial machines that previously could not afford legacy systems. By leveraging the power of low-power sensor and cloud computing technologies, the company has developed an easy-to-use and affordable solution that helps industrial facilities improve uptime and reliability, and optimize total cost of operations and maintenance. Their first product TACTIX™ is due to be released in Q2 2017.  Website:  www.proaxion.io https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/129 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/129 Tue, 13 Dec 2016 00:00:00 EST Tuesday, 13 December 2016 00:00:00 EST Join KSI Data Sciences Who is KSI?In 2012, a group of unique people with a genuine love of gadgets (like drones), movies (like Star Wars) and television (like Blacklist) got together to form KSI. We wanted to create a company that could make video and sensor data from robots and drones cool. We wanted to make our software usable by geeks and non-geeks alike. If a product isn't a breakthrough, cool, and usable by someone who isn’t a geek, then it won't be made by KSI. Our PeopleThe people of KSI consist of programmers, engineers, computer and video experts, designers, mathematicians, dreamers, kite surfers (notice our logo?), musicians, marketing types and even normal people (gotta have a non-geek or two). We also share a common love of science fiction, movies and music. We are the ones who wait in line (with our kids) to see the 3 a.m. showing of the Dark Knight Rises at the Sony Metreon in San Francisco. Our HistoryKSI isn’t our first dance. We are experienced entrepreneurs. Before we founded KSI, many of our programmers, engineers and designers spent the last 10-15 years creating ground-breaking video technology at other companies (some of which we founded). We created some pretty fun things (like digital asset management systems used for film and television production) and some really hard things (like drone video/data management and processing systems for the military). You've seen our inventions and hard work used by major television networks (ever watched Law and Order, X-Files or NYPD Blue?) and in major feature films (like Star Wars Episode I, II, and III), and if you were in the military and watched any drone video, chances are that was us too. The FutureThe people of KSI are unique, and fairly well-equipped in the brain power department, so there is never a lack of ideas, passion, or excitement. Our next big product is MissionKeeper, which promises unprecedented video search, analytics and story telling power, all in the cloud. What comes after that? Well, we could tell you, but then....well, you know the rest! The ability to release more products faster is very important to us because we are just as impatient as you when it comes to getting our hands on the latest, greatest inventions, so stay tuned. Job Openings Sr Development Operations Engineer (Dev/Ops) Support Engineer I Systems Engineer II  Learn more about KSI at www.ksidatasciences.com. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/128 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/128 Tue, 11 Oct 2016 00:00:00 EST Tuesday, 11 October 2016 00:00:00 EST The Center for Innovative Technology (CIT) has announced the Commonwealth Research Commercialization Fund (CRCF) Request for Proposals (RFP) for FY2017. The solicitation is open and Letters of Intent (LOIs) are due by Thursday, November 10th. Award announcements are planned for early June 2017. Informational webinars discussing the FY2017 solicitation will be available throughout the submission period. More information about dates and times are located at this link - webinar schedule (scroll to bottom of the page). The CRCF grows Virginia’s economy by supporting high-potential technology commercialization projects at Virginia's public and private colleges and universities, the private sector and nonprofit research institutions. A single solicitation for $2.8 million will be offered in FY2017, with five programs available for funding: Commercialization, SBIR Matching Funds, STTR Matching Funds, Matching Funds and Eminent Researcher Recruitment. Awards from the CRCF further the goals and industry opportunities set forth the in the Commonwealth Research and Technology (R&T) Strategic Roadmap. Eligible technology sectors this round are advanced manufacturing, cyber security, energy, environment – specifically water quality, information technology, life sciences and unmanned systems. Details about the FY2017 solicitation are available on CIT’s website at http://www.cit.org/initiatives/crcf/fy2017-solicitation/. Here applicants also will find critical resources, including the link to submit an LOI, program guidelines, webinars, and more. Please direct questions to crcf@cit.org. In FY2016, CIT issued one solicitation resulting in $3.4 million recommended for award in 48 projects. This leveraged the Commonwealth’s investment with approximately $11.6 million in matching funds. To date, the CRCF has announced nearly $20 million in support of 232 projects with leveraged dollars of $51.4 million. In FY2016, CRCF recipients reported a total of $69 million in additional follow-on investments. About the CRCF and R&T Roadmap The Commonwealth Research Commercialization Fund (CRCF) advances science- and technology-based research, development and commercialization to drive economic growth in Virginia and to encourage collaboration among its institutions of higher education and partnerships between these colleges and universities and business and industry https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/127 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/127 Wed, 21 Sep 2016 00:00:00 EST Wednesday, 21 September 2016 00:00:00 EST Encapsio, producer of revolutionary silicone microspheres for the encapsulation and delivery of active ingredients in product formulation, took home the top prize of $20,000 for first place. Ascent Bio-Nano Technologies, Inc., developer of safe cell and particle separation research tool and medical device, was awarded $10,000 for second place. This year’s challenge featured a total of three elimination rounds with the final pitch event held at the Research Triangle Park Headquarters. Over thirty companies applied to the challenge where the six finalists presented to a live audience and panel of judges.  “Based on the number of inquiries, The Big Launch Challenge has become a highly anticipated event in the region,” said Eva Doss, President and CEO of The Launch Place. “Not only does the competition provide entrepreneurs with prize money, but it also serves as a platform for them to learn about The Launch Place’s entrepreneurship services and investment opportunities in Danville, Virginia.” Encapsio Encapsio produces premium silicone microspheres for the encapsulation, protection, and delivery of active ingredients in product formulations. Unlike other technologies, our proprietary method allows for the production of spheres that can not only effectively deliver compounds, but improve the aesthetics of the product, are cost effective, and scalable. Due to our ability to encapsulate and deliver a variety of compounds, our spheres have applications in industries ranging from pharmaceuticals to agrochemicals, but we are currently focused on topical applications for skin care. Our first product is a retinol-encapsulated microsphere that we will supply to cosmetic brands and cosmetic ingredient distributors.  Ascent Bio-Nano Technologies Ascent Bio-Nano Technologies, Inc. is a research spin-off from the Pennsylvania State University formed in 2012. The mission is to develop gentle and safe cell and particle separation research tool and medical device. The company motto is Innovation for Impact. Our passion is to commercialize world leading acoustofluidics technologies to advance research, enhance health and improve life quality. The current focus is to develop blood component separation system for transfusion and cellular therapies. Our blood processing system and disposable processing kits are based on patented acoustofluidic technologies.  The challenge, in its third year, is an annual event and offers startups valuable business networking and capital opportunities, as well as critical resources. The goal of The Big Launch Challenge is to foster entrepreneurship by offering education, team creation, mentorship, early-stage prototyping, and potential follow-on seed financing.  “We are excited to be working again with The Launch Place on The Big Launch Challenge,” said Andy Schwab, President of First Flight Venture Center. “This event brings together talented entrepreneurs and start-ups, all in an effort to help find good ideas and build sustainable businesses.” https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/126 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/126 Tue, 13 Sep 2016 00:00:00 EST Tuesday, 13 September 2016 00:00:00 EST The Big Launch Challenge is a joint venture between The Launch Place and the First Flight Venture Center designed to showcase technology-driven business ideas in a highly competitive environment. The business plan competition includes awards totaling up to $30,000 for the winners. The challenge has a total of three rounds, plus a final LIVE event. The Big Launch Challenge LIVE event is scheduled for 1:00pm on September 20, 2016, at the Research Triangle Park Headquarters located at 12 Davis Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC. The challenge is an annual event and offers startups valuable business networking and capital opportunities, as well as critical resources. The goal of The Big Launch Challenge is to foster entrepreneurship by offering education, team creation, mentorship, early-stage prototyping, and potential follow-on seed financing.  Startups from the nano technology, green technology, alternative energy, advanced manufacturing, advanced materials, medical devices, and information technology industries are invited to apply for The Big Launch Challenge’s third year. 6 Finalists Selected Clinical Sensors, Inc. Myxx, Inc. Encapsio Ascent Bio-Nano Technology Medlio Reveal Mobile Register to attend LIVE Pitch Event on September 20   https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/125 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/125 Mon, 22 Aug 2016 00:00:00 EST Monday, 22 August 2016 00:00:00 EST The Big Launch Challenge is a joint venture between The Launch Place and the First Flight Venture Center designed to showcase technology-driven business ideas in a highly competitive environment. The business plan competition includes awards totaling up to $30,000 for the winners. The challenge has a total of three rounds, plus a final LIVE event. The Big Launch Challenge LIVE event is scheduled for 1:00pm on September 20, 2016, at the Research Triangle Park Headquarters located at 12 Davis Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC. The challenge is an annual event and offers startups valuable business networking and capital opportunities, as well as critical resources. The goal of The Big Launch Challenge is to foster entrepreneurship by offering education, team creation, mentorship, early-stage prototyping, and potential follow-on seed financing.  Startups from the nano technology, green technology, alternative energy, advanced manufacturing, advanced materials, medical devices, and information technology industries are invited to apply for The Big Launch Challenge’s third year. 12 Semifinalists Selected Clinical Sensors, Inc. Myxx, Inc. Encapsio Park & Diamond MoneyComb, Inc. Vijilent DomTech Ascent Bio-Nano Technology Medlio Spira Rent Llama Reveal Mobile Register to attend LIVE Pitch Event on September 20   https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/124 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/124 Wed, 17 Aug 2016 00:00:00 EST Wednesday, 17 August 2016 00:00:00 EST The Launch Place announced today that it is investing $50,000 in CAARMO, to further validate market demand. Upon validation, CAARMO will have the opportunity to receive additional investment of $200,000 once milestones are achieved. CAARMO offers the first vehicle health tracker that monitors and alerts car owners to needed auto service with an included connection to an auto technician. A telematics-enabled OBD device installed in the vehicle sends diagnostic information to the owner and the automotive Service Center. So, the customers see what their car mechanic sees, both parties are on the same page. Customers get instant auto-repair information before the problem gets worse, and the Service Center proactively provides its services to their customers, in their time of greatest need. This way, CAARMO builds trust and transparency between the service centers and the customers.“The flexibility of our investment funds allows The Launch Place to provide smaller increments of funding to support companies in need of further product validation and also business model refinement,” said Eva Doss, The Launch Place President & CEO.  “Often the smaller size investment is a precursor to a larger round of early stage funding, assuming that the company has met all the milestones and is on the right track to be successful.” This investment marks the 10th investment The Launch Place has made in the last two and a half years.  The investment portfolio includes nine companies that are continuing to grow and collectively have raised over $10 million in follow-on investments from other investors. These companies are currently hiring and job opportunities can be found on The Launch Place’s website.“I am looking forward to establishing a partnership that will allow business expansion both locally with people and globally in scale. Our partnership with The Launch Place will help my team and I take this company to the next level,” says Vinay Raman, founder and CEO of CAARMO, Inc. CAARMO is an initiative that aims to establish partnerships within the auto care industry and around the globe for collaborative vehicle care and management. CAARMO offers remote vehicle diagnostics for both vehicle owners and fleet managers to create an empowering service for better more cost effective vehicle health monitoring and management. The ultimate goal is a win-win relationship between the service provider and the vehicle owner. We strive to build that connection.About The Launch PlaceThe Launch Place, from a $10 million grant received from the Danville Regional Foundation in 2012, assists with entrepreneurship and business development, and job creation and retention through its business consulting, mentoring and training, residential and office space subsidies, and two seed investment funds in the Dan River region of Virginia.  About CAARMOWe, at CAARMO, believe in empowering auto service providers and vehicle owners across the globe for a better auto-care experience. We partner with highly specialized service centers who want to make a better, safer, and cost-effective auto-care experience for their customers. Website: www.caarmo.com          Media Coverage WSLS by Colter Anstaett Read More     WSET by Tola Adamson Read More     Danville Register & Bee by Denice Thibodeau Read More   WAKG/WBTM by Jack Garrett Read More https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/123 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/123 Mon, 08 Aug 2016 00:00:00 EST Monday, 08 August 2016 00:00:00 EST   Upcoming Competitions, Events and News Virginia Velocity Tour - Innovative early-stage Virginia startup? Apply by 8/18 to take part in the Virginia Velocity Tour, a multi-city bus tour of entrepreneurship in Virginia. Selected entrepreneurs will share meals with investors, customers and mentors in their industry, and take part in a $25,000 pitch competition. Applications are due August 18. Learn more and apply here: Read More The Innovators Program - Raleigh 2016 - Citrix, Red Hat and HQ Raleigh. Read More Groundworks Labs - Are you working full time and on a startup? Try Groundworks Labs After Hours Program! Application deadline 8/12. Read More Greensboro Partnership Entrepreneur Connection - Applications open for Triad Startup Lab. Read More   Upcoming @TheLaunchPlace         Investment Announcement - August 17 at 11am Where: The Launch Place RSVP rhaynes@thelaunchplace.org The Big Launch Challenge LIVE - September 20 Register to attend (bus provided from Danville to RTP) Register Here The Launch Place is Hiring! Are you interested in joining The Launch Place team? We are currently hiring for a Business Consultant, a Research Analyst and interns. Read More   News and Events in the Region         Middle Border Forward - What's on your mind? August 9, 11, 16, 18, 23 and 25. Read More Southern Piedmont Technology Council - Tech Bunch for Lunch - IT Academy at SVHEC on August 9. Read More US Chamber to Provide Briefing for Local Businesses August 9. Read More Flywheel Idea Tap - August 9. Read More 1 Million Cups - look up event in your region. Read More Charlotte Pitch Breakfast - August 10. Read More Venture Hacked - August 10. Read More ExitEvent Startup Social - August 15. Read More Business After hours - Danville Pittsylvania Chamber of Commerce - August 16 Read More NC RIoT - MBA in IoT Design Session - August 17. Read More SLAM! - Pitch Event. Greensboro Partnership Entrepreneur Connection August 17 Read More Triangle Tech Breakfast - August 18. Read More Network for Entrepreneurs in Wilmington - Bunker Labs RDU, Triangle Angel Partners, First Flight Venture Center, Morae Group - August 18. Read More Startup Grind hosts Robbin Allen (Automated Insights) - August 18. Read More VT KnowledgeWorks Global Student Challenge - August 18. Read More HQ Greensboro - IBM’s Global Entrepreneur Program August 24. Read More CED Tech Venture Conference Sept. 13-14 - Showcase, Lightning Round & Demo Room companies selected. Read More Angel Capital Association - Are you an angel investor? Take this survey, led by The Angel Capital Association (ACA) and Wharton Entrepreneurship. The ongoing “The American Angel” survey, which is designed to provide the deepest research to date into the characteristics of angel investors. The survey is open for more angels to participate. Read More   https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/121 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/121 Thu, 23 Jun 2016 00:00:00 EST Thursday, 23 June 2016 00:00:00 EST Are you interested in joining The Launch Place team? We are currently hiring for a Business Consultant, a Research Analyst and interns.Business ConsultantThe Business Consultant will lead consulting engagements to solve business and management issues within client businesses. The Business Consultant will meet with assigned clients to determine management consulting project requirements and deliverables. Written deliverables such as business plans, marketing plans, target market analysis, competitor analysis, industry analysis, financial forecasts, company overview, feasibility studies, and alternative analysis are example deliverables that will be developed by the Business Consultant. Research AnalystThe Research Analyst will principally be responsible for market research and data collection during company due-diligent process, interpreting data, formulating reports and making recommendations based upon the research findings. The Research Analyst will work with the client (either internal or external) on both consulting and seed fund and pre-seed fund related projects.  Research work will include market research (industry, company, and competitor analysis), document collection, and collecting client company’s background information.  The Research Analyst will apply both qualitative and quantitative techniques to interpret the data, present the findings, and produce substantiated recommendations. InternshipsThe Launch Place is providing full- and part-time paid, long-distance and in-house internship opportunities for students majoring in business, economics, marketing, and/or technology related fields. Internships are offered in the area of business consulting, financial and investment analysis, and social media marketing. Intern duties may vary depending on organization's needs and the abilities and interests of each intern. Also view job opportunities from our portfolio companies by clicking hereAbout Us The Launch Place is an independent 501(c) (3) organization that energizes and diversifies our regional economy through entrepreneurship development and business consulting services. Headquartered in Danville, VA, and a branch office in the Research Triangle Park, NC has been in existence since 2005. The Launch Place works with entrepreneurs who want to start and/or grow their business.  We offer a full range of services, from business consulting, training, office space to funding, all of which are designed to give entrepreneurs the tools they need to navigate the challenging start-up stages and successfully launch their company.  The Launch Place also invests in start-up companies through The Launch Place Fund and The Launch Place Pre-Seed Fund. The Launch Place also offers consulting services to local and regional private businesses, economic development organizations, non-profit institutions and local governments and in so doing contributes to the economic transformation of Southern Virginia. It has a proven track record in helping businesses to grow and remain competitive both domestically and in global markets. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/122 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/122 Wed, 22 Jun 2016 00:00:00 EST Wednesday, 22 June 2016 00:00:00 EST Virginia Pilot - Inside Business by Pete Humes Four years ago, Chris Machut went for a walk in downtown Norfolk.But instead of facing straight ahead, looking down at the sidewalk or staring into his phone, he tilted his head back and gazed straight up.What he saw was a tower crane, rising high above the spot that would become the Slover Library.And it gave him an idea.As chief technology officer at Netarus, he has built a business around expanding lines of sight for the maritime and construction industries. Over the last three years, his Norfolk-based company has sold more than $800,000 worth of custom-made camera systems designed to improve safety and efficiency for heavy equipment operators.Netarus creates “situational awareness platforms.” Simply put, they attach high-tech, cloud-connected cameras to construction equipment. The company’s HoistCam gives crane operators a new way of seeing their work, and the enhanced views allow them to work faster, safer and more confidently.“Safety means money,” Machut said. “If you don’t have accidents, you don’t lose money.”But along the way, he discovered completely understanding the big picture requires you to do more than just open your eyes.Settling in and looking upThe evolution of Netarus started with the simple belief a sea captain should be able to see where his ship is going.“Every time I went on a vessel that was more than 25 feet long, I saw that there was a ton of blind spots,” Machut said. “To navigate, you had to rely on other people.”Along with a partner, Machut launched TugCam, a business that specialized in creating camera systems for tugboats.Machut understood they had the concept and the know-how, but they needed a place. They needed a local business network and access to a long list of partners who could push them forward.In 2012, on the recommendation of friend and mentor Marty Kaszubowski (now executive director of the Center for Enterprise Innovation at ODU), Machut applied to Hatch. The then-fledgling small business accelerator accepted TugCam into its inaugural group of five companies. TugCam got a home office in downtown Norfolk and, more importantly, access to the right people.“(Hatch) is THE reason I met Mark Shaw, my current business partner ... THE reason I met (partner) Lew Crenshaw ... and it is THE reason that we still have a business because I would have never seen that tower crane across the street.”Changing directionBy many definitions, HoistCam is a success. It provides a simple solution for a niche industry. Machut and his company design and build each camera unit in-house and positive word-of-mouth is generated from a growing client base.But as appealing as the road ahead appeared, it became clear there was a better way. Cameras, no matter how fancy, are a commodity and Netarus has already attracted copycat competitors. In an industry ruled by hard hats and heavy lifting, Machut quickly learned knowledge is king.“The life of a general contractor as it exists today is more about human resources and information technology than buildings,” Machut said. “They have to make very critical and expensive decisions very fast.”Cameras kick-started his career, but Machut has since accepted data is his destiny. The shift started last summer when an analytics company paid Netarus a visit. Their conversation inspired a change in direction.“I’ve realized that we’re not a manufacturing company, we’re a data company,” he said. “People will pay so much more for the information than they would the hardware.”The pivot led to a pitch that earned them a $250,000 investment last April. The Launch Place, a Danville-based startup supporter, saw potential in Netarus’ HoistCam Director Platform.The platform gives clients the ability to monitor and record HoistCam activity from anywhere in the world. It also allows for the integration and monitoring of third party equipment such as unmanned aerial vehicles. It’s a full-service video analytics suite that includes complete job site analysis from BIM model integration to logistics tracking.“We have all this data from these job sites that has to be useful,” Machut said. “We want to take that data and analyze it and understand it. We want to help our clients better understand what’s happening at the job site.”Accelerating analysisThings are moving fast and slow for Netarus.Machut said the company has two primary goals: get more cameras in the field and figure out the fastest, most useful ways to analyze the job site data.“We’ve worked with some amazing partners,” he said. “W.M. Jordan has been phenomenal. They gave us unprecedented access to their job sites and in exchange, we come back with information and ask what it means.”Machut said there have been some incredible examples of how acting quickly on incoming information could have saved money.“There was one case where someone said, ‘Had I seen this before I did that ... it would have saved us $7,000.’ And I basically pointed out that if they had seen that and could’ve have reacted immediately, they would have made a return on investment in 10 seconds.”The company recently received a $45,000 Commonwealth Research Commercialization Fund award from the state and the Center for Innovative Technology. The grant money will be used to help develop the data analytics side of the business.The ultimate goal is to have all of their cameras and collection methods shooting data into the cloud and analyzing it as it’s being captured.The next step is putting together a software development team. Machut has set goals for closing the time delay between data collection and analysis. By March 2017, the target is 30 minutes. By the end of 2017, he hopes to be able to deliver actionable data analysis and renderings on site in under two minutes.“Our biggest challenge is educating all these people that this technology exists,” Machut said. “We have a full blown product in the camera, in the recording and capabilities, but we don’t know what we have in the analytics ... yet.” https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/119 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/119 Wed, 15 Jun 2016 00:00:00 EST Wednesday, 15 June 2016 00:00:00 EST The Launch Place and First Flight Venture Center partner again to host the 3rd Annual The Big Launch Challenge for startup companies Danville, VA (June 15, 2016) – The Launch Place, an established entrepreneurial development organization headquartered in Danville, Virginia, and First Flight Venture Center, the largest technology incubator in the Research Triangle, North Carolina, have come together once again to host The Big Launch Challenge with awards totaling $30,000. The competition is designed to showcase technology-driven business ideas in a highly competitive environment.This year’s challenge will feature a total of three elimination rounds with the final pitch event to be held on September 20, 2016, starting at 1 p.m., at the Research Triangle Park Headquarters located at 12 Davis Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC. Application submission opened today and must be submitted by August 1st at http://bit.ly/TLP_BLC. “Based on the number of inquiries, The Big Launch Challenge has become a highly anticipated event in the region,” said Eva Doss, President and CEO of The Launch Place. “Not only does the competition provide entrepreneurs with prize money, but it also serves as a platform for them to learn about The Launch Place’s entrepreneurship services and investment opportunities in Danville, Virginia.”The challenge is an annual event and offers startups valuable business networking and capital opportunities, as well as critical resources. The goal of The Big Launch Challenge is to foster entrepreneurship by offering education, team creation, mentorship, early-stage prototyping, and potential follow-on seed financing.  Startups from the nano-technology, green technology, alternative energy, advanced manufacturing, advanced materials, medical devices, and information technology industries are invited to apply for The Big Launch Challenge’s third year.To be eligible to participate, companies must be willing to locate a part of the operations and/or manufacturing for this business in Danville, Virginia and also be willing to receive mentorship and guidance from The Launch Place and First Flight Venture Center teams.“We are excited to be working again with The Launch Place on The Big Launch Challenge,” said Andy Schwab, President of First Flight Venture Center. “This event brings together talented entrepreneurs and start-ups, all in an effort to help find good ideas and build sustainable businesses.”To register for the event and for more information, go to http://bit.ly/TLP_BLC. About The Launch Place:The Launch Place, from a $10 million grant received from the Danville Regional Foundation in 2012, assists with entrepreneurship and business development, and job creation and retention through its business consulting, mentoring and training, residential and office subsidies, and two seed investment funds in the Dan River region of Virginia. Website: www.thelaunchplace.org About First Flight Venture Center:Founded in 1991, First Flight Venture Center was created to foster innovation and grow sustainable companies. Today, First Flight is one of the nation’s largest and most stable incubators, playing host to more than 37 high-science, high-impact annually. In total, First Flight company startups number 267 and growing. Several of the most notable graduates include United Therapeutics (NASDAQ: UTHR), SciQuest (NASDAQ: SQI) Athenix (acquired by Bayer, NASDAQ: BAYRY), Advanced Liquid Logic (acquired by Illumina, NASDAQ: ILMN), Bloodhound Technologies (acquired by Verisk), Ganymede Software (acquired by NETIQ IPO) and Exam Design (acquired by Person PLC, NASDAQ: PSO).Website: www.ffvc.org https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/120 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/120 Tue, 14 Jun 2016 00:00:00 EST Tuesday, 14 June 2016 00:00:00 EST CARY, NC (June 14th 2016)— FokusLabs announced today it has raised a $300,000 seed round investment, led by Cofounders Capital and Bootstrap Advisors.  FokusLabs launched the RE-vibe™ wristband in late 2015 and is now ready to mass produce and market its new patent- pending ware-able.  The wristband provides the wearer with periodic gentle vibration (based on proprietary algorithms and bio feedback) that reminds the wearer to avoid distractions and stay on task.   Inventor and founder Rich Brancaccio knows firsthand the challenges ADHD, autism and similar focus inabilities can create for students, teachers and parents.   “I’ve seen the struggles these kids endure each day so I decided to tackle this problem head-on”, says Brancaccio who states that he wanted to create something that would empower kids and bolster their self-esteem by allowing them to better monitor their own distractibility.    “This investment is going to help us market and improve our product adding key features requested by schools, parents and kids”, he continued”, he continues. Brancaccio is thrilled with the investors he has garnered stating, “This is the local A-team of hands-on-investors that can really help us get this resource to the people who need it most- kids.” David Gardner, General Partner of Cofounders Capital says, “Fokus Labs could be a real game-changer empowering parents with a new tool to help them help their children deal with distraction issues...I believe a lot of parents would want to try something like this before putting their children on medication.”    FokusLabs has already sold over 1,000 units and is in use at over 300 schools across the country.  Recently, the RE-vibe wristband has been featured in numerous publications including The New York Times, What’s Next: Ideas and Innovations, Digital Trends, and Yahoo News. FokusLabs is a winner of both the 2014 fall cycle NC IDEA grant award and the Innovation Fund NC Grant. Brancaccio is the only founder to have won grants from both of the prestigious organizations after going through a rigorous application and pitch process for both.  Additional Media Coverage Triangle Business Journal - Read More WRAL Tech Wire - Read More About FokusLabsBased in Wake Forest, North Carolina, FokusLabs dedicated to helping children and adults overcome obstacles faced in the classroom and workplace by fusing psychology with technology. School psychologist Rich Brancaccio founded FokusLabs in 2013 to create specialized tools to help kids overcome their difficulties by leveling the playing field through technology. He formed FokusLabs with the goal of creating products that increase productivity and learning to better support children and their families at home and in school.www.fokuslabs.com About Cofounder’s CapitalCofounders Capital is an early stage seed fund focused on software ventures in the Triangle.  Cofounders Capital is managed by serially successful entrepreneur, David Gardner with a team of over seventy advisers and volunteer mentors who are all investors in the fund, eager to support entrepreneurship in the Triangle and to help portfolio companies and entrepreneurs succeed. For more information, visit www.cofounderscapital.com About Bootstrap AdvisorsBootstrap Advisors is a Durham-based hands-on advisory and venture firm focusing on innovative consumer products. The fund is run by a trio of local serial entrepreneurs; Ben Feldman, Chris Ng Cashin, and Jay Mebane, representing three of the original four founders behind Thundershirt. For more information, visit www.bootstrapadvisors.com  Contact InformationRich Brancaccio, CEOrich@fokuslabs.comDirect: 919/622-4996 # # # https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/116 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/116 Thu, 09 Jun 2016 00:00:00 EST Thursday, 09 June 2016 00:00:00 EST FDIC 2016 Follow Up by Sean Harrison  Ever had the chance to attend FDIC?Are you a gadget or big toy person? And when I say big… I mean really big! Or have you ever looked at a situation: like a heavily wooded area, a mountain, or a body of water and thought, ”I wonder if there is a piece of equipment that could access that?” Well the answer is YES, and they are all at the FDIC show! If you are in the public safety community and you have never had the chance to attend FDIC, you should make the effort. When you walk through the entrance it is a sensory overload. The floor plan would easily take two days to walk and that’s without stopping and asking questions or checking out new gear, and who could do that?Great people with some great questions ERDI exhibited at FDIC again this year and not only did we meet some great people, we were asked some great questions. We had people from every level in our booth, from those just starting to put together a dive team to the captains of well established teams. Even better than the questions were that ERDI was able to provide a solution to all the questions from,  ”Where do we get started?” to” How do I keep the team active and ready to respond?”.VideoRay Pro 4 ROV with the KSI Mission CasterERDI also displayed several new products at the show which were a hit. One of our newest manuals, ERDI Full Face Mask, was on display and we had lots of people come by to check it out. We also had, for the first time, two products that ERDI only recently released training programs for: the VideoRay Pro 4 ROV in connection with the KSI Mission Caster. These two drew a lot of attention. The VideoRay Pro 4 packs a lot of punch for such a compact package and can be outfitted as a standard ROV with camera to conduct surveys and run searches, or with sophisticated sonar and manipulator arm. Connect this ROV to the KSI Mission Caster and you can broadcast your activity through secure connection anywhere in the world with only milliseconds delay.VIP We also held our cylinder Visual Inspection Program just before the show and had the materials on display. The new Visual Inspection Program covers all cylinders (SCUBA, SCBA, Fiber wrap, etc.) as well as valves, compressors, and fill stations. It is the only fully insured cylinder inspection program and ERDI has the only factory endorsed Eddy Current Thread Inspection course on the market. This program is the perfect fit for the public safety community: it covers all the cylinders you use, is fully insured, OSHA compliant, and NFPA compliant, with all levels of certification available.See ya next year!The show was a success for ERDI and we look forward to next year when ERDI will debut more new and innovative training solutions. We are also already planning some other great additions, which we can’t talk about right now, so stay tuned and make sure to save the date for FDIC so you will be among the first to see what ERDI is doing next!     Learn more about KSI at www.ksidatasciences.com https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/117 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/117 Thu, 09 Jun 2016 00:00:00 EST Thursday, 09 June 2016 00:00:00 EST NC IDEA WINNER: With $275K & Beta Customers, Roobrik Preps for Wider Senior Care Launch The Durham-based aging sector tech company finished a San Francisco accelerator, raised funding, landed customers and with an NC IDEA grant, is ready to scale.By Amy Huffman, @arhuffman78 Roobrik is one of five startups to win a collective $250,000 in grant funding from the nonprofit Durham-based NC IDEA Foundation. Since 2006, the foundation has awarded nearly $4.5 million to 109 startups around the state. The five companies were narrowed from 11 finalists, 26 semifinalists and 173 total applications for the Spring 2016 cycle.  It’s been nearly a year and a half since ExitEvent first covered new NC IDEA winner, Roobrik—the startup dedicated to simplifying later-life decision making for the aging and their caregivers. And Roobrik has changed a lot during that time. The startup has hit more milestones and scaled more rapidly than many startups do in their first three years. Thom Ruhe, president and CEO of the NC IDEA Foundation indicated as much when he said, "of the whole cohort (of grantees), they (Roobrik) are the furthest along."  Besides today's NC IDEA grant, the startup also landed a second round of seed funds, to total $275,000, from The Launch Place (an investment and entrepreneurial support organization based in Danville, VA). Ruhe says the Launch Place funding is a "nice external validation that others are seeing what we're seeing as well."  What might seem as a lot of recent interest has actually long been in the works. Roobrik was an NC IDEA semi-finalist last fall, but due to unfortunate timing, co-founder Nate O’Keefe was sick the day of the final round presentations and had to bow out of the grant application. And the Launch Place first invested $75,000 last September and doubled down with $200,000 last month after Roobrik’s progress and market penetration was obvious and substantial.  Graduating from the San-Francisco based Aging 2.0 incubator for aging-sector-focused startups has given it credibility in a nascent sector.  Perhaps even more significant than the recent funding, Roobrik has streamlined its go-to-market strategy and acquired paying customers—both senior-focused healthcare organizations and clinical trial research organizations. While this company is still laser-focused on making decision-making for individual caregivers easier through research-based assessments like its flagship assessment, “Is it still safe to drive?” new assessments can be monetized through partnerships with senior care organizations like Brookdale Senior Living Solutions and local groups like Nurse Care NC.  Nurse Care NC, for example, offers the assessment, “Is it time to get help?” on its site to help individuals determine if it’s time for they or their loved ones to investigate care options. Roobrik's Tool as Seen on a Customer's Website; Photo Credit: Roobrik Once a consumer completes the assessment, he or she can share the results from the assessment with the organization—creating a qualified lead for the organization and a connection with the consumer who needs assistance.  So for customers, Roobrik’s assessments aid in sales and marketing and help delineate customers who need their services from those who don’t. But Roobrik still considers its paying customers as beta ones and will use the NC IDEA grant funds to further iron out a monetization strategy, pricing, marketing and ensure product-market fit. O’Keefe says, the “NC IDEA funding is being leveraged to take us to a more official B2B launch this fall.”  With a perfected go-to-market strategy, new assessments in the pipeline and seed funding, the company believes its well-positioned to raise a Series A round this fall. There will also be partnerships with clinical research groups who seek assistance in identifying patients with diseases like Alzheimer’s who might be eligible for clinical trials if they were diagnosed earlier.  For a brief moment however, O’Keefe and the team can bask in the accomplishments of the last 18 months. O’Keefe says, “We’re thrilled to be a part of the NC IDEA program, we’ve admired it for a while now, and are very impressed with the whole way they run the process.”  **DISCLAIMER: I provided consulting services for the NC IDEA Foundation this spring, and reviewed the finalist's presentations, but did not aid the Foundation in selecting the grant winners. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/118 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/118 Tue, 07 Jun 2016 00:00:00 EST Tuesday, 07 June 2016 00:00:00 EST Danville organization hosts business launch seminar for local entrepreneurs WSET by Ashley Ann DANVILLE, Va. (WSET) -- Have you ever wondered what it takes to start a new business?Well, more than 20 people got a taste of what to expect at the Launch Place in Danville on Tuesday.The organization has been investing in new and upcoming businesses for a few years now, and recently they have been hosting seminars to help aspiring you develop a wider understanding of the business world.Tuesday, 22 people learned the 10 factors that lead to success in new business."We have been doing this for a good year and a half and the participation rate is growing," said President and CEO of the Launch Place, Eva Doss. "We just need to make sure that we pick the right topics, but so far the feedback was very positive and that's why we keep doing it."The Launch Place will also be holding their third annual business plan competition in September.To learn more, click HERE. To watch the full webinar from the Angel Capital Association, click HERE. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/115 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/115 Thu, 02 Jun 2016 00:00:00 EST Thursday, 02 June 2016 00:00:00 EST Virginia Business by Joan Tupponce Jason Barton, co-founder and chief technology officer for KSI Video, wasn’t sure that opening his company in Danville was the right move until he learned about The Launch Place. “It has turned out to be the best thing for us,” he says. “We do video and data management for drones and ground and underwater robots, and Danville wound up in the heart of an area for drone research.”The Launch Place is constantly searching for companies like KSI — firms with ideas for the next best thing that are willing to turn those ideas into businesses in Danville.The organization’s latest investment — $200,000 — will go to Roobrik, a company that provides an interactive software tool for making decisions about long-term care.The program began in 2012 when the Danville Regional Foundation approved a $10 million grant to transform the Southside Business Technology Center and rebrand it as The Launch Place. To date, The Launch Place has made nine investments totaling $1.94 million in eight companies. Six of the investments came from a seed fund for companies that are well along in developing products. Another three investments came from a pre-seed fund for companies that are not as far along in that process.The companies receiving investments represent fields ranging from information technology software development to advanced manufacturing.Additional companies are in the pipeline. The organization has received 283 applications for investments from the two funds.“All of these companies we invested in were a good fit for Danville and met the requirements of creating five jobs in a three-year period,” says Eva Doss, the president and CEO of The Launch Place. “We didn’t want companies to make a commitment just because of the money. They have to take advantage of our Danville location.”The organization’s biggest challenges are finding strong companies that want to create a presence in Danville and helping those companies get additional investments as they grow. “We have had success in establishing partnerships with venture capitalists and angel funds,” Doss says. “If the companies need additional funding, we can introduce them to other angel funds and share professional due-diligence info.”The program has helped Barton of KSI find additional investors. “We have raised $1.2 million over three years,” he says, noting his company initially received a $250,000 investment from The Launch Place and a year later got an additional $100,000.Doss believes The Launch Place has burnished Danville’s reputation as a community that takes entrepreneurship seriously. “Danville is interested in helping new businesses to form,” she says. “This is definitely an atmosphere where entrepreneurship occurs.” https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/114 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/114 Tue, 31 May 2016 00:00:00 EST Tuesday, 31 May 2016 00:00:00 EST https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/113 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/113 Tue, 24 May 2016 00:00:00 EST Tuesday, 24 May 2016 00:00:00 EST SANITARIUM AND PANACEA COLLABORATE IN GROUND-BREAKING AUTOMATED PERSONALIZED NUTRITION TECHNOLOGY Panacea NewsSYDNEY, AUSTRALIA AND RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC – May 23, 2016Global leading health food provider Sanitarium Health and Wellbeing Company of Australia (‘Sanitarium’) and Panacea BioMatx Inc. of Research Triangle Park, NC (‘Panacea’) today announced the signing of a license agreement for Panacea’s on demand automated personalized nutrition system. Associated with the license agreement, Sanitarium will make an investment of up to $1 Million USD in Panacea. Existing Panacea investors have also agreed to match this investment on similar terms.Sanitarium gains exclusive rights in Australia and New Zealand for the use of Panacea’s patent pending data driven robotic technology and formulation process that enables high speed production of personalized nutritional products and formulation software services. Sanitarium may also license in other territories in future by way of mutually agreed arrangements.Panacea has developed a “pill free” system to deliver personalized formulas of vitamins, minerals, oils, or herbs, blended with a user selected food, and delivered in convenient packets. With its cloud based formulation software, optimal dosage of ingredients for an individual become a formula that is sent to its proprietary robotic system, that makes a 30-day supply on demand in minutes.Panacea is finalizing agreements with a major US hospital group to jointly develop medical uses for individualized formulas to address specific nutrient deficiencies as part of preventative therapy for their bariatric, oncology, and cardiovascular patients. Sanitarium plans to explore such applications in Australia where its owner also operates Sydney Adventist Hospital. The companies also will explore opportunities for personalized wellness in consumer markets as the demand evolves.Sanitarium became a global leader in the fields of wellness and nutrition by promoting plant-based eating before it became trendy, and offering wellbeing services throughout Australia under the Vitality Works brand. In caring for the health and wellbeing of all Australians, Sanitarium continues to be involved in the creation of breakfast foods, non-dairy beverages, spreads and a large variety of healthy plant based foods. Sanitarium plans to explore how it can use its expertise in healthy foods in the development of specialized bases for Panacea’s system.Kevin Jackson, Chief Executive Officer of Sanitarium stated, “Sanitarium is keenly aware of the rapidly advancing science field of how genomic and variations in metabolism are factors in the nutritional and medical needs of individuals. We foresee an era in which this knowledge combined with personalization technology will provide a new preventative path to wellness. This agreement with Panacea supports our participation in moving personalization from concept to economic availability.”Edison Hudson, Chief Executive Officer of Panacea explained the importance of this agreement, saying “Sanitarium is a century old entity respected for their strong ethics and dedication to improving individual health. Their foresight about the benefits of personalization for both nutrition and medicine led to our discussions over the past two years and to this agreement. We are elated to have such an outstanding global partner to help commercialize the enormous potential benefits of personalization.”For more questions or additional information please contact:Deon Joubert, Executive General Manager, Deon.Joubert@sanitarium.com.au Edison Hudson, CEO, Panacea BioMatx, ehudson@panacea.me https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/112 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/112 Mon, 23 May 2016 00:00:00 EST Monday, 23 May 2016 00:00:00 EST DANVILLE, Va. (May 23, 2016) – The Launch Place announced today that it is investing $200,000 in Roobrik Inc., to expand Roobrik’s capabilities and reach in serving the senior care market. The $200,000 investment follows a $75,000 investment The Launch Place made in September of last year.  The original investment in Roobrik was from The Launch Place Pre-Seed Investment Program. This investment program was established to help early stage companies to further their market and product validation and/or business model refinement. Roobrik works with senior care organizations who are interested in helping older adults and their families make more informed care decisions.  These organizations use Roobrik tools on their websites to reach families who are uncertain about their care needs and options.  The Launch Place Pre-Seed Investment enabled Roobrik to launch pilot tests with three senior care providers, all of whom have remained customers following the pilot period.“This is exactly what the Pre-Seed program is designed to do; support further testing and customer validation of the product, and refinement of the company’s business model to prepare these entrepreneurs to raise more substantial funding through either The Launch Place Seed Fund, angels, venture funds or some combination thereof,” said Eva Doss, The Launch Place President & CEO.  “Roobrik is the first company that has started in the Pre-Seed program, met all the milestones established for investment, and more than doubled their customer base in less than 6 months.” “We are enormously pleased with the support we’ve received through our partnership with The Launch Place.  In addition to the Pre-Seed funds, The Launch Place Team has helped us refine our business model, generate substantial PR, win new business, and reach additional funding partners,” said Nate O’Keefe, Roobrik’s CEO.  “We’ve really been able to focus on what’s most important: developing new and better tools to help families with these really hard decisions, and getting them out in front of wider audiences through our partners.”Roobrik has earmarked the Seed Fund investment for product and market development for senior care providers.  This includes supporting several new hires for new positions, office expansion, and entry into new markets.  “Right now we know what’s working.  We just have to build the team and technology to support more customers,” said O’Keefe.The Pre-Seed Investment program was established in August 2014 and thus far three companies have been funded through the Launch Place Pre-Seed Fund.  Between seed and pre-seed funds, the Launch Place has received over 280 applications.About The Launch PlaceThe Launch Place, from a $10 million grant received from the Danville Regional Foundation in 2012, assists with entrepreneurship and business development, and job creation and retention through its business consulting, mentoring and training, residential and office subsidies,and two seed investment funds in the Dan River region of Virginia. Website: www.thelaunchplace.org About RoobrikRoobrik builds online tools designed to help older adults and their families make informed long‐term care decisions around issues like driving, home safety, and dementia.  Their innovative platform combines medical decision science with new models for digital engagement to help families get answers throughout the continuum of care.  Roobrik works with healthcare and long‐term care product and service providers who are committed to informed decision‐making for its potential to improve health, emotional, and financial outcomes. Roobrik currently maintains offices in Greensboro, North Carolina.  Website:  www.roobrik.com ### https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/110 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/110 Fri, 06 May 2016 00:00:00 EST Friday, 06 May 2016 00:00:00 EST Netarus is currently seeking a Marketing Media Coordinator. This position is responsible for the collection, writing, editing, posting, and maintenance of all types of online content for our website, Twitter account, LinkedIn account, Facebook account, and YouTube channel. The Marketing Media Coordinator interacts and communicates with all levels of staff, and is responsible for developing and maintaining a unified voice for all aspects of Netarus’ marketing digital and print presence. This is a flex time position requiring a minimum of 20 hours to a maximum 40 hours per week. Learn more: http://netarus.com/about/careers-2/marketing-media-coordinator-flex-time/ https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/111 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/111 Fri, 29 Apr 2016 00:00:00 EST Friday, 29 April 2016 00:00:00 EST Virginia Business by Veronica Garabelli From food to gadgets, nothing was off the table at IdeaFest, a business pitch competition held April 1 at the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research in Danville.Nineteen groups competed for $10,000 in available funds, which was split among four winners. The $5,000 grand prize went to Park and Diamond Inc., a team of Virginia Tech students that pitched an innovative bike helmet.The other winners were from North Carolina. They include: UChef, which came in second for a monthly delivery service that teaches cooking; Trio Labs, which snagged third place for a new, 3-D printing technology concept; and FiYABox, which won an audience choice award for a portable lunch box that heats food on the go.“I had never been to Danville but do plan to return,” says Mary Coggins, owner and founder of Charlotte-based UChef, which is launching this summer. “I enjoyed meeting the IdeaFest and [event sponsor Launch Place] team and see the value in a continued relationship.”The competition, now in its third year, drew almost 70 applicants from 12 states. That’s up from about 40 applicants when the contest was first held in 2014. The prize money also has doubled since 2014. “We have no idea if someone is actually going to bring an idea back here to base here, but it’s just the fact of getting them here, getting them exposed to Danville,” says Freddie Wydner, who is director of agribusiness development for Pittsylvania County.Wydner founded IdeaFest with Jeff Gignac, Lauren Mathena and Varun Sadana. They developed plans for the competition in 2013 during the Middle Border Forward fellowship. The program encouraged young leaders to have a positive impact on the Danville region, an area that has faced high unemployment since the decline of the tobacco, textile and furniture industries.  “I want people to understand — especially going through economic hard times — you don’t have to rely on an employer if you can come up with an idea that will create value,” says Gignac, a trust officer at American National Bank & Trust Co. in Danville.That message of empowerment reached at least one Danville native.  Ashley Henry is a single mom and waitress from Danville who says the event made her grow a little bit stronger. She currently has to rely on government assistance but would like to change that.“I want to get away from that,” she says. “I want to start a business and … be able to grow with my children and not grow old on my children.” https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/108 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/108 Fri, 08 Apr 2016 00:00:00 EST Friday, 08 April 2016 00:00:00 EST Raleigh Magazine by Mandy Howard Drowning is the top killer for children under the age of 5, and those statistics haven’t budged for decades.Looking into the eyes of another devastated mom, Dr. Graham Snyder often has to deliver the heartbreaking news as a pediatric emergency room physician. A child was right there swimming, splashing, playing; then, they weren’t.When Snyder and his colleague, Dr. Courtney Mann, realized we’re still using the same methods to prevent drowning that we did in the 14th century, they asked a simple question: Was there a way to incorporate technology to keep kids safe?A local camp provided insight.Snyder noticed that kids at the YMCA wore necklace swimming bands, used to help both the lifeguards and swimmers know the swimmer’s restrictions based on the band color. Black is for the most advanced swimmers.“If they are already wearing swimming bands, can we build a smarter band? One that knows when a child has been submerged too long? One that allows kids to do what they want to do—splash, dive, be at the bottom of the pool—but can tell when a child is not having fun anymore?” Snyder wondered.Snyder and Mann developed the SEAL SwimSafe system, which will be used by North Carolina YMCAs this summer, says A.E. Finley YMCA’s aquatics director, Jeff Little.It’s a neck band the swimmer wears that contains a radio transmitter that can detect how long the device has been submerged underwater. If under too long, an alarm sounds and a light from the band itself begins to flash.The band is attached to a hub on the pool deck that also sets off an alarm to let you know that someone is in trouble.If a child slips underwater, not only will an alarm sound alerting the entire pool that someone is submerged, but the light flashing will lead to a rescue seconds later, as opposed to minutes—the difference between life and death.“SEAL SwimSafe bands will add an extra layer of safety for our swimmers,” says Little. “If all of our testing matches what we have seen so far, we hope to add this extra layer of protection and awareness to all of our swim programs.” https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/109 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/109 Fri, 08 Apr 2016 00:00:00 EST Friday, 08 April 2016 00:00:00 EST https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/107 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/107 Mon, 04 Apr 2016 00:00:00 EST Monday, 04 April 2016 00:00:00 EST DANVILLE, Va. (April 4, 2016) – The Launch Place announced today that it is investing $250,000 in Netarus, LLC, to facilitate the company’s rapid expansion of its visual safety and analytic platforms in the construction, industrial, marine and transportation markets. The company’s initial product, HoistCam, is a video capture system consisting of (1) a ruggedized wireless camera mounted on a crane’s hook block, and (2) a wireless monitor and video receiver box installed by an equipment operator.  Netarus’ HoistCam Director Platform allows their customers to monitor and record HoistCam activity from anywhere in the world via 3G, 4G, or a Wireless Access Point.  The Director system also allows for the integration and monitoring of third party equipment such as Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs).  Both hardware systems integrate into Netarus’ full-service video analytics suite that includes complete job site analysis from BIM model integration to logistics tracking.  This revolutionary system connects hardware across platforms and brings the ability to detect problems through data analysis before traditional failsafes can flag an issue in the field.  This affords huge time and money savings on job sites. Netarus is now positioned to implement their safety and productivity products/services while continuing to evolve within a dynamic marketplace.As part of The Launch Place’s investment criteria, Netarus will have operations in Danville that will create at least five jobs with an average salary of $50,000 in the next three years.“Netarus is an innovative company in the way they are solving problems such as eliminating blind spots for heavy equipment operators and giving management the ability to increase safety as well as improve productivity,” said Eva Doss, The Launch Place President & CEO.“Their suite of products allows for easy integration and utilization for each industry they work with,” she said.Netarus, headquartered in Norfolk, Virginia, has been developing systems to improve job site safety and accountability since 2012.  “The total integration of our HoistCam hardware platform and analytics suite gives Netarus a significant position in the development and sale of management information in the big data era,” says Chris Machut, CTO at Netarus.   Netarus’s President, Mark Shaw, states “We are truly pleased to be working with The Launch Place and the Danville region.  After looking across the state, we found that the region’s focus on technology development coupled with The Launch Place’s strong leadership team would be a natural fit to help rocket our business to the next level.”   About The Launch PlaceThe Launch Place, from a $10 million grant received from the Danville Regional Foundation in 2012, assists with entrepreneurship and business development, and job creation and retention through its business consulting, mentoring and training, residential and office subsidies, and two seed investment funds in the Dan River region of Virginia.Website: www.thelaunchplace.org About NetarusThe safety and productivity benefits for cranes and other heavy equipment through the deployment of the HoistCam and TugCam products is gaining traction nationwide and in other countries.  Netarus works through Distributor/Dealers and maintains direct sales responsibility in areas not served by the network.  Of particular significance in the crane industry is the number of “Bind Lifts” that tower crane operators must perform.  From their position they have only radio communications with riggers and often cannot see the load until it is several stories in the air.  With the HoistCam they have a clear view of the riggers and the load.  This not only prevents serious accidents but increases the efficiency of operations resulting in significant ROI for the company.Website:  www.netarus.com ###   Media Coverage Danville Register & Bee by Trevor Metcalfe Virginia Business WAKG/WBTM WDBJ 7 by Danielle Staub     WSLS 10 by Colter Anstaett     WSET 13 by Tola Adamson     https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/106 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/106 Mon, 07 Mar 2016 00:00:00 EST Monday, 07 March 2016 00:00:00 EST https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/105 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/105 Tue, 02 Feb 2016 00:00:00 EST Tuesday, 02 February 2016 00:00:00 EST Danville, VA, February 1, 2016 (Newswire.com) - CirrusWorks, Inc. has joined forces with the Boys and Girls Club of Danville, VA (BGCDA) in an initiative to improve the local club’s Internet performance for online training programs. The strategic partnership supports the Club’s mission to assist the community’s youth to succeed in the digital age."Every day at approximately 2:00pm the Internet would slow to a painful grind when the students arrived at our facility” shared Faith Stamps, Executive Director.  “This was frustrating for students who utilize the Club’s computer lab for homework assignments, VA Standards of Learning exercises and preparing their college applications.”  Simply adding more capacity was impossible due to budgetary restraints, so Faith reached out to her community for alternatives.Enter CirrusWorks, a Danville, VA technology company that is backed by local investment fund The Launch Place.  Their flagship product, The Governor™, installs in minutes, requires no configuration, and automatically adapts to changing network conditions without maintenance or support. The Governor™ fit her budget and was easily manageable by the Club’s limited IT resources.The results were immediate. “The Governor™ noticeably improved Internet access for our students and administration, minimizing slow connections while increasing their productive time online,” said Faith. “We don’t have a huge circuit, but the Governor™ has definitely improved what we have.”CirrusWorks’ innovative approach to bandwidth optimization enables the local Boys and Girls Club chapter to further develop their technology platforms and give more students access to various online programs - critical in providing adequate training to equip Club kids with the skills needed to compete in a 21st century economy.“CirrusWorks is proud to partner with the local BGCDA in support of their Club Kids technology initiatives and to assist the Club’s Administration in all the great work they do for the local community," said David Giannini, Chief Executive Officer, CirrusWorks, Inc. "The Boys and Girls Club is an exceptional organization whose mission includes helping educate today's youth to thrive in the digital world."While the local Club’s Internet performance has improved, Faith is still looking for additional funding to increase the current bandwidth to allow the Club to leverage an additional computer lab for the teenage members and to service several recent STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) grant awards.  “These grant awards will facilitate upgrading our facility’s wireless infrastructure and provide wireless devices available for student use,” furthered Faith.  “With these additional devices and access points, we are looking for funding to increase our bandwidth within our current budget confinements.  We believe the partnership with CirrusWorks will allow the Club to continuously maximize our available bandwidth while managing budget restraints.” About Boys & Girls Clubs of AmericaFor more than 100 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of America (GreatFutures.org) has enabled young people most in need to achieve great futures as productive, caring, responsible citizens. Today, more than 4,100 Clubs serve nearly 4 million young people annually through Club membership and community outreach. Clubs are located in cities, towns, public housing and on Native lands throughout the country, and serve military families in BGCA-affiliated Youth Centers on U.S. military installations worldwide. They provide a safe place, caring adult mentors, fun, friendship, and high-impact youth development programs on a daily basis during critical non-school hours. Priority programs emphasize academic success, good character and citizenship, and healthy lifestyles. In a Harris Survey of alumni, 54 percent said the Club saved their lives. National headquarters are located in Atlanta. Learn more at Facebook and Twitter.http://www.bgcdanville.org/ About CirrusWorks, Inc.CirrusWorks, Inc. is the leader in bandwidth optimization technologies. Their flagship product, The Governor™, is the only dynamic, software-defined bandwidth management tool that fully operates in an encrypted network environment. Learn more at www.cirrusworks.net. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/104 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/104 Wed, 13 Jan 2016 00:00:00 EST Wednesday, 13 January 2016 00:00:00 EST Next Generation Bandwidth Management CirrusWorks is the leader in dynamic bandwidth management. The CirrusWorks Governor optimizes traffic during peak congestion periods to ensure fast and reliable Internet performance for all users all the time. Only CirrusWorks employs AutoAlgorithms™ that adapt to unpredictable traffic patterns in real time, without the need to configure any rules or policies. CirrusWorks is enabling organizations across all verticals to improve network performance and avoid costly bandwidth upgrades simply, efficiently and effectively.   CirrusWorks assembles the Governor devices in a new operations center in Danville, Virginia.  The LINUX-based devices utilize standard, off-the-shelf components. Currently, the Governor is available in either shelf-top or 1U rack-mount form factors. LAN speeds up to 1Gbps of throughput are supported.       https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/103 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/103 Wed, 06 Jan 2016 00:00:00 EST Wednesday, 06 January 2016 00:00:00 EST Local group invests in drowning-prevention device Virginia Businessby Joan Tupponce After seeing children die from drowning, Dr. Graham Snyder knew he had to do something to help prevent this type of tragedy. “I think what is so tough about it for me as a dad and an emergency-room physician is that, unlike most of the death we see in the ER, this is so preventable,” he says. “This is most often a perfectly healthy kid who was out having fun and suddenly his or her life is snuffed out.” Snyder’s company, SEAL Innovation, makes SEAL SwimSafe, a monitor worn by swimmers. The necklace-style device displays a strobe light and sounds a siren if the swimmer seems to be in distress under water. The same signals appear on a device either worn or carried by an adult. “I simply started the company about seven-and-a-half years ago as an idea for a solution,” he says, noting that moving the product from a rough prototype to mass production has been challenging. The company, based in North Carolina’s Research Triangle Park, received a boost in April 2014 from The Launch Place in Danville, an organization trying to grow employment in Southern Virginia. The Launch Place originally invested $250,000 from its seed fund in the company and later added another $100,000. “We have the chance to invest a potential extra $100,000 in the company if it is doing well,” says Eva Doss, the president and CEO of The Launch Place. “The money goes toward finishing product development. That’s what we did with SEAL.” Companies receiving Launch Place investments must commit to creating during a three-year period at least five jobs in Danville paying salaries of $50,000 or more. “SEAL is scaling up and hiring. They already have two people in Danville,” Doss says. SEAL was referred to The Launch Place by a member of its seed fund advisory board. “We went through a due-diligence process,” Doss says. “This is a product that is needed, and the company has an excellent management team. It’s a good fit.” https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/102 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/102 Wed, 30 Dec 2015 00:00:00 EST Wednesday, 30 December 2015 00:00:00 EST An entrepreneur from North Carolina has partnered with a Danville business and created an online service to help you with that process. WDBJ7Danielle Staub, dstaub@wdbj7.com Dec 30, 2015 video platformvideo managementvideo solutionsvideo player DANVILLE, Va. -  Noticing that a family member may be getting a little more confused or doesn't drive the way they used to, isn't always the easiest thing to tell them. Or is it even the right time? An entrepreneur from North Carolina has partnered with a Danville business and created an online service to help you with that process. Nate O'Keefe saw a need. "There are 90 million family care givers in this country and the vast majority of them are helping to care for an older adult," Roobrik Co-founder and CEO Nate O'Keefe said. He wanted a way to make what comes as a hard life change for many families, just a little bit easier. "These folks that are out there furiously surfing the internet, trying to get information. They may not have talked with a doctor, they may not have even talked with other family members about this because it's a concern that not a lot of people want to talk about," O'Keefe said. O'Keefe has created a simple online questionnaire called, "Is it time to get help?" Answering questions like: Should mom still be driving? Is dad getting confused lately? "Four minutes you will get personalized answers and a set of concrete steps you can take," O'Keefe said. He is growing Roobrik with the help of the Launch Place in Danville. An area that has many options to help after you realize it is time for your loved one to seek medical attention. "Be proactive, look at resources available. Call Home Health, we can help you walk through those things. We can make recommendations to what might be the next step," Home Health Market Director Cynthia Robotti said. Home Health is one of those options. Their services come into play after the patient has seen a doctor and focuses not only on them but the caregiver and family. "Families will say, no we don't need that. We can take care of mom or dad and then they get home and that's the crisis situation," Robotti said. Roobrik providing an easy new way to take that first step to awareness and help. "One of the hardest things about being a care giver is knowing that you are making the right decisions at the right time," O'Keefe said. Click here to check out the free service. Copyright © 2015, WDBJ7 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/101 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/101 Tue, 22 Dec 2015 00:00:00 EST Tuesday, 22 December 2015 00:00:00 EST The Launch Place has invested $75,000 through its Pre-Seed Investment Fund into Roobrik, which builds online tools designed to help older adults and their families with some of the hardest decisions they will ever face: Is it Still Safe to Drive? Is it Time to Get Help?  Is this Dementia? Roobrik’s newest tool, Is it Time to Get Help?, is designed for families who are noticing changes and trying to get a better understanding of their care needs and options.  It takes about 4 minutes and provides personalized answers to these difficult questions. This tool was just launched in October and Roobrik is seeking additional testers to help them refine their algorithms and user experience.  If you are interested, and want to help one of The Launch Place's investment portfolio companies here’s how you can help: 1. Using your desktop if possible, visit this link:  http://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/2470591/Launch-Place 2. Answer one survey question, then click the link in the survey to launch the Roobrik tool. 3. Use the Roobrik tool (it takes about 5 minutes) 4. Return to the survey to answer 6 questions about your experiences using the tool.  Any information you share will be kept private and will not be used for any purposes other than improving the experience for families facing these decisions. Thank you in advance for your help! Eva Doss and The Launch Place team Nate O¹Keefe and the Roobrik team Roobrik website: http://roobrik.com https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/100 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/100 Tue, 20 Oct 2015 00:00:00 EST Tuesday, 20 October 2015 00:00:00 EST WDBJ7  by Danielle Staub Danielle Staub Danville company invests in new safe swimming product  SEAL Innovations Inc. has created a swim band that helps prevent drowning   DANVILLE, Va. -  The Launch Place in Danville invests in entrepreneurs. A new product demonstrated today is a swim band to help prevent drowning. "What the SEAL wants to know is how long have you been above water and how long have you been under water," Pediatric Emergency Room Physician and entrepreneur Graham Snyder said. Snyder has spent the last 7 years working towards one goal. Reducing the number of deaths from drowning. Right now, drowning is the number one cause of death in children under 5 years of age in the United States. "I see things go wrong with children in the water but at the same time, older swimmers, swimmers that have medical problems and people that are simply not that strong of a swimmer can some times get into trouble. This device can prevent that," Snyder said. A swim band can be set for a beginner swimmers and an alarm will go off within seconds if they go under the water. A swim band can also be set for experts or more advanced swimmers which gives them more time under the water but still alerts the lifeguard if there is an emergency. "If they are submerged longer than the threshold of pain, then it sets off a strobe and a siren, allowing the lifeguard to get to you, pull you above water before anything dangerous can happen," Snyder said. Snyder explains the quick response time and usefulness of the swim bands for life guards at places like the YMCA or your backyard pool. YMCA Lifeguard Akwasi Bradley put on the band to show the group how the alarm would work. "Especially if you have, so many amount of people, you can't keep your eyes on each one. It's very good to protect the kids and stuff," Akwasi Bradley said. So far, the Launch Place has invested more than $350,000 in SEAL Innovations. "Both for parents but also for schools, YMCA's, even cruises, cruise liners, definitely have an interest in preventing children from drowning and also other insurance companies." The Launch Place President and CEO Eva Doss said. Copyright © 2015, WDBJ7   WSET By Tola Adamson E.R. Physician Created Device That Helps Prevent Children from Drowning   Danville, VA-- There's a brand new invention that could save your child's life. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, drowning is the single largest cause of traumatic death of children under five in the United States. A former E.R. physician is behind a device that would help prevent it. It's all about alerting lifeguards or even parents in their backyard pool when a child has been under water for too long. "It's unacceptable to me as the physician to have to tell parents that their child is dead," said Graham Snyder, CEO of SEAL Innovation. "We don't need to have drownings in public places." For years people entrust the safety of their children with life jackets and the eyes of a lifeguard. "People think that a drowning looks like a person going 'hey I'm drowning,' but it doesn't look like that at all, " Snyder "Drowning is perfectly silent." But what if new technology could help? Snyder created a device called SwimSafe, also known as a swim band. A lifeguard or parent wears one around their neck, and so does the child." "You can tune the band to a beginning swimmer, and advanced swimmer and an expert swimmer, and for that time period the band will allow a certain amount of submersion," Snyder said. Here's how it works: you rub the bands on a hub to activate them, then if the child is under water too long, the band flashes and beeps. The flashes and beeps are how the parent or lifeguard is alerted and can rescue the child. Akwasi Bradley is lifeguard at the YMCA and got to test the product. He said technology like this is paramount in his profession. "It will be a huge benefit. It will help out a whole lot," he said."  SEAL Innovation recently expanded its offices to Danville's River District where it's working on commercializing SwimSafe. A YMCA in North Carolina is already using the product. So far, The Launch Place has invested $350,000 into the company. Danville Register & Bee By Vicky Cruz Live-saving swim device demonstrated Once the Seal Innovation safety band for non-swimmers strapped to the Danville YMCA lifeguard made contact with water, it immediately began flashing and sounding a distinct siren as it sensed a drowning threat.  The trained lifeguard is an advanced swimmer but the purposes of the demonstration conducted by Seal Innovation was show how responsive the company’s life-saving technology SwimSafe is. Seal Innovation, which is one of three Launch Place seed-funded companies, provided a demonstration of its wearable devices at the Danville YMCA pool on Monday.  As part of the Entrepreneurial Network Series, Seal Innovation visited from Raleigh, North Carolina, to share its back story and showcase the effectiveness of its pilot product. SwimSafe is a wearable swim monitor that can be set for different ages and swimming skill levels. The monitors initiate an alert system if a swimmer exceeds the safe amount of time underwater to prevent instances of drowning. The product is being sold in both the commercial and private market. It costs approximately $400 for a residential unit. Up to 64 swimmers can be monitored by each wireless alert hub, which constantly monitors active swimmers for a battery life lasting between nine and 12 hours. SwimSafe also sells a lifeguard or guardian band for the supervising swimmer or adult to be directly alerted to any safety threat. Seal CEO Graham Snyder stated that the product is getting rolled out at a Raleigh YMCA and is available for purchase throughout the United States, Australia and the Middle East. As a Wake Forest Baptist Hospital doctor, Snyder witnessed too many deaths of children by drowning. “Drowning is the single largest traumatic cause of death for children under 5,” Snyder said. “Our fundamental moral mission is to decrease what I see as a completely unnecessary tragedy.” The company began about seven years ago when Snyder worked seven months in his garage to develop the alert system technology. The first demonstration he made to a potential customer resulted in an immediate order. The time between then and now has been a challenging journey to mass production. But to Snyder all that hard work isn’t the main focus of his company’s mission to improve the safety of people’s lives. It’s also a matter of education. “Technology is one part of it. But I don’t think it is the most important part,” he said. “I see technology as a last layer of defense.” Snyder says that it’s most important that children get into the pool at a young age, learning through supervised lessons how to be safe and have fun in the pool. This goes hand-in-hand with maintaining a safe pool environment with such protocols as clear water and pool deck areas. Another aspect that comes before reliance on technology is relinquishing the fear of water. Often the parents of children drowning victims have a fear of water and swimming and resist education opportunities. This group of people needs the reassurance that SwimSafe can provide. “I see the Seal as a way to communicate to those parents not only is this an excellent swimming institution, not only do we have excellent life guards but we’re taking next step of added technology to keep your swimmer safe,” he explained. At this time manufacturing is taking place at a plant in Smithfield, North Carolina. In the coming year, Snyder plans to refine the device even further to add features and expand the range of uses for specific swimmer sets.   WAKG and WBTM by Jack Garrett Monitoring device designed to prevent drowning:(Danville, Va.) -- An emergency room physician who’s seen dozens of deaths from drowning has developed a wearable swim monitor designed to detect problems and prevent tragedies.      Graham Synder developed the SEAL SwimSafe monitor through a $350,000 seed grant from The Launch Place and showcased the product at the Danville Family YMCA Monday.     He says the wearable swim band “tracks children and lets you know whether they’ve been under the water longer than they’ve been able to hold their breath.” If that happens, the monitor sets off a strobe light on the swimmer and also triggers a siren on the parent or lifeguard.     Snyder works in a pediatric emergency department at a trauma center in Raleigh, North Carolina, and says he sees “drowning and all sorts of swimming accidents every year.” When he was unable to find a device to prevent drowning, he decided to develop one of his own.     The first version of the SwimSafe monitor is complete and Snyder says his company will begin installing them at YMCA’s in Raleigh and across the nation in the coming months.        https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/98 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/98 Thu, 08 Oct 2015 00:00:00 EST Thursday, 08 October 2015 00:00:00 EST DANVILLE, Va. (October 8, 2015) – The Launch Place announced today that it is investing $75,000 in Roobrik Inc., to help bring their latest on-line care decision tool “Is It Time to Get Help?” to market. Roobrik is a health IT software company that develops interactive tools designed to help families make difficult long-term care decisions around issues like driving, home safety, and dementia. The software uses proprietary algorithms developed by clinicians and caregivers to guide older adults and their families through complex long‐term care decisions.  Advances in modern medicine and the sheer volume of choices faced by caregivers today create anxiety, confusion and stress for older adults and their families. The Roobrik platform is designed for the 70 million-plus family caregivers who turn to the Internet for help with complex care decisions. Roobrik’s tools provide a structured decision process for common, high-stakes transitions, like deciding when it is the right time to stop driving, get extra help, or consider moving.  “Our innovative decision support platform combines best practices in medical decision science with new models for digital engagement to help families get answers in about 4 minutes,” said Nate O’Keefe, Roobrik CEO and co-founder.  “There is no shortage of information available to older adults and family caregivers. The challenge comes in sifting through it all to find what is trusted, current, and applies to your specific situation. Roobrik starts with a brief assessment of where you are today and gives you the personalized information you need to find the right care, at the right time, in the right place, with the right support. “O’Keefe added.  “Our healthcare industry is changing and entrepreneurial companies like Roobrik are leading the charge by using their expertise to provide solutions to large and growing problems. Roobrik is an innovative software company that helps caregivers with complex long-term care decisions,” said Eva Doss, The Launch Place President & CEO.  “Our provider partners range from some of the biggest names in senior care to local agencies right down the street. They all share a common interest in helping families make informed decisions,” said O’Keefe. “The Launch Place funding is helping us deliver these decision tools to our pilot partners during that time of the year when many families are evaluating their care needs.”  “The Pre-Seed Investment program is intended to help companies, like Roobrik expedite the early stages of their startup development process, specifically in product and market validation and business model refinement,” Doss said.  “The Launch Place Pre-Seed program fills a critical need in this region, particularly for companies like Roobrik. The funding comes at the right time for us to capitalize on initial revenue opportunities, and the support of the Launch Place staff and network of advisors is opening new doors for us,” said O’Keefe.  “This initial investment may become a precursor to our Seed Fund, where a larger round of early stage funding is available,” Doss said.    About The Launch Place The Launch Place, from a $10 million grant received from the Danville Regional Foundation in 2012, assists with entrepreneurship and business development, and job creation and retention through its business consulting, mentoring and training, residential and office subsidies, and two seed investment funds in the Dan River region of Virginia. Website: www.thelaunchplace.org  About Roobrik Roobrik builds online tools designed to help older adults and their families make informed long‐term care decisions around issues like driving, home safety, and dementia.  Their innovative platform combines medical decision science with new models for digital engagement to help families get answers throughout the continuum of care. Roobrik works with healthcare and long‐term care product and service providers who are committed to informed decision‐making for its potential to improve health, emotional, and financial outcomes. Roobrik is headquartered in Durham, North Carolina and is a member company of the Aging2.0 Academy. Website: www.roobrik.com ### https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/97 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/97 Wed, 07 Oct 2015 00:00:00 EST Wednesday, 07 October 2015 00:00:00 EST Lynchburg, Virginia - October 7, 2015 Jeff Harris was wrestling with a growing problem facing higher education. As network administrator for Lynchburg College, he was seeing Internet traffic from dorm room and residence WiFi expand beyond control. Most of Lynchburg’s 2,800 students live on campus, carry multiple devices and remain connected to the Internet 24/7. A typical day will see up to 10,000 devices connected, all competing for finite bandwidth capacity with no reasonable means of distributing resources among students. Lynchburg College upgraded bandwidth annually for the past three years at considerable expense. But demand far outpaced network capacity, creating Internet congestion and impacting the use and reliability of the campus network. The slow-down was especially severe from 9:00pm to 1:00am, when online study/work/play would flood the ResNet, resulting in poor quality of service and high support calls and complaints. Mr. Harris noted that “Lynchburg students count on consistent, reliable Internet performance to study, search or just have fun.” He added that, “as a liberal arts institution, we do not want to interfere with their online intellectual pursuits, or inhibit them in any way.” Limiting a student’s access to information, applications or even certain locations on campus was not an option. In short, traditional methods were not effective. There were too many devices to control, too many applications to prioritize, and too much data pushing and pulling to the web, resulting in latency, lag and slow Internet performance. After researching multiple technologies, Mr. Harris found an innovative company called CirrusWorks that focuses exclusively on bandwidth optimization. Their flagship product, “The Governor™,” uses software to replace costly configuration and management protocols, dynamically assigning bandwidth to users based on available capacity. The network device does not rely on traditional data intrusion, so it works on encrypted traffic, nor does it impose static rules or policies on user behavior. Rather, The Governor™ uses adaptive intelligence to apply the most fair and equitable distribution of network resources to the population as a whole, ensuring that no single user encumbers the entire group. “Data throughput rates have been growing exponentially, and we were concerned that poor Internet quality of service was impacting the student experience,” said Mr. Harris. “The results from The Governor™ have been measurable, with service complaints virtually disappearing upon installation. Also important to us, ongoing management and upgrade configuration are not required, freeing up personnel resources and allowing for future upgrades.” Lynchburg College also appreciated working with a local, Virginia-based company. CirrusWorks is headquartered in Falls Church and operates a manufacturing facility in Danville, Virginia. Its founders and lead investors have built multiple technology companies in Virginia, and they are committed to improving the education experience in the Commonwealth. Lynchburg College Lynchburg College is a private, independent, residential college located on 250 acres in central Virginia. The student body numbers 2,800 undergraduate and graduate students, most of whom live on campus. Lynchburg College offers a strong liberal arts foundation for 39 undergraduate majors, 52 minors, 13 pre-professional programs, and 19 graduate programs, including two doctoral degrees: the doctor of physical therapy and the doctor of education in leadership studies. For more information, please visit www.lynchburg.edu.  CirrusWorks CirrusWorks is a leader in bandwidth optimization technologies. Their flagship product, The Governor™, provides a simple, efficient and cost-effective tool for capturing more efficiency and capacity of Internet circuits, getting more out of network infrastructure and improving web-based performance for users on busy BYOD networks. For more information, please visit www.cirrusworks.net. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/96 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/96 Tue, 18 Aug 2015 00:00:00 EST Tuesday, 18 August 2015 00:00:00 EST The New York Times, by Jennifer Jolly On a hot summer afternoon in July, my friend’s 8-year-old son Cody nearly drowned in a backyard swimming pool. There were two moms supervising and only one other family in the water. It was quiet and calm, and those watching him thought he was just trying to see how long he could hold his breath. When they realized it wasn’t a game and pulled him out, he was unconscious and his lips were blue. Both moms started CPR and the child was coughing up blood by the time the paramedics arrived less than 10 minutes later. “It was the worst day of my life,” his mother Danielle Paskins said, remembering those terrifying moments that unfolded just a few weeks ago. “And then the best day, because he lived.” Today, Cody is as healthy as could be, but in the six weeks since his close call, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 530 people have drowned in the United States —  and, statistically, more than 100 of them have been children under the age of 14. In many cases, a lifeguard or supervisor was nearby. The statistics point to a need that technology companies are looking to address as they enter the swim safety market.  One new wrist-worn safety gadget called Kingii has recently taken crowdfunding site Indiegogo by storm, raising more than $600,000 to date. “When you drive a car, you put your seatbelt on. When you ride a bike, you put on a helmet. But how do you protect yourself in the water?” asked Tom Agapiades, inventor of the Kingii (pronounced KIN-jee).  “No one swims around with a lifejacket on, and that’s when they get in trouble.” For Mr. Agapiades, inventing Kingii was personal. Four years ago, he was swimming at a lake near his Northern California home when his 24-year old friend was stung by a bee, had an allergic reaction and drowned before anyone could reach him. Motivated by the helpless feeling of that tragic day, Mr. Agapiades, a former insurance salesman, set out to create a subtle wearable that works like an underwater airbag. The result looks like something out of a James Bond movie. The Kingii is essentially a large cuff-like bracelet adorned with a rectangular pouch and a small capsule of carbon dioxide. It weighs less than five ounces and is about the size of a smartphone, covering about half of the forearm. If the wearer gets into trouble in the water, he or she tugs on the bracelet, triggering the CO2 cartridge to inflate an orange flotation device that lifts them to the surface in a matter of seconds. Mr. Agapiades said the Kingii can hoist a person weighing as much as 275 pounds and keep them safely near the water’s surface for as long as they need it. After the drowning danger has passed, the wearer can use the built-in whistle and compass to navigate and get the attention of nearby swimmers or rescuers, if needed. I was skeptical when I first took it out of the box and set it up on my wrist to test it during a recent vacation. The device seemed big and felt awkward when I first jumped the water. But after a few minutes of paddling around, I barely felt it. I wore it off and on while wake-boarding, jet-skiing and even swimming in open water for exercise. When I lifted the lever, the airbag shot out just as advertised and pulled me straight to the surface, where I had to kind of wrestle it into position in front of me to keep my head above the waves. Once in that position, it provided more than enough buoyancy to keep me afloat. Swimming to safety once it is inflated is another skill altogether. I ended up taking it off my wrist and using it more like a kickboard. It should come with a tether so that once the user is safely afloat, they can more easily get themselves to safety while staying attached to it in rough waves. If you buy it, be sure to practice with it to figure these nuances out for yourself before relying on it to save your life. The starter package retails for $79 and includes the inflatable and two CO2 capsules — one for practice and one for a real emergency. It was relatively easy to repack the inflatable, but I had to contact the company for instructions on how to do it. A few years ago, while training for a triathlon, my friend Tom experienced severe cramping in both legs while still a quarter mile out in the San Francisco Bay. I was just an arm’s length away when it happened, and was able to help him get to shore. Had I not been there, a device like the Kingii could have saved his life. The main downside of the Kingii is that a person has to be conscious in order to use it. Other wearables, aimed primarily at protecting children and new swimmers, address this problem by sounding alarms when the swimmer stays underwater for too long. The iSwimband, which sells for $40, is a wireless sensor that can be worn as a headband or wristband and pairs with a smartphone companion app. Depending on your customized preferences, the device can sound an alarm when a toddler comes into contact with water or when a new swimmer stays submerged for too long. It acts as an extra set of eyes for watchful parents and a safety net for toddlers and pre-teens who aren’t quite expert swimmers yet. SEAL SwimSafe is another swim monitor with even more granular settings, with five options ranging from nonswimmer all the way up to “Guard Level.” You don’t need a smartphone to use this one, as it works with a standalone hub that sounds an alarm and flashes lights if someone takes an unexpected dip or stays under the surface past the set amount of time. The device, expected to be available through retailers this fall, will sell for about $400 for the hub, charger and band. But could any of these devices helped young Cody? I’m not sure and neither is his mother, who turned down my offer to test the Kingii device with her son. Mrs. Paskins doesn’t want a gadget to give him a false sense of security in the water and is opting for a full regime of swim and water safety lessons instead. Mr. Agapiades agrees that skill and supervision are the first line of defense against mishaps in the water. However, he also insists that doing nothing to change troubling drowning statistics isn’t an acceptable approach either. If Kingii could even help save a fraction of the estimated 372,000 drowning deaths per year, Mr. Agapiades noted, “it would be a success.” https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/95 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/95 Thu, 06 Aug 2015 00:00:00 EST Thursday, 06 August 2015 00:00:00 EST The Launch Place announced today that it is investing $25,000 in FokusLabs, to fund research and development of RE-vibe, FokusLab’s anti-distraction vibrating wristband.  RE-vibeTM is a vibration reminder band designed by a school psychologist to get wandering minds back on-task. It’s currently estimated that more than 1 in 10 children ages 4-17 struggle to stay on-task while learning and completing school work. Considering all the advances in wearable technology, Rich Brancaccio, a school psychologist working with children with ADHD and on the autism spectrum, was both puzzled and frustrated by the absence of a practical device to provide that helping “tap on the shoulder” that so many children tend to need. “I see a lot of students spend a significant portion of their day engaged in off-task behaviors.  As such, it is not uncommon for these children who regularly daydream and are off-task to fall behind academically.  Our pre-programmed wristband sends vibrating reminder signals, much like a tap on the shoulder.  Our hope is that RE-vibeTM may empower many of these children to be more self-sufficient, independent learners.” said Rich Brancaccio, FokusLabs Founder. “The Launch Place is focused on helping entrepreneurs like Rich.  He saw a problem and decided to find a solution by inventing this device.” said The Launch Place President & CEO Eva Doss. This required learning about electronics and creating a basic prototype. Now that he has developed the band and produced a small batch of product, the next step is testing the device in the market. “The Pre-Seed Investment program is intended to help companies, like FokusLabs, expedite the early stages of their startup development process, specifically in product and market validation and business model refinement,” she said.  With additional funds from The Launch Place, FokusLabs will step-up their research and development program by assessing the effectiveness of their device in real-world environments and utilizing the data to further refine the device before product launch, which is slated for Fall of 2015.  “This initial investment may become a precursor to our Seed Fund, where a larger round of early stage funding is available,” Doss said. Brancaccio’s objective from the start was to help the millions of daydreaming children who struggle to stay on-task at home or school. Preliminary feedback of the device has been encouraging. The quiet vibration it emits on the wrist, actually helps kids to get back to work, by reminding them to think about their own actions. A simple instruction like, "When you feel this buzz, remember to ask yourself if you are doing what you are supposed to be doing", helps the vibration become synonymous with the necessary reminder. Based on the chosen setting, it approximates when the user may need a reminder. It is also aimed to mitigate the habituation that users wearing the same device for extended periods often experience. FokusLabs sought-out the Launch Place for financial backing because of the individualized attention and strategic services offered by the Danville-based organization.  “We had an immediate affinity for The Launch Place after meeting the staff and learning all they can offer a pro-social company like ours; they’re People-people, just like us”, said Brancaccio.  The Launch Place assists with entrepreneurship and business development, and job creation and retention through its business consulting, mentoring and training, residential and office subsidies, and two seed investment funds in the Dan River region of Virginia. About FokusLabsFokusLabs, Inc. is a North Carolina based company dedicated to helping children (and adults) overcome obstacles faced in the classroom and workplace by fusing psychology with technology.  FokusLabs is headquartered in Wake Forest, NC, with office space in the Wireless Research Center of North Carolina. ###  https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/93 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/93 Tue, 28 Jul 2015 00:00:00 EST Tuesday, 28 July 2015 00:00:00 EST Virginia Business by Joan Tupponce Panacea BioMatx Inc. co-founders Edison Hudson and L. Staton Noel III might not have considered expanding their personalized therapy company to Danville if they hadn’t received a $250,000 seed-fund investment from The Launch Place. In return for the investment, the company committed to creating at least five jobs paying an average of $50,000 annually within three years. “Certainly the resources offered through The Launch Place were an important incentive,” says Panacea CEO Hudson. “We looked at the lab and production facilities [in Danville], and the cost compared very favorably to Research Triangle Park” in North Carolina where the company is based. Another plus is that Danville is only an hour’s drive away. Eva Doss, president and CEO of The Launch Place, has been watching Panacea’s progress for more than a year. She finds it a good fit for the organization, which helps develop entrepreneurs by providing seed money and consulting services. “We try to invest in companies in green technologies, IT, medical device firms and manufacturing,” she says. Founded in early 2013, Panacea develops and manufactures personalized therapies. It creates personalized dietary supplement formulations in a single easy-to-swallow pouch. “The whole idea behind personalization is that different people have different needs. We personalize to the individual,” says Hudson. “It allows people to take just what they need — the right thing in the right amount.” The company employs a robotic system in its manufacturing. “We only have one of these now, and it can serve about 8,000 to 10,000 clients per month,” Hudson says. “As we increase our customer base, we will place additional compounding robots in other locations. At some point, we will want to have a formulations robot in Virginia.” The company’s supplements include vitamins, micro-minerals such as zinc, iron and selenium along with herbals and beneficial oils such as Omega 3. “At some point in the future, we expect to add a limited range of pharmaceuticals,” Hudson says. The start of the company’s Danville operations will depend on its production rate and how fast it outgrows its current production area. “We will get tight by the end of the year, and then we will be forced to look for more manufacturing space,” Hudson says. “The potential in the size of their market is huge,” Doss says of Panacea. “They already employ 12 people in Research Triangle Park. They have a solid management team.” https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/94 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/94 Thu, 23 Jul 2015 00:00:00 EST Thursday, 23 July 2015 00:00:00 EST Virginia Economic Development Partnership   When entrepreneur Leigh Cockram was traveling on business in the summer of 2012, she struggled to find a way to store her hotel key, money and phone while going for a run. She thought, “There’s gotta be a better way,” so she created one. The RaesWear concept includes a patented design with a front and back pocket along the entire length of the waistband. The runner uses one of two access points on the front and back to stow a variety of gear, without the fear that it will slip out or pull on their shorts or tights. The company was named after Leigh’s grandfather, Ray, who was a gunner in the Army Air Corp. during World War II. Rae became a family name passed down to future generations and was a nice pun on race wear, while honoring the legacy of service established by her grandfather. Leigh began making prototypes herself in 2012, and was directed by The Launch Place to a designer in North Carolina to make additional samples. Realizing she wanted to work closer to home and manufacture the products in Virginia, Leigh connected with Mollie’s Originals in Martinsville in 2014, and they have been manufacturing the products ever since. RaesWear began with one pair of running tights and has grown to 13 products, including shorts, skorts, capris, tights and pants. While initially designed for athletes, customers are using the clothes for both exercise and throughout the day. The company’s website at www.RaesWear.com was launched in December 2014, and products are sold online and at Mollie’s Originals. Leigh and her husband have used grass roots efforts, from social media YouTube videos, to appearances at marathon expos, to get the word out. They plan to start a paid advertising campaign shortly. They have also received requests to develop a product for men, and are currently working on a menswear line. In true entrepreneurial fashion, Leigh has kept her day job and works on RaesWear at night and on the weekends from her home. Her husband has transitioned to support RaesWear full-time. “The best analogy I can give for running a business is being pregnant. You’re excited and nervous and you stay up at night wondering if things will be okay. And then you have your baby and it’s wonderful, but you’re always stressed and going through peaks and valleys, wondering if you’re doing the right things to make your child a success. It’s a true roller coaster, but very rewarding to take an idea from concept to reality all on our own,” said Leigh Cockram. RaesWear is another strong example of the innovation and creativity of Virginia entrepreneurs. To learn why the Commonwealth is a great location to grow a business, click here. Leigh Cockram, RaesWear owner, stands next to a display of her company’s pocketed athletic products at Mollie’s Originals in Martinsville, Va. Photo courtesy of Leigh Cockram. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/92 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/92 Sat, 27 Jun 2015 00:00:00 EST Saturday, 27 June 2015 00:00:00 EST Newsweek By Carolina Buia April 8, 2014, began as a postcard-perfect, cerulean-skied South Florida day. Harmani and Harmony West, 2-year-old twins of Deerfield Beach, Florida, had whiled away the morning hours under the care of their uncle, coloring and playing with dolls, waiting for their parents to return home from their work shift at Target. When their parents arrived a little past noon, Harmani and Harmony cuddled in bed with Mom and Dad for their afternoon nap. Their parents were the first to fall asleep. They awoke to a nightmare: their daughters missing, the heavy front door of their apartment ajar. Somehow the girls had slipped out—pushing open the front door that the toddlers had never been able to open—and walked down two flights of stairs to one of the apartment complex’s glistening pools. According to the family’s attorney, Andrew Yaffa, the pool gate was “stuck in the open position, and had been broken for days—even though tenants had complained.” The girls’ father, Howard West, spotted his little ones surrounded by police and EMT workers, struggling to bring them back to life. Minutes before, a vacationing North Carolina couple had pulled out their bodies, called 911 and initiated CPR. But it was too late. “We live with a pain that no one can take away,” says West. “And even though we have a new baby, [3-month-old] Heaven, she doesn’t replace the loss. She can’t take away the pain.” The numbers will leave you with a sinking feeling: Roughly 10 Americans drown each day. Among children, like the West twins, between the ages of 1 and 4 drowning is the No. 1 cause of unintentional death, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Most childhood accidents occur in swimming pools. Summer is, of course, the deadliest season. Much of the risk stems from children swimming when they shouldn’t. In a 2010 University of Memphis study commissioned by the USA Swimming Foundation, more than half of the kids sampled in six urban cities reported little to low swimming ability. “Yet many of these same kids tell us they will go in the water at least five times in the summer,” says Carol Irwin, one of the study’s authors. While countries ranging from the United Kingdom to Bangladesh require swimming lessons as part of their public school curriculum, that’s not the case in the United States. A handful of state legislators have pushed for taxpayer-funded lessons, but results—mostly because it’s hard to find funding—have been lukewarm. Instead, the burden has fallen on local recreational centers, national organizations like the American Red Cross and USA Swimming, and, of course, parents. Many are turning to new consumer technologies. One example is the SEAL SwimSafe band, a lightweight necklace worn by swimmers. When submerged beyond a preset number of seconds, the radio-frequency-controlled band and its corresponding control hub (placed outside the water) will set off a series of graduated alarms and strobe lights, alerting guardians or lifeguards of potential distress. Dr. Graham Snyder, a father of two young kids, engineer and emergency room physician in Raleigh, North Carolina, is behind SwimSafe. “Drowning doesn’t look like a struggle, there is no yelling or arm waving. It is painfully silent,” says Snyder, who has treated numerous victims and spent hours studying surveillance videos of public pool accidents. “If adults don’t know what to look for, they can miss the signs. It looks like a game, the child is rhythmically bobbing up and down, until they don’t come up again.” Snyder spent the past five years developing his monitoring band, which he says is useful for swimmers of all levels and ages: nonswimmers (instantaneous alarms); relay-racing children (20 seconds); adult athletes (who can safely swim underwater for up to a minute); and the elderly. A hub, charger and band retail for around $400; each extra band is $150. One hub can monitor dozens of bands at once. Over 15,000 pool and spa stores across the U.S. will sell the sets, but Snyder is quick to point out that SwimSafe does not replace lessons or adult supervision. “This is just another layer of protection for when people are on high alert and ready to fix a dangerous situation,” he says. Several YMCAs across North Carolina are already using SwimSafe bands in their summer programs. Later this fall, a major cruise line will offer passengers the bands. Kathleen Wollin Pluchinsky says she wishes the bands had been around in 2007, when her 4-year-old son, John, drowned at a posh Houston summer camp. Even though John had taken many swimming lessons and even though lifeguards and counselors were in and around the pool (the camp boasted an almost 2-1 adult-to-child ratio), his struggle for air went unnoticed. “Every safeguard that I expected would be in place relied on human beings to implement, identify or manage,” says Pluchinsky. “Despite the failure at every human level, I believe that John would be alive today if he had been fitted with a monitor.”  Another device aimed at curtailing swimming tragedies is the iSwimband, a battery-powered monitor that attaches to a headband or a pair of goggles. After a neighborhood child nearly drowned at his Connecticut summer camp, three fathers joined forces to design and manufacture the product. The iSwimband uses Bluetooth technology to connect to an app parents can download for free onto their IOS or Android device. If a child is underwater for a predetermined number of seconds, a piercing siren is triggered. The iSwimband retails for $59.99 and is sold at Toys R Us and online at Target and Wal-Mart. “We figure if parents will spend $120 on a pair of Nikes for their kids, they can afford an iSwimband,” says Paul Newcomb, the company’s chief operating officer. To date, over 16,000 orders have been placed. Paul Chu, the company’s CEO, says that global sales are projected to reach 100,000 in the next year. The next generation of iSwimbands, he says, will link up to a cloud-based service and allow for up to 100 bands to connect at once. These monitors are not the first of their kind. They have roots in the simpler Safety Turtle, a battery-powered wristband for nonswimmers that launched in 1999. A bright-colored turtle attaches to a nylon band that is secured by lock and key. It looks like a prize you’d find in a Happy Meal, except that the second it gets wet a radio signal is sent to the base, triggering an alarm. A base and single band sell for $150. RJE, the company that manufactures Safety Turtle, also sells a similar device designed for pets. Aquatic safety gizmos are not just a poolside priority. In Santiago, Chile, X-Cam and Green Solutions have partnered to bring “drone-aided lifeguard towers” to the shore. Equipped with GPS trackers, specialized drones will transport and release flotation devices to potential victims, as well as relay instructions through built-in speakers. Studies have shown that a drone can reach a victim almost three minutes faster than a skilled lifeguard. X-Cam’s drones fly on rechargeable lithium batteries that are rebooted at their solar-powered towers, which will also double as cellphone charging stations, Wi-Fi centers and promotional hubs. Businesses are being courted to sponsor the $2,000 drones, their hubs and human operators in exchange for getting their logo on the towers. So far, two of Chile’s most crowded beaches—Viña del Mar and Algarrobo—will debut these rescue drones next summer (Chile’s summer months are December through February). Similar programs are also being developed in the United States and in Iran. Still, not everyone is comfortable with widgets wading in their waters. “In supervised settings, technology can add a layer of protection and reduce certain types of drownings, but they can also contribute to a relaxed sense of supervision on the part of parents and lifeguards,” says Francesco Pia, a renowned drowning-prevention expert. Pia says nothing can replace lessons. A study in JAMA Pediatrics concluded that for many youngsters, lessons reduced the risk of drowning by 88 percent. “But lessons will not make your child drown-proof,” counters Pluchinsky, who after the death of her son launched her swim-safety site, swimsafe4life.com, and started numerous local and state safety campaigns. “So many other activities have already embraced technology to make them safer. Isn’t it time that swimming followed suit?” https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/88 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/88 Thu, 04 Jun 2015 00:00:00 EST Thursday, 04 June 2015 00:00:00 EST WDBJ7 by Danielle Staub     WDBJ7 is getting a first hand look at the progress one start up company in Danville has made over the past three years. As part of business appreciation week,  KSi Data Sciences showed a group this afternoon how it uses drones for remote sensing. KSi manages all the data that is collected through drones or other similar robots and puts it in the cloud. Then that data is available to whomever their customer wants to have see it.  The company's founder says drones are now being used everywhere from Fortune 500 Companies to EMS and first responders. "Dull, dirty, dangerous is what the industry likes to say if you don't want to pay somebody to sit there for 50 hours and watch. It's dirty or it's dangerous, put a robot out there to do it," Founder Jason Barton said. The founder says they focus on data privacy, because it's a big concern right now. Their customers range from railroads to gas and oil companies, precision agriculture and international businesses. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/89 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/89 Thu, 04 Jun 2015 00:00:00 EST Thursday, 04 June 2015 00:00:00 EST Local Startup on Cutting Edge of Drone Technology WSET by Matt Ray   WSET.com - ABC13   Danville, VA - There has been a lot in the news lately about drones: small remote-controlled helicopters that can go nearly anywhere. They have many potential uses both good and bad.  And one startup company on the Southside believes it's the wave of the future.  KSI Data Sciences is a company that provides software for drones. Last year the company moved its development team to Danville.  Co-Founder Jason Barton says it was a good move to be close to Liberty University and NC State where a lot of drone research is taking place. "It's not just about location.  Economics were good.  The cost of living here is great.  There's a lot of energy in Danville right now." He says he gets quite a few questions from the locals who see the aircrafts buzzing overhead. "People hear what goes on overseas with drones and they automatically assume that the drones we are flying around here in Danville to do R&D with are that.  And they're not," said Barton. KSI has a focus on public safety.  Barton says the technology can be used for everything from search and rescue operations to cell phone tower maintenance.  And although much of the industry is still the wild west legally, there are some rules, like never letting the aircraft get out of sight. "There are safety considerations and the FAA is doing a good job of trying to balance the safety considerations with the pent up demand for the technology," said Barton. Area leaders hope KSI is a sign local industry is taking off. "Danville could be the next Silicon Valley," said Ernecia Coles, Exec. Director of the River District Association.  "I think it speaks volumes to what's in the future for Danville," The company got its start from an investment from local entrepreneurial development group The Launch Place.  KSI was the group's first investment.  Tomorrow.. they will announce their fifth, for a total investment of $1.28 million in local businesses. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/90 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/90 Thu, 04 Jun 2015 00:00:00 EST Thursday, 04 June 2015 00:00:00 EST DANVILLE, Va. (Thursday, June 4, 2015) – The Launch Place announced today that it is investing $250,000 in Panacea BioMatx, Inc., to position the company to expand its new personalized medicine technology. This patent-pending technology is a combination of robotic manufacturing and software designed to replace the need for a person to take multiple pills daily. According to the National Institute of Health, precision medicine is an emerging approach for long-term disease management and prevention that takes into account individual variability in genes, environment, and lifestyle for each person. While significant advances in precision medicine have been made for select cancers, the practice is not currently in use for most chronic diseases. Many efforts are underway to help make precision medicine the norm rather than the exception. To accelerate the pace, President Obama unveiled the Precision Medicine Initiative (PMI) earlier this year - a bold new enterprise to revolutionize medicine and generate the scientific evidence needed to move the concept of precision medicine into every day clinical practice. In return of this investment, Panacea will expand this new operation to Danville’s River District and access The Launch Place’s wrap around entrepreneurship and business consulting services. Panacea is headquartered in the Research Triangle Park, N.C. “Panacea combines peer-reviewed scientific research, with easy to navigate online surveys and a patent pending robotic platform to create truly personalized dietary supplement formulations in a single easy to swallow pouch,” said The Launch Place President & CEO Eva Doss. “This solution uses great tasting whole foods versus a handfuls of pills to tailor nutritional supplements for each body. We are thrilled to help recruit an advanced flexible manufacturer to the region,” she said. Panacea CEO Edison Hudson said the company’s mission is simple: “People are very different genetically and metabolically so there is a clear case for personalization based on profile data and medical condition.  Panacea has created a platform that allows integration of personal data with cost effective use of robotics to produce truly customized healthcare solutions.” Co-founders Hudson and L. Staton Noel III are motivated by the challenges associated with nutritional deficiencies and poor compliance due to “pill burden,” and felt there should be a way to enable not only healthy people, but also those with chronic disease and swallowing difficulties to receive the nutrition they need.  Noel’s career in biotech and pharmaceutical research focused on the chronic diseases associated with aging, the biology of aging and the underlying genetic mechanisms. Hudson has extensive experience in creating and delivering highly sophisticated robotics and manufacturing automation.  The two talents combined to create Panacea in 2013.  Hudson indicated, “Panacea’s custom-made formulas can be adapted or changed as we age and enter different stages of life.  Potential drug or medical condition interactions may be identified up front to allow the consumer to make their best possible educated decision about the amounts and types of supplements they consume,” he said.  “This is a game changer for the industry.” Hudson noted that Danville has great resources for a young company to enable rapid expansion. The region’s emphasis on manufacturing, and the Launch Place’s strong support for entrepreneurship, made an agreement logical for the company. The Launch Place assists with entrepreneurship and business development, and job creation and retention through its business consulting, mentoring and training, residential and office subsidies, and two seed investment funds in the Dan River region of Virginia. ### More News Virginia Business Magazine WSET 13 NC Tech News Danville Register & Bee Star Tribune WDBJ 7 WAKG/WBTM WRAL Tech Wire   https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/87 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/87 Fri, 22 May 2015 00:00:00 EST Friday, 22 May 2015 00:00:00 EST WSET by Matt Ray Danville, VA - Tuesday night some startup businesses competed for some big cash.  The Launch Place held its second annual "Big Launch Challenge." 6 finalists pitched their business ideas before a board of judges.  They included everything from medical technology to candy making. In the end, Camras Vision, a company developing a device to treat glaucoma, took home the top prize of $15,000. "62 million people have glaucoma in the world and they will go blind if they live long enough.  We have, I think, the potential to stop that.  And that's just huge for me," said CEO Ray Krauss. Two business also tied for 2nd place, receiving $7,500 each.   WSET.com - ABC13 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/86 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/86 Wed, 20 May 2015 00:00:00 EST Wednesday, 20 May 2015 00:00:00 EST Danville Register & Bee BY VICKY M. CRUZ vmorrison@registerbee.com  (434) 791-7981  The 2015 entrepreneurial Big Launch Challenge presented by The Launch Place and First Flight Venture Center awarded $30,000 in funding to not two but three businesses.  Six competitors, narrowed down from a pool of 37 companies out of nine states, presented 20 minute pitches followed by a 10-minute questioning period Tuesday afternoon at the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research. They were judged by board members of The Launch Place’s seed fund advisory board. With judges’ scoring and voting so close, Tom & Jenny’s Candy and Velosal Medical Inc. were tied for second place in the competition. The second place slot allows up to $10,000, but each company received $7,500. Velosal Medical also received one hour of complimentary business consultation services from the Launch Place. The first place winner of $15,000 was Camras Vision. The medical device created by Dr. Lucinda Camras and Roberto Alfaro is an innovative treatment for stopping advanced glaucoma progression. A small, plastic shunt is inserted into the eye that relieves the pressure and pain of the disease that still has no determined cause or cure. Ray Krauss, Camras CEO, has supported five other start-ups and is enthusiastic about the skills of the co-founders. The company has accrued $591,000 in federal and state funding for the five- to 10-year implant that features a replaceable portion. Another round of fundraising in the amount of $500,000 is reaching its completion point, too. The current treatments are drugs, laser procedures or incisional and shunt or tube therapy. The target market of more than 67 million patients with glaucoma will be reduced to about 2 million who are in the advanced stages. Yet Krauss foresees the product becoming applicable for less serious cases in the future. The First Flight Venture company originally considered veterinary applications but soon saw the human need. Next year Camras Vision will start human trials in Chili and the Dominican Republic. Hopefully within two years the device will win regulatory approval, concluding the business venture at around a $20 million cost. Krauss told judges he expected around a $180 million buyout. Velosal Medical presented a video laryngoscope — a device that allows the throat to be examined — that is affordable, compact, portable and disposable with a long shelf life. Overall the company develops innovative medical devices for critical care and emergency medicine. Their target market is the fire and rescue sector with revenues expected by next year. CEO and President Ron Stanton plans to launch the product regionally by then. A clinical trial has not been conducted. The company representatives received a lot of questioning from the judges, particularly regarding the interest of hospitals. The vulnerability of cost versus interest for hospitals was emphasized. It was recommended that the company do more to research the market. Tom and Jenny’s Candy is a sweet manufacturing company devoted to naturally-sweetened, cavity-preventing and diabetic-friendly candies. Created by dentist Dr. Jenny Citineni in response to the frustration of patients, the company already has made sales online and through local retailers. With 29 million suffering from diabetes and 100 million afflicted with obesity, the candy is sweetened with a birchwood sugar derivative and no artificial additive. It has a neutral pH value and reduces cavity-causing bacteria with a speedy melt quality. The candy has a low glycemic index. “We taste tested it with over 100 blind tests with young adults and mothers. We found they told us they preferred our candy 60 percent of the time over sugared caramel,” Citineni stated. Already picked up by Whole Foods with three caramel flavors, Tom and Jenny’s Candy will branch into chocolates in 2016 and gummy candies in 2018. In 18 months, the company plans to get its products on the shelves of companies like Kroger, EarthFare, Wegman’s and Harris Teeter. Not only are the online, natural grocery and specialty or eatery markets ideal for the company, endorsement and trial markets are being targeted. The $3 million market is not exclusively made up of dentists but also endocrinologists, dieticians and pediatricians. The company found Danville highly appealing as a potential location. For one, the founders see the Dan River Region as an ideal testing ground with its diverse population. The labor base and entrepreneurial environment are positive factors for Tom and Jenny’s Candy, as well. The three winners were in good company with the three other finalists in the advanced manufacturing, information technology, medical devices, software development or green energy competition. GO Leaf presented a low cost and energy efficient means of producing multipurpose graphene. Indexus Biomedical LLC developed a multi-functioning blood analyzer. SeaChange Technologies presented a sustainable solution for water purification and desalination. Angle investor Troy Krauss moderated the pitch competition after providing a brief talk on his entrepreneurial history. After years of resistance and studying for a law degree, Krauss joined his family’s meat business, which was a fifth generation supplier to giants like Nestle and ConAgra Foods. In his time at the lead, Krauss escorted the company into a niche market of meat snacks and beef jerky. In 2003, he purchased a multimillion dollar facility in Martinsville’s Patriot Centre with about 100 jobs. Two years later he sold the company now known as Monogram Foods. He told the crowd of aspiring entrepreneurs that interest isn’t necessary to enter a start-up. Since the company’s sale, Krauss has devoted time and money to entrepreneurial investment. He told attendees that portfolio diversification is crucial — a lesson he learned after losing his investment in a one-sided bid. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/91 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/91 Tue, 19 May 2015 00:00:00 EST Tuesday, 19 May 2015 00:00:00 EST Welcome to The Big Launch Challenge by The Honorable Terry McAuliffe, Governor of Virginia     Welcome to The Big Launch Challenge by The Honorable Terry McAuliffe, Governor of Virginia https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/85 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/85 Thu, 14 May 2015 00:00:00 EST Thursday, 14 May 2015 00:00:00 EST The Big Launch Challenge is a joint venture between The Launch Place from Danville, Virginia and First Flight Venture Center from the Research Triangle Park, North Carolina designed to showcase business plans for innovative ideas in a competitive environment. The Big Launch Challenge is scheduled for 1:00pm on May 19, 2015, at the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research in Danville, and 6 finalists have been chosen from thirty-seven applicants from nine different states. The Big Launch Challenge offers startups valuable business networking and capital opportunities, as well as critical resources. The goal of The Big Launch Challenge is to foster entrepreneurship by offering education, team creation, mentorship, early-stage prototyping, and potential follow-on seed financing.  Startups from the nano technology, green technology, alternative energy, advanced manufacturing, advanced materials, medical devices, and information technology industries were invited to apply for The Big Launch Challenge’s second year. The 6 finalists for The Big Launch Challenge are: 1. Camras Vision, the developer of the patented Camras Shunt. This device provides personalized pressure control to stop the progression of glaucoma. 2. GO Leaf, a cost and energy efficient producer of graphene. 3. Indexus Biomedical LLC, whose goal is to develop a revolutionary medical device to affordably bring advanced diagnostic testing closer to primary care. 4. SeaChange Technologies, who aims to provide sustainable solutions for water purification and desalination. 5. Tom & Jenny’s Candy, the maker of naturally-sweetened, cavity-preventing, and diabetic-friendly, delicious candies. 6. Velosal Medical, Inc., an innovative developer of medical devices for critical care and emergency medicine. The top two contestants will be awarded up to $20,000 for the first place and $10,000 for second place.  This event starts at 1pm and is free and open to the public - attend all or join at 5pm for the reception. Register to win free business consulting hours from The Launch Place. The keynote speaker and moderator for the event is Troy Knauss.  Troy is Vice Chairman, Board of Trustees, of the Angel Resource Institute, a non-profit spinout of the Kauffman Foundation focused on education and research initiatives for early-stage investors. Troy is a partner in a number of Angel funds and networks that invest in high-growth and turnaround companies. Troy has over 20 years of experience in family, growth, and start-up businesses. In addition to his fund activities, Troy is an exited entrepreneur with start-up and growth management experience in food processing, brand building, software development, and eCommerce companies. Troy is an active investor in more than forty ventures. MORE INFORMATION:  About The Launch PlaceAwarded a $10 million grant from the Danville Regional Foundation in July 2013, The Launch Place increased its capacity to offer business consulting services and expanded to include entrepreneurship recruitment, development and retention resources and assistance, including seed investments. Founded in 2005 as a 501 (C) 3 nonprofit organization, The Launch Place strives to energize and diversify Southern Virginia’s regional economy through entrepreneurship development and business consulting services. About First Flight Venture CenterFounded in 1992, First Flight Venture Center was created to foster innovation and grow sustainable companies. Today, First Flight is one of the nation’s largest and most stable incubators, playing host to more than 37 high-science, high-impact annually. In total, First Flight company startups number 267 and growing. Several of the most notable graduates include United Therapeutics (NASDAQ: UTHR), SciQuest (NASDAQ: SQI) Athenix (acquired by Bayer, NASDAQ: BAYRY), Advanced Liquid Logic (acquired by Illumina, NASDAQ: ILMN), Bloodhound Technologies (acquired by Verisk), Ganymede Software (acquired by NETIQ IPO) and Exam Design (acquired by Person PLC, NASDAQ: PSO). https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/84 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/84 Fri, 24 Apr 2015 00:00:00 EST Friday, 24 April 2015 00:00:00 EST BY VICKY MORRISON vmorrison@registerbee.com  (434) 791-7981  Nancy’s Candy Co., based in Meadows of Dan, grew from a passion with a purpose in 1987 to a successful, sellable legacy business in 2012.  The Launch Place hosted company founder Nancy Galli to share her experience Thursday. The free event was part of the Entrepreneur Network Event Series. By 2012, when chocolate-loving Galli began passing the company reins into the hands of a new family ownership, Nancy’s Candy Company was operating out of a 30,000-square-foot facility with 30 employees. Its products are sold throughout the United States and Canada. Now the items can be purchased as far away as north of the border or as close as Karen’s Hallmark at Danville Mall. The nearly 30-year journey to success was directed by a variety of factors, but most heavily by Galli’s persistence. A consistent priority for Galli during this part of her career was creating and sustaining local jobs. After moving to Meadows of Dan with her husband in 1985, Galli quickly settled into the beautiful mountainside terrain. At any juncture of growth, she made it a priority to stay in the area and keep jobs. “It was very important to me to create jobs for our community. That meant something. I always felt that I’ve been given a good mind and it was important for me to give something back. So I wanted to stay in the community,” she explained. Persistence was an asset at other times, too. When Galli approached her first major customer meeting with Skyline Drive, she was too naive to understand that she didn’t have a chance to make a deal. Despite a rejection, Galli persevered and asked the retailers to identify gaps in their current sweets provider. She offered to take over those areas and present significant profits to convince Skyline Drive. Her bet was right. Not only did she create enough profit to cover expenses, she earned enough to pay the front counter staff and more. Locating in Meadows of Dan required dedication on Galli’s part. Being such a rural setting, public water was not available for the candy making plant. The alternative was using well water but not from the average well. A food production company needs a well set to much higher standards than a residential well. The only well like that belonged to a local ice factory. As many businesspeople experience, Galli’s request to rent space inside that plant was rejected multiple times. Yet she stuck with it and through her diligence managed to convince the owner to give her a small 10-square-foot area. Nancy’s Candy Co. is an example of examining the status quo and questioning its weak spots. For candy distributors, deliveries end sometime around May and don’t restart until September. This was due to the logistical conundrum of melted or frozen goods. Galli developed an innovative shipping method using gel ice and Styrofoam. She offered free shipping to customers, promising that if products arrived damaged there was no cost for the retailer. “It gave me an opportunity to also sell into different channels of trade. It gave me an opportunity to sell to Hallmark stores and gift shops and florists and convenience stores. It got me away from just tourist-oriented locations, which is how we began, and it helped smooth out our business and smooth out our revenue to be year-round as opposed to having peaks and valleys,” she said. The initial opportunity that drew Galli to make her love of chocolate into a profitable venture was when she spotted an industry hole. All candies in the sweets market were processed through a distribution center, requiring a long shelf life for products. Fudge, a high earner that Galli identified early on through research, goes bad quickly. Nancy’s Candy Co. removed the middle man — the distribution centers — and directly sold and delivered products to retailers. Fudge being a market hit easily sold even outside the traditional holiday season, building a speedy profit. Galli stayed firmly committed to spreading Nancy’s Candy Co. as far and wide as she could manage, making cold calls and presenting at trade shows. The growth was undeniable, but Galli explained that the road was not without its potholes. At least twice she was denied financing by the bank as she expanded to larger spaces or facilities. A second large client, Cracker Barrel, was highly beneficial from an advertising perspective for a solid 10 years but was damaging for the profit margin. When Nancy’s Candy Co. was forced to establish its own facility rather than rent, Galli faced many challenges. After plans were made and construction started, an unexpected fire marshal request forced the company to invest $180,000 in a water tower for a sprinkler system. The huge, surprise cost meant that Galli had to cut costs elsewhere in the construction. The general contractor was fired and tasks such as tiling, painting and wallpapering the 5,000-square-foot facility were not contracted out to firms. Additionally, Galli sold any and all property, stock and miscellaneous items to help cover the expense. The trials didn’t end there. The significant time and money investment for the construction of the manufacturing, delivery and outlet store facility resulted in flat sales that year. Sales didn’t restore themselves until 2001 after beginning the project in 1998. By the time this year ends, Galli likely will be done with the company. She recently sold it to another Southwestern Virginia family, one she personally has known for years. That family’s many generations promise to sustain the local factory and its local commitment. “I love to share my passion for business. I love to share my passion for Nancy’s Candy Co. I hope that maybe some part of what I say will be an inspiration to you,” she said. Morrison reports for the Danville Register & Bee. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/82 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/82 Wed, 04 Mar 2015 00:00:00 EST Wednesday, 04 March 2015 00:00:00 EST The deadline to pitch a business plan in The Big Launch Challenge—for a chance to win up to $20,000 in prize money—is Tuesday, March 31. The competition invites a hand-selected group of budding entrepreneurs to share their small company’s business plan in front of a panel of judges. The company must have fewer than 10 employees, have a physical product to develop and be willing to locate in the Dan River Region. The first event will be held at 1 p.m. on May 19, at the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research. The first place winner will receive up to $20,000, and the second place winner will receive up to $10,000. Winners receive consultation services from event co-sponsor, The Launch Place, as well. Danville’s The Launch Place and the Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, First Flight Venture Center will co-sponsor the event again. Since the success of the first event in May 2014, it was decided the partnership would hold the event annually. The Launch Place president and CEO Eva Doss sees the event as exposure for the community on numerous levels, from investment opportunities to regional assets. She is looking forward to using the event as marketing for The Launch Place, too. “We want to make it definitely an annual event so the objective is making it more known on the East Coast and I do believe and hope that we will get a wider range of applications from the East Coast,” Doss said. Marketing for the event will reach larger yet more specific markets. Regional marketing to Virginia and North Carolina will dig deeper to draw in applicants. This doesn’t mean that last year’s turnout was unimpressive, though. “I was very surprised about the high quality of applications last year for it being the very first,” Doss said. “We had received over 30 applications. Each application could stand on its own merit.” There’s always room for improvement. One aspect is local participation. “I would have liked to seen more local applications in the mix,” Doss said. “We’re really hoping we’ll get a more diverse, high quality group of applicants than last year.” Companies still are required to develop products in nano, information or green technology, alternative energy, advanced manufacturing or materials or media devices. The companies will need to have innovative concepts and products leading to high growth to advance to the top of their field, leading the way to an exit strategy. Exit strategies may seem like the end to a profit-making venture, but for interested parties like The Launch Place, an existing strategy is the beginning of profits. Doss explained that these new companies are typically bought-out in five years and that’s when The Launch Place gets the return on its initial investment. Doss travels to judge or watch various business competitions along with The Launch Place staff. From those experiences, The Big Launch Challenge gets put into perspective and improved. One new element is the addition of two elimination rounds. The main change for this year’s event is how the prize money is awarded. Last year the judges decided how to split the $30,000 between first and second place holders. This year, the award range is simplified. “The clarity about the prize money is an attractive force but ultimately it shouldn’t be the only,” Doss said. Thirty one businesses applied to be featured in the 2014 Big Launch Challenge. The first place winner of $15,000 was Larry Dickinson of 3F, LLC. The second place winner of $12,000 was Liz Morris of Sanitation Creations. Dickinson’s company makes and sells high-performance yarns to companies. The nano-engineered cut-resistant fibers were pitched as the ideal protective glove material. Sanitation Creations introduced the public to the Dungaroo, an odorless, waterless, easy-to-use toilet for any location. Company founder Morris pitched the item for use in RVs or boats or developing countries. The 31 applicants were a fruitful connection for The Launch Place. Most all of the applicants went on to investigate the resources offered by The Launch Place, including pre-seed and seed funding. Morrison reports for the Danville Register Bee. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/81 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/81 Mon, 16 Feb 2015 00:00:00 EST Monday, 16 February 2015 00:00:00 EST The Launch Place, an established entrepreneurial development organization headquartered in Danville, Virginia, and First Flight Venture Center, the largest technology incubator in the Research Triangle, North Carolina, have come together once again to host a contest, called The Big Launch Challenge, with two awards totaling up to $20,000 for first place and up to $10,000 for second. This year’s challenge will feature a total of two elimination rounds with the final pitch event to be held on May 19, 2015, starting at 1 p.m., at the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research in Danville, Virginia. Applications can be submitted by March 31st at https://thebiglaunchchallenge.startuplocal.biz/. According to organizers, in its second year, The Big Launch Challenge is one of the foremost events for startups. “Based on the number of inquiries, The Big Launch Challenge has become a highly anticipated event in the region,” said Eva Doss, President of The Launch Place. “Not only does the competition provide entrepreneurs with prize money, but it also serves as a platform for them to learn about The Launch Place’s entrepreneurship services and investment opportunities in Danville, Virginia.” Doss added, “The Big Launch Challenge provides entrepreneurs with the best possible resources, including education, networking, team creation, mentorship, early-stage prototyping and potential follow-on seed financing, to help turn innovative ideas into real businesses. Our mission is to provide support for entrepreneurs and established businesses and stimulate economic growth and draw new employers to the region.” Last year, at the first Big Launch Challenge, six contenders were selected from a submission of 31 applications. Larry Dickinson of 3F, LLC, captured first place and $15,000. 3F makes and sells high-performance yarns to companies in the $4 billion hand protection market. “This competition promotes creative technology-related ideas and helps entrepreneurs gain both experience and exposure for taking their business ideas forward,” said Dickinson.  “For me, I am now in a position to take our product to market.” The Big Launch Challenge is open to the following industries:  Nano technology, green technology, alternative energy, advanced manufacturing, advanced materials, medical devices and information technology. To be eligible to participate, companies must: Have fewer than 10 employees Have a physical product to develop Be willing to locate a part of the operations and/or manufacturing for this business in Danville, Virginia Be willing to receive mentorship and guidance from The Launch Place and First Flight Venture Center teams “We are excited to be working again with The Launch Place on The Big Launch Challenge, said Andy Schwab, President of First Flight Venture Center. “This event brings together talented entrepreneurs and start-ups, all in an effort to help find good ideas and build sustainable businesses.” To register for the event and for more information, go to https://thebiglaunchchallenge.startuplocal.biz/ https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/79 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/79 Sat, 03 Jan 2015 00:00:00 EST Saturday, 03 January 2015 00:00:00 EST 2nd Annual IdeaFest Friday, February 27th, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. (floating) Institute for Advanced Learning & Research, 150 Slayton Ave., Danville, VA The 2nd Annual IdeaFest will feature a free entrepreneurship skill-building workshop, a business pitch competition with $10,000 in prize money, and a networking reception. The main event is the fast-paced business pitch competition, in which 20 entrepreneurs will present a startup idea to a panel of judges and live audience. Pre-registration is requested for workshop attendees, business pitch competition audience members, and reception attendees. Applications to pitch are due by February 1st. Pre-register and/or apply at IdeaFestDanville.com. Question? Contact Lauren Mathena, Project Coordinator, at 434.250.1749 or ideafestdanville@gmail.com.   https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/78 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/78 Wed, 12 Nov 2014 00:00:00 EST Wednesday, 12 November 2014 00:00:00 EST   BY VICKY MORRISON    Permeating every aspect of our lives, the Internet appears to be an advanced element of modern life. In reality, the World Wide Web is a wild frontier leaving chaos in its wake. David Giannini, co-founder and CEO of CirrusWorks, visited the Southern Piedmont Technology Council’s monthly tech bunch lunch event to discuss the Internet and its invasion into businesses’ operating models. CirrusWorks, which is based in Danville and Falls Church, is a Launch Place recruit and investment. The company provides its software that manages bandwidth usage at schools, libraries, hospitals and hotels. “Often technology is just a means to an end. So the best we can do is give them a better, faster, cheaper, simpler way to do their business. I think that’s what technology does. I think that’s the promise of it,” Giannini said as he opened his brief presentation regarding the last five to 15 years and the next five. In the early 1990s local area networks (LAN) and wide area networks (WAN) were highly unstable. It took a long time to accomplish a task on an unreliable network. Giannini joked that it was easier to save files onto a floppy disk drive and physically walk across the office to deliver the files instead of sending them through the computer. “The Web only came in ’95. It’s less than 20 years old. It’s all so new,” Giannini said. He mentioned that his children have grown up only knowing the Internet and its associated technologies. Even with its youthful age, the Internet has advanced rapidly and become an essential part of daily life. Advancements in taking video and photography as well as the wide variety of applications have taken networks by storm. “Now what we have is utterly uncontrollable and unpredictable,” Giannini said. “So if you have a public venue and everyone’s coming in, you just don’t know what they’re going to do. It’s data chaos. But the peaks of demand are so far exceeding any supply of any available bandwidth.” That high data, network and bandwidth usage causes a metaphorical traffic jam in the system. “What is it doing? Congestion, quite literally a data storm and all of it is putting pressure on the local link,” Giannini said. This congestion can block certain users from achieving necessary tasks. Giannini gave the examples of a client proposal featuring video being delayed or a student’s timed test entering the system late due to congestion. To alleviate the congestion, networks have begun shaping usage traffic. “Shaping traffic traditionally means going inside that packet of data identifying what application or protocol it is and then prioritizing it,” he explained. “Typically what they do is they identify bad applications and slow them down.” The bad applications hog bandwidth to accomplish tasks. The topic connects with the concept of net neutrality, which is a hot button topic in the political arena. Net neutrality will provide equal access to the Internet and prohibit the prioritization of service to higher-paying customers. “The problem is it’s somewhat hopelessly naive. The Internet is still somewhat of a wild, wooly place and while you can promise that, delivering that is really much further along,” Giannini said. “Even if you bought five or 50 or 500 [megabytes], that’s a rather artificial number. It’s still a shared network. That’s the nature of the Internet and the World Wide Web.” https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/77 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/77 Tue, 04 Nov 2014 00:00:00 EST Tuesday, 04 November 2014 00:00:00 EST BY VICKY MORRISON vmorrison@registerbee.com  (434) 791-7981 Danville’s The Launch Place has gone to the source of many of its clients with a new partnership with North Carolina’s First Flight Venture Center. The group also announced a new satellite recruiting office that will be located in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. First Flight works with entrepreneurs and start-ups as a technology incubator in Research Triangle Park. The partnership will establish a pipeline of First Flight companies to come to Danville with Launch Place seed funding. The Launch Place will consult with First Flight companies. The Danville-headquartered Launch Place, which provides its entrepreneurship development and business consultation services to companies to draw them into the Dan River Region, regularly works with companies that originated in North Carolina. Thus, the nonprofit organization recruits in North Carolina. “Since we had established the seed fund a year ago, the vast majority of our application to the pre-seed fund and the seed investment program have been coming from the Raleigh-Durham area,” President and CEO Eva Doss said. “For us it’s a prime market recruiting new companies.” This fall, The Launch Place decided to solidify its work in North Carolina by renting an office in Research Triangle Park, considered the heart of much of the entrepreneurial start-ups. Doss said that the recruiting team has been working with North Carolina connections more than a year. “And we have made some very strong relationships,” she added. Doss explained that it was logical to establish an office there to be able to better provide as much information as possible about The Launch Place and Danville. Within the highly active Research Triangle Park, Doss said there are no organizations or companies that provide the same service as The Launch Place. “The purpose of the whole office is really for marketing our services and the assets of Danville,” Doss said. “Now it’s structured and we have a place to meet with them.” First Flight President Andrew Schwab explained the partnership and satellite office would be mutually beneficial. “We’re an advocacy group for all of our companies and any opportunity we can provide additional capital opportunities to our companies is something we readily seek,” he said. Many companies served by First Flight are more technical. Operations often require manufacturing, which could be handled in localities like Danville. That regional investment approach by The Launch Place appealed to Schwab. “It’s a challenge to find all the resources you need in just one small area of the country,” Schwab said. “We generally find we have to partner with quite a few places. We see the Danville community as an extension of what’s going on here in North Carolina.” The Launch Place and First Flight partnered previously for the Big Launch Challenge held last May at the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research. The event is planned for next spring at the same location. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/76 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/76 Mon, 27 Oct 2014 00:00:00 EST Monday, 27 October 2014 00:00:00 EST The Launch Place, a nonprofit organization that provides consulting services and investment and subsidy opportunities for startups in Danville, Va., is partnering with a Research Triangle Park- based technology incubator, First Flight Venture Center (FFVC), to attract FFVC resident companies to The Launch Place Seed Fund as they look to become viable and competitive. According to The Launch Place’s President & CEO Eva Doss, this seed fund can be first money for companies seeking angel and other equity-based investors and can serve as an accelerator for companies needing more limited capital to launch. “We have the flexibility to structure deals as debt, convertible debt or equity,” she said. Since this seed fund’s establishment less than a year ago, The Launch Place has invested $250,000 in three companies for a total investment of $750,000. These companies are: KSI Data Sciences, LLC CirrusWorks Venture, LLC SEAL Innovation, Inc. As a partner, The Launch Place also will offer consulting services to First Flight companies who are eligible for seed fund investments and office and residential subsidies in Danville, Va. The Launch Place will be holding office hours at the FFVC offices twice per month. First Flight and The Launch Place also will continue to work together on The Big Launch Challenge, a high-stakes competition for early-stage North Carolina and Virginia-based companies focused on IT, software, and green technologies and advanced manufacturing. The first Big Launch Challenge was held at the Institute for Advanced Learning & Research (IALR) in Danville, Va., in May, 2014 and attracted over 37 NC and VA companies; The next Big Launch Challenge will be held in the spring of 2015 at IALR. “First Flight’s mission is to help our residents graduate to become financially successful, freestanding businesses,” said Andy Schwab, First Flight CEO. “We’ll be able to better do that by partnering with The Launch Place, itself a successful startup with extensive experience consulting for entrepreneurs and their early-stage companies.” “This partnership helps bridge the gap from an idea to the creation of a business and initial investment,” said Doss. “First Flight incubates innovation until it’s ready for commercialization, and we are pleased to partner with them to help position their clients for success.” https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/75 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/75 Mon, 13 Oct 2014 00:00:00 EST Monday, 13 October 2014 00:00:00 EST http://www.vtknowledgeworks.com/gamechangers https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/74 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/74 Thu, 09 Oct 2014 00:00:00 EST Thursday, 09 October 2014 00:00:00 EST https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/72 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/72 Tue, 07 Oct 2014 00:00:00 EST Tuesday, 07 October 2014 00:00:00 EST https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/73 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/73 Tue, 07 Oct 2014 00:00:00 EST Tuesday, 07 October 2014 00:00:00 EST https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/71 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/71 Sun, 31 Aug 2014 00:00:00 EST Sunday, 31 August 2014 00:00:00 EST BY VICKY MORRISON Work It, SoVa newsadvance.com Solex Architecture formally opened its new office on Craghead Street on Thursday. Licensed in Virginia and North Carolina, Solex offers design services for all aspects of building. Owner and architect Jeff Bond said its services are not limited to building structures. For example, the firm is developing plans for an outdoor kitchen. All types of clients are accepted. Solex has worked with private homeowners, developers, contractors, government entities and other architecture engineers. It has worked on a variety of projects, from kitchen remodeling to bathroom renovation. Bond said the new location is beneficial for the firm. “It’s always great to have a storefront, especially in a downtown environment where you can get foot traffic and vehicular traffic.” On a personal level, Bond appreciated the historic yet modern River District area as an ideal home for the business. Solex has worked on several historic rehabilitation projects. “I have a strong interest in historical preservation and all of the revitalization not only in Danville but in other areas. Being in a downtown environment really complements our architectural work.” Bond explained at the ribbon cutting that his inspiration for becoming an architect started in his youth. “I grew up around residential remodeling and additions and do-it-yourself projects,” he said. Travel influenced his interest in the field, too, he said. Bond traveled around the world and saw every state in the U.S. “One thing that brought to light was how the built environment can create communities,” he said. Born and raised in Gretna, Bond returned home after graduating from Virginia Tech. Bond had an internship and later a full time job at Dewberry. He now lives in Danville. Designer Kevin Worsham works alongside Bond to collaborate on projects. He was born and still lives in Gretna, as well. Mayor Sherman Saunders, Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors Jesse Barksdale and council members attended the ceremony. Solex, which is short for “solution exploration,” opened in November. It originally leased an office space in the Launch Place incubator. The Launch Place provided Solex with its services by aiding their business plan development. The new 800-square-foot office space is being leased from Remington Professional Buildings. The business moved in May. Bond said that a ribbon cutting was held now because they finally have settled into the space. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/70 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/70 Wed, 27 Aug 2014 00:00:00 EST Wednesday, 27 August 2014 00:00:00 EST DANVILLE (WSLS) - The Launch Place received a $10 million grant from the Danville Regional Foundation to help start-ups in Danville. They have a "seed fund" from which businesses can receive up to $250,000. Other perks the non-profit provides are consulting and mentoring. CEO of "The Launch Place" Eva Doss says this could help attract other businesses to the area. "By recruiting these companies perhaps we are encouraging the creation of an entrepreneurial culture and also the revitalization of downtown," Doss said. Certain criteria must be met before a start-up is awarded money from the fund. It must be willing to relocate to the River District in downtown Danville for three years and expect job growth within five years. Graham Snyder is the CEO of Seal Innovation. It's a start up that created the swim monitoring and detection system. Snyder has taken away tools that will help his business succeed. "The guidance to support things like referrals to other investors to manufacture even to consumers," Graham said. Click here for the interview by Duke Carter, New River Valley Reporter. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/69 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/69 Wed, 20 Aug 2014 00:00:00 EST Wednesday, 20 August 2014 00:00:00 EST To help innovative entrepreneurs expedite the early stages of their start-up development process, The Launch Place announced today a new investment initiative called the Pre-Seed Investment Program to further these entrepreneurs’ market and product validation and/or business model refinement.  Start-up companies may secure a maximum investment of the following: $25,000 for product and market validation $50,000 for business model refinement According to The Launch Place officials, this investment strategy may become a precursor to the organization’s Seed Fund, where a larger round of early stage funding is available to eligible start-ups. Since this Seed Fund’s establishment less than a year ago, The Launch Place has invested $250,000 in three companies for a total investment of $750,000. These companies are: KSI Data Sciences, LLC CirrusWorks Venture, LLC SEAL Innovation, Inc. “We have received many promising start-up ideas, but they were not quite investment ready as defined by our Seed Fund Investment Guidelines. We often feel that further testing to obtain more assurance around customer validation of the product, or refinement of the company’s business model, or further development of the company’s management team could allow these entrepreneurs to qualify for more substantial funding through either The Launch Place Fund, angels, venture funds or some combination thereof,” The Launch Place President & CEO Eva Doss said. For investment consideration, Doss said there are eligibility requirements, such as: Be currently located or willing to locate to Danville, Pittsylvania County or Caswell County, N.C. Have an innovative and cutting edge technology, new product or new technology application that advances high growth industries, such as:  Advanced Manufacturing, Alternative/Advanced Energy, Advanced Materials, Healthcare IT, Medical Devices, Software and Electronics and Controls. Be willing to accept entrepreneurial business consulting, training/mentoring/coaching and support services from The Launch Place. Give preference to resources in the Danville region such as Danville Community College, Institute for Advanced Learning & Research and Danville Regional Medical Center to validate the technology and business model. Be willing to put an Advisory Board in place that will provide oversight and guidance during the validation process. Agree to accept a Launch Place designee to serve on the Advisory Board. Agree to public disclosure of involvement with The Launch Place. Enter an agreement including provisions and conditions for the funding. Depending if the investment is for market or product validation or business model refinement, additional requirements will be needed, said Doss. For consideration, go to www.TheLaunchPlace.org to fill out the Pre-Seed Investment Program Application. Additional information on the program also is available. Awarded a $10 million grant from the Danville Regional Foundation in July 2013, The Launch Place increased its capacity to offer business-consulting services and expanded to include entrepreneurship recruitment, development and retention resources and assistance. As an 501 (C) 3 nonprofit organization, The Launch Place strives to energize and diversify Southern Virginia’s regional economy through entrepreneurship development and business consulting services. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/68 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/68 Mon, 04 Aug 2014 00:00:00 EST Monday, 04 August 2014 00:00:00 EST Your New Business: Considerations Before Saying “I Do” to a Business Partnership About the Topic and Presenters:There is more to launching your new business than choosing a business entity. While entity selection may be important, there are other important considerations, such as: organizational documentation, buy-sell agreements and preserving the benefits of limited liability status. Clement Wheatley business attorneys, Michael Guanzon, Jennifer Burnett and Ted Hodges, will provide you with an overview of these considerations and how to avoid common pitfalls in launching your new business entity. Lunch will be provided. RSVP: Regina Haynes 434.799.5491 or rhaynes@thelaunchplace.org https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/67 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/67 Wed, 30 Jul 2014 00:00:00 EST Wednesday, 30 July 2014 00:00:00 EST   On July 29, Virginia's Secretary of Technology Karen Jackson visits The Launch Place to learn more about the organization's efforts to attract and sustain entrepreneurs to the Danville region. While visiting, Jackson gave good advice to one of The Launch Place's portfolio companies, CirrusWorks. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/66 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/66 Fri, 23 May 2014 00:00:00 EST Friday, 23 May 2014 00:00:00 EST Larry Dickinson of 3F, LLC, captured first place and $15,000 in the area’s first joint Virginia and North Carolina Big Launch Challenge organized by The Launch Place and First Flight Venture Center.   Second place went to Liz Morris of Sanitation Creations with a cash prize of $12,000. Pictured are Dickinson and Morris. 3F makes and sells high-performance yarns to companies in the $4 billion hand protection market. Its nano-engineered cut-resistant fibers enable customers to make protective gloves that are lighter weight, more comfortable, longer lasting and enable greater dexterity; while providing the same level of cut protection at better value. Sanitation Creations offers environmentally-friendly, hygienic sanitation solutions that are odorless, waterless and economical.  Sanitation Creations has created Dungaroo – an odorless, waterless, easy-to-empty toilet that can be used anywhere. The patent-pending system seals waste in specially lined bags which block odor and treat the waste. The individual bags are collected in a containment bag in the base of the Dungaroo and can be disposed of without special equipment. Finalists in the order that they presented were: Jame Joseph and Brandy Callanan of Nano Brew Laboratories Keval Mehta of InRFood Tim Reynolds and Gretchen Clark of EvapStack Ricky Spero of Rheomics These presenters pitched their technology-related business ideas to a panel of judges yesterday at the Institute for Advanced Learning & Research in Danville. The top six contenders were selected from a submission of 31 applications. The top 15 semi-finalists were vetted jointly by The Launch Place and First Flight Ventures staff.  Six contestants were selected by The Launch Place’s Seed Fund Advisory Board in early May. The Launch Place’s Seed Fund Advisory Board is comprised of individuals who are extensively experienced in technology assessment, commercialization and early-stage investment. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/65 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/65 Mon, 12 May 2014 00:00:00 EST Monday, 12 May 2014 00:00:00 EST   Raleigh, NC (PRWEB) May 09, 2014 At a news conference yesterday, SEAL Innovation, Inc. (SEAL), Triangle Aquatic Center (TAC) and iX3 Sports announced ambitious goals for their new partnership, including the sponsorship by SEAL of the professional swim team created by iX3 Sports training to qualify for the 2016 Summer Olympics. The Seal Innovation Team will train exclusively at TAC in Cary, North Carolina. With organizational missions aligned around swimming, the partnership will encourage four key ‘S.W.I.M.’ goals: Safety, Winning, Information and Market benefits. In his opening remarks, news conference moderator and SEAL corporate finance, operations and development officer Justin Calvillo said that the partnership “in the works for a while” brings together three organizations that individually focus on different aspects of aquatics, but together will “think differently” about ways to advance their common goals of swim safety, enjoyment, economic benefit and competition. “We are excited to kick off this partnership during National Water Safety month to bring awareness to the importance of aquatic safety,” said Mike Curran, President of TAC. “Learning how to swim does save lives, and promoting safe swimming is one of the most important goals of our partnership” he added. Curran continued that “three swim teams nationally ranked in the top 25 of more than 2500 U.S. swim teams train in the Triangle. With promoting competition and winning as part of our new partnership’s goals, we want to encourage the Triangle as a destination for training elite Olympic swimmers.” While calling swimming “one of his greatest life pleasures,” emergency physician Dr. Graham Snyder acknowledged the sadness and frustration he feels in the ER when a swimming accident causes loss of life. He created SEAL Innovation and has become a vocal champion for using wearable technology to enhance swim safety and early rescue; reduce loss of life; and encourage more people to learn to swim. Said Snyder: “We need to spread the message that early learn-to-swim lessons; parental and lifeguard vigilance; excellent pool and safety protocols; facility standards; and technology together provide the best defense. Promoting safety and information are key reasons we formed our partnership. I am honored to associate with a leading aquatic center and some of the world’s greatest swimmers to accomplish this.” “Our announcement today highlights what we think competitive and recreational swimming as well as safety can be,” said John Payne, TAC senior director of coaching and SEAL Innovation Team coach. “In addition to competing at a high level, our athletes are excited to join TAC and SEAL in creating awareness for swim safety,” Coach Payne added. Payne introduced SEAL Innovation Team athletes in attendance, Charlie Houchin, Alex Meyer and Ashley Twichell, all accomplished world-class competitive swimmers; Chloe Sutton, in California participating in a learn-to-swim event for underprivileged children at the time of the press conference, also trains on the team. All team athletes have their sights set on participating in the 2016 Olympics. Payne mentioned that promoting swim safety is personal for Alex and Ashley, who lost a close friend and fellow competitor in a drowning incident during an open water race. “It’s not just emerging swimmers that can benefit from SEAL’s technology; all swimmers can. Drowning affects everyone, and we are proud to participate in this partnership. ” Payne added.  Immediate initiatives for the partnership include launching the SEAL Innovation Team website (http://www.sealinnovationteam.com) within the next 30 days to advance swimming enjoyment through safety and provide information about the partnership’s activities. SEAL Innovation Team members will have opportunities to work at SEAL and will advance the partnership’s goals of promoting swim safety through social media and at personal appearances. The partners believe that their alliance also will benefit each organization and create economic impact in the Triangle and beyond. “TAC currently employs over 100 people and through competitions and other means provides $5 million of economic benefit to the Triangle,” said Curran. “Partnering with SEAL and having the SEAL Innovation Team train exclusively at TAC will strengthen us,” he predicts. Said Snyder: “Investing in the Triangle by creating SEAL Innovation here made perfect sense for many reasons including the robust technology footprint and talent here.” “Wearable technology is a fast-growing industry, and we could not be more proud to have our company in North Carolina. Our partnership with iX3 and TAC will help create awareness for how wearable technology contributes to a safer swimming experience. We plan to make our product available internationally; as our company grows, it is our hope that SEAL’s investment in the Triangle, North Carolina and beyond also will grow,” he added. “My goals for our partnership are simple: through advancing our ‘S.W.I.M.’ mission, I want more children to develop a passion for swimming leading to increased opportunity for one of them to become the next Alex, Ashley, Charlie or Chloe,” Payne added. To kick off the partnership, all three organizations will support the USA Swimming Foundation’s ’31 Days of #MakeaSplash’ social media campaign this month to promote learn to swim and water safety. About SEAL Innovation, Inc. SEAL Innovation created The SEAL SwimSafe™ wearable technology for swimmers of all ages. If the system detects a swimmer in potential distress, the SEAL band worn by the swimmer triggers a high intensity visible, audible, and vibrating alarm so that rescue can begin quickly. The state-of-the-art system was designed for use as part of an aquatics safety plan to include parental and lifeguard vigilance; learning to swim; and facility safety measure implementation. About Triangle Aquatic Center The Triangle Aquatic Center (TAC) builds and operates public aquatic facilities for the health, safety, recreation and competition needs of Triangle-citizens and aquatic organizations. The SEAL Innovation Team trains exclusively at TAC. About iX3 Sports, LLC Born from a desire to nurture talented swimmers into world-class athletes, iX3 Sports created and manages the SEAL Innovation Team comprised of professional athletes training to individually qualify for and compete at the 2016 Summer Olympics. The team trains exclusively at TAC. ### https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/64 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/64 Wed, 30 Apr 2014 00:00:00 EST Wednesday, 30 April 2014 00:00:00 EST A Raleigh, N.C., small business commercializing a new product to encourage safe swimming and help prevent drowning announced plans to expand its operations to Danville. SEAL Innovation, Inc., CEO, Dr. Graham Snyder, said on Tuesday at The Launch Place’s news conference that the company’s mission is simple: “to improve swimming safety thereby reducing drowning.” As an emergency room physician, Dr. Snyder said, he has seen firsthand drowning victims and the parents saying, “I only looked away for a second.” “That’s heartbreaking to hear,” he said, “because it actually takes more than a few seconds to drown. Frequently, by the time parents, lifeguards and others know there’s a problem, it can be too late.” Dr. Snyder and his colleague, Dr. Courtney Mann, invented a product called SEAL SwimSafe™ to alert parents and lifeguards when to look for swimmers when they have been underwater for a specific length of time. With wearable swim bands and state-of-the-art technology, a siren and strobe light will go off, “initiating a rescue instantaneously,” Dr. Snyder said. According to Dr. Snyder, there are 314,000 commercial pools, 10 million boat owners and 8 million backyard pool owners in the United States. “They all have the same mission. They want people in the water, having fun, getting exercise and learning a life skill. But they also want it done in a safe way,” he said. “This is what we are commercializing: a layer of technology to help prevent drowning.” SEAL Innovation Corporate Finance and Development Officer Justin Calvillo said Danville was chosen for expansion, because of The Launch Place’s capacity to build and advise business and support entrepreneurship. The Launch Place announced on April 17 that it is investing $250,000 in SEAL Innovation. Dr. Snyder, Calvillo and other SEAL Innovation officials came to Danville on Tuesday to introduce themselves to the community and to share publicly more details about their trademarked product. The Launch Place assists with business development, and job creation and retention region-wide through its business consulting services, while having a dual responsibility to recruit and retain entrepreneurs to the Danville region due to a $10 million grant award over five years by the Danville Region Foundation. A $4 million seed fund was established with this grant to invest in start-ups and serial entrepreneurs. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/63 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/63 Thu, 17 Apr 2014 00:00:00 EST Thursday, 17 April 2014 00:00:00 EST The Launch Place announced today a $250,000 investment in Raleigh, NC-based SEAL Innovation, Inc., to commercialize SEAL SwimSafe™.  Utilizing wearable swim bands and state-of-the-art detection technology, SEAL SwimSafe™ will help improve swim safety and reduce drowning and injury by alerting guardians of swimmer distress. For this investment, SEAL has agreed to establish operations in Danville’s River District, which will bring leadership, technology and product development jobs to the area by 2015. “We are excited to partner with The Launch Place and to invest in the Danville community. In addition to The Launch Place’s $250,000 lead investment, its consulting services and partnerships in the Danville region will bring the talent we need to expand our capabilities and get our cutting-edge swim safety system to more people who need it,” said Justin Calvillo, SEAL Innovation’s Corporate Finance and Development Officer. “We view SwimSafe as more than a product to sell,” Calvillo added. “We believe that The Launch Place’s support is integral to our mission of improving swim safety and enjoyment.” SEAL Innovation will donate one percent of its profits annually to nonprofits that help further learn to swim programs, parental and lifeguard education and training, and best safety practices in aquatic facility design and management. “We are proud to be SEAL’s newest partner to end global drowning,” said Eva Doss, President & CEO of The Launch Place. “We predict SEAL is on the verge to deliver breakthrough technology in the aquatics industry.” SEAL Innovation leadership will visit Danville on Tuesday, April 29, at 1 p.m. to hold a reception open to the public and media at The Launch Place to give the Danville community an opportunity to meet SEAL leaders as well as learn more about the company’s mission and its swim safety products. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/62 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/62 Mon, 10 Mar 2014 00:00:00 EST Monday, 10 March 2014 00:00:00 EST The Launch Place, a leading recruiter of entrepreneurs in the Dan River Region of Virginia, and First Flight Venture Center (FFVC), RTP's largest technology incubator, announced today a unique partnership to attract the most innovative technology start-up companies in Virginia and North Carolina to a competition that planners of the event are referring to as “high stakes.” The Big Launch Challenge is open to early-stage Virginia and North Carolina based companies in nano, green and information technologies; alternative energy; advanced manufacturing and materials; and medical device industries. The Big Launch Competition final event will feature the top five entrepreneurs from the online competition featured on http://thebiglaunch2014.iStart.org, the go-to site for business competitions. Presenters will pitch at the Institute for Advanced Learning & Research in Danville, Va., on May 22, 2014. Contenders will present their business ideas to a panel of judges, who are members of The Launch Place’s seed fund advisory board and experienced in technology assessment, commercialization and early-stage investment. The top two presenters will be awarded up to $15,000 each. “The Big Launch Challenge is slated to become one of the foremost events for startups in the region,” said Eva Doss, President and CEO of The Launch Place. “Not only will the competition provide entrepreneurs with prize money, it also will serve as a platform for them to learn about The Launch Place’s unique entrepreneurship services and on-going investment opportunities in Danville, Virginia.” The Launch Place supports the creation of an “idea based entrepreneurship network” in the Danville, Va., region by providing a wide array of services and incentives to emerging and serial entrepreneurs with business ideas primarily related to engineering, IT and bio- materials. “We are excited to be working with The Launch Place on the The Big Launch Challenge,” said Andy Schwab, President of First Flight Venture Center. “This is the first event in this region to bring together entrepreneurs and start-ups from two states, all in an effort to help find good ideas and build sustainable businesses.” To register for the event and for more information, please visit: http://thebiglaunch2014.iStart.org. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/61 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/61 Mon, 24 Feb 2014 00:00:00 EST Monday, 24 February 2014 00:00:00 EST DANVILLE, Va. (Monday, Feb. 24, 2014) – The Launch Place,the Dan River Region's leading entity to recruit emerging and serial entrepreneurs, announced today it will invest $250,000 in CirrusWorks Venture, LLC, specifically $75,000 now and $175,000 upon securing additional capital from private investors. As part of the investment requirements, CirrusWorks will expand its operations to Danville’s River District to increase the production and delivery of its signature technology to eliminate network congestion, employing 21 high skilled individuals by the end of 2016. The company, in addition to receiving a $250,000 investment from The Launch Place, will also use the organization’s entrepreneur wrap-around services of mentoring, training and coaching and business consulting services. New hires will be assemblers, inventory managers, information technology (IT) administrators and programmers and hardware designers with an annual salary range between $35,000 and $85,000. “All networks have congestion, but CirrusWorks’ patented technology detects and corrects congestion as it occurs up to 50,000 times per second,” said CirrusWorks CEO David Giannini. “Our software monitors the effective size of the Internet pipe, re-prioritizes user data flows, and manages oversubscription during peak loads…the bottom line is our technology offers faster and more efficient Internet networking that is easy to install and very affordable.” Richard Sternitzke, Chief Technology Officer/Chief Operating Officer of CirrusWorks, stated, “Our partnership with The Launch Place will help bring innovative products to a global market.  We look forward to building a team and facility in Danville, leveraging The Launch Place’s affiliations with higher education to recruit talented people into our organization, fueling the growth of our business and the region.” The Launch Place assists with business development, and job creation and retention region-wide through its business consulting services, while having a dual responsibility to recruit and retain entrepreneurs to the Danville region due to a $10 million grant award over five years by the Danville Region Foundation. A $4 million seed fund was established with this grant to invest in start-ups and serial entrepreneurs.  “CirrusWorks is going to have a significant impact on the region with its projected new hires and helping us to create a strong IT industry cluster,” said Eva Doss, President & CEO of The Launch Place. “They have the potential for exponential growth.” CirrusWorks management team will be arriving in Danville in the next few weeks. Upon arrival, a public announcement event will be held at The Launch Place, giving the region an opportunity to meet CirrusWorks officials and to hear first-hand their expansion plans in Danville. This is The Launch Place’s second announcement. Last month, it announced investing $250,000 and recruiting to Danville’s River District KSI Data Sciences, LLC, to develop and bring to market a new technology designed to give police, fire and first responders the tools necessary to share information quickly in order to save lives. As a 501 (C) 3 nonprofit organization, The Launch Place strives to energize and diversify Southern Virginia’s regional economy through entrepreneurship development and business consulting services. For more information, go to www.thelaunchplace.org. ### https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/60 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/60 Fri, 14 Feb 2014 00:00:00 EST Friday, 14 February 2014 00:00:00 EST Powered by strong growth in the Internet and Software sectors, U.S. venture capital activity grew by about 7.5 percent in 2013, according to new data from the National Venture Capital Association (NVCA) and PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) Moneytree survey. Both venture dollars and deals ticked up last year, bouncing back to 2011 levels after a slow 2012. For the nation and most states, investment seems to have returned to its pre-crisis level. Last year, almost $29.4 billion was invested in 3,995 deals, according to the NVCA/PWC data. These levels indicate a modest increase over a weak 2012, but about equal to 2011 activity. Over the past five years the venture capital industry has been in a rebuilding mode. When the global economy collapsed in 2007-08, venture capitalists became cautious, leading to a severe drop in activity beginning in Q4 2008. Venture dollars shrunk by a third in 2009, making equity capital scarce for businesses at all stages of development. Investment rebounded, however, by about $2.9 billion in 2010 and about $6.1 billion in 2011. It now appears that activity has leveled off, with a small tick down in 2012 and a small tick up in 2013. Since 2011, total dollars have been near pre-crisis 2007-08 levels, though deals remain somewhat below pre-crisis levels. Download the NVCA/PWC release… SSTI has prepared tables of U.S. venture capital investment levels by state in terms of deals and dollars for the 2008-13 period. California continues to lead as the country’s top target of both investment deals and dollars. Massachusetts continues to rank second in total dollars, but, for the first time, New York overtook Massachusetts in number of deals. In 2013, New York increased its deal flow by 15.8 percent over the previous year and by more than 50 percent over 2008. Florida and Virginia both rejoined the top ten after having a slow 2012. In Florida, venture dollars dropped by 42 percent in 2012, but more than doubled last year, making it the 10th most active venture capital economy. Virginia investment dropped by 55 percent in 2012, but rebounded by 117 percent in 2013. Virginia’s recovery, however, appears to be dependent on a small number of high-dollar deals, since its dealflow decreased as total dollars grew. SSTI will take a closer look at the NVCA/PWC data in the coming weeks, including state share of total U.S. venture capital, per capita investment, investment by industry and investment by stage. stage. Download the tables in Excel (xlsx) format... https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/59 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/59 Mon, 27 Jan 2014 00:00:00 EST Monday, 27 January 2014 00:00:00 EST WDBJ 7 Report: Danville company gives new ways of monitoring remote areas. KSI Data Sciences, LLC, is a start up company that is getting help from The Launch Place in Danville, Virginia. To learn more please click here. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/58 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/58 Thu, 23 Jan 2014 00:00:00 EST Thursday, 23 January 2014 00:00:00 EST KSI Data Sciences Founder and Chief Architect Jason Barton said today KSI’s new product prototype to be developed and tested in Danville is primarily intended to give police, fire and first responders the tools necessary to share information quickly in order to save lives. Barton referenced the term “internet of things,” to describe his new product where sensors are embedded in objects and are linked through networks, often using the same internet protocol that connects the internet. “These networks generate volumes of data for analysis. When objects can both sense the environment and communicate, they become useful tools for understanding complex information quickly,” he said. Speaking at The Launch Place to around 30 community officials, Barton said these applications can be used during forest fires, earthquakes and tsunamis and during tragic events as in the case with the Boston Marathon bombing where there was a manhunt to find the bombers. Barton added he wants to take the “hard lessons learned” from previous products he has developed for the U.S. military and bring it down to scale for commercial and everyday use. The applications are endless, he said. For example, Barton referenced precision agriculture where remote sensor applications with an unmanned aircraft can fly over a farm field to detect fungus, reducing crop damage. Barton and his development team are relocating to Danville to test and take to market this product. The Launch Place’s first seed fund investment of $250,000 was made to KSI. KSI will receive $150,000 immediately and $100,000 upon the successful testing of this new product. KSI CEO Wes McGee said, “We want to be not only The Launch Place’s first investment, but its most successful.” The Launch Place assists with business development, and job creation and retention region-wide through its business consulting services, while having a dual responsibility to recruit and retain entrepreneurs to the Danville region due to a $10 million grant award over five years by the Danville Region Foundation. A $4 million seed fund was established with this grant to invest in start-ups and serial entrepreneurs. As a 501 (C) 3 nonprofit organization, The Launch Place strives to energize and diversify Southern Virginia’s regional economy through entrepreneurship development and business consulting services. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/57 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/57 Tue, 14 Jan 2014 00:00:00 EST Tuesday, 14 January 2014 00:00:00 EST The Launch Place, the Dan River Region’s leading entity to recruit emerging and serial entrepreneurs, has made its first seed fund investment to KSI Data Sciences, LLC. KSI will receive $150,000 immediately and $100,000 upon the successful testing of a new product prototype focused on commercial video and data management solutions for remote sensing platforms or unmanned aircrafts, vehicles and other related mobile devices and equipment. KSI Founder and Chief Architect, Jason Barton and his development team from northern Virginia will be moving to Danville as part of The Launch Place’s investment requirements. They will be located at The Launch Place’s offices in the River District where they will be part of The Launch Place’s wrap-around entrepreneurship services of mentoring, training and coaching and business consulting services. “The Launch Place provides us an extraordinary opportunity to develop our new technology in this explosive growth industry,” said Barton. “In addition to the investment, The Launch Place will assist us in our business development efforts through their mentoring, and consulting services.” “We are thrilled to have become part of The Launch Place network and look forward to the significant impact this partnership will have on the success of our company,” said Wes McGee, KSI chief executive officer. The Launch Place assists with business development, and job creation and retention region-wide through its business consulting services, while having a dual responsibility to recruit and retain entrepreneurs to the Danville region due to a $10 million grant award over five years by the Danville Region Foundation. A $4 million seed fund was established with this grant to invest in start-ups and serial entrepreneurs. “We are very impressed with the KSI team,” said Eva Doss, President & CEO of The Launch Place. “They have built an impressive enterprise software solution that is available to large organizations, such as the U.S. military and government agencies, as well as to local police, fire and utility maintenance departments.” Upon the arrival of Barton and KSI development team in a few weeks, a public announcement event will be held at The Launch Place. As a 501 (C) 3 nonprofit organization, The Launch Place strives to energize and diversify Southern Virginia’s regional economy through entrepreneurship development and business consulting services. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/55 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/55 Mon, 07 Oct 2013 00:00:00 EST Monday, 07 October 2013 00:00:00 EST VT KnowledgeWorks is pleased to announce the Game Changers Challenge, a new opportunity for entrepreneurs.  One entrepreneur or entrepreneurial team may qualify for a $25,000 “Running Start” loan plus a package of free startup assistance services.  Solid runners-up may also qualify for free startup assistance.  Any aspiring entrepreneur or entrepreneurial team may enter.  The challenge is open to all who meet the following criteria:  The product or service to be provided by the venture must either be consumed (not simply re-marketed) by another business, or be integrated into a more complex end-product for downstream sale. The targeted buyers must constitute a relatively narrow demographic niche that can be addressed with limited resources. The proposed product or service must powerfully address some widely acknowledged niche need. High leverage must be obtained by the $25,000 (not just the first $25,000 out of a $1M needed for launch, for instance). The entrepreneurial team must be able to fill the technology leadership roles in the proposed venture. The team must be committed to locating business operations in the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center. Any intellectual property related to the enterprise must be appropriately owned or licensed by the enterprise. Finalists will be selected by VT KnowledgeWorks staff, and will then be invited to make a 15-minute presentation to the Running Start Committee on their proposed new ventures.  There will be no public events, nor will competing teams be allowed to attend each other’s presentations.  In the absence of a solid applicant, no loan will be made.  This is a qualifying process, not a contest.  Proposals must be submitted in accordance with the guidelines available on the VT KnowledgeWorks website www.vtknowledgeworks.com.  The deadline for 2013 application submissions is November 1, 2013.  Applications should be submitted to christine.spalding@vtknowledgeworks.com.  The selection committee will review applications and VT KnowledgeWorks will communicate with applicants shortly thereafter.  Awards will be announced in late November/early December.  For more information contact Jim Flowers, Executive Director of VT KnowledgeWorks, at 540-443-9100, extension 1 or at jim.flowers@vtknowledgeworks.com. Read about it on our blog at http://www.insidevtknowledgeworks.com/2013/09/vt-knowledgeworks-announces-game-changers-challenge-for-entrepreneurs.html.   VT KnowledgeWorks encourages and enables creative entrepreneurship world-wide, through innovative curriculum, local business resource centers, and a global network of cooperating regions, all focused on three essential contributors to success: clear understanding of fundamental business principles; access to timely, relevant information; and meaningful personal and corporate relationships.  It is a subsidiary of the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center, supported by the continuing confidence and enthusiasm of its clients, sponsors and friends, both corporate and individual.  Its world headquarters is in Blacksburg, Virginia, USA. VT KnowledgeWorks corporate sponsors include Attaain, Inc., BB&T, The Branch Group, Harris Office Furniture, Hodges, Jones & Mabry, P.C., Hutchison Law Group, Latimer IP Law, LLC, LeClairRyan, New River Valley Intellectual Property Law, Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), and Wordsprint. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/53 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/53 Mon, 24 Jun 2013 00:00:00 EST Monday, 24 June 2013 00:00:00 EST The Launch Place — formerly called the Southside Business Technology Center — celebrated its move from Ringgold to the River District on Friday. The Launch Place aims to be one-stop shopping for entrepreneurship development with consulting, mentorship, funding and real estate. In October, it received a $10 million grant from the Danville Regional Foundation to expand its services over five years. A $4 million seed fund has been established with that grant to help startups generate investments. The organization commemorated its relocation with an open house featuring U.S. Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., who commended the group’s efforts in helping entrepreneurs and small businesses in Southside Virginia. “If you look at the United States of America over the last 25 years, 80 percent of all the new jobs that have been created have been created by start-ups,” Warner said. “And the notion that here in Southside, here at The Launch Place, you’re going to have that kind of collaborative ability to reinforce those entrepreneurs is really, really remarkable. The idea that you have a launch place that has the kind of technical support and financial support, and the ability to kind of co-locate and work through these things together is the secret sauce of creating new jobs.” On top of talking about creating new jobs and building businesses in Danville, a major part of Warner’s focus hinged on foreign involvement in the U.S. economy — a component that he says will have an impact across America. “I think it’s wonderful that The Launch Place has a notion of how we keep and retain, because one of the promises of the information age is that you can build it anywhere. If we can build it in Mumbai and Shanghai, we need to make sure we can build it in Danville, in Martinsville and South Boston as well.” Warner also explained he’s currently working with legislators in Washington to pass laws enabling foreign entrepreneurs to continue building businesses in the United States, including places like the Dan River Region, which he says would benefit from the increased pool of talent and employment opportunities. “I’ve been told there are 10 different languages spoken here at The Launch Place,” he said. “[In Washington] we are right now debating an immigration bill. And all the debate right now is about border security, are we gonna double or triple our border security, are people going to have the ability to earn citizenship … but the other part of the immigration bill that’s terribly important for The Launch Place, for Southside, for America to get right is to make sure that we also recruit and keep some of the high-skilled talent in the world.” By: Brittany Hughes GoDanRiver.com https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/54 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/54 Mon, 24 Jun 2013 00:00:00 EST Monday, 24 June 2013 00:00:00 EST “This region doesn’t know the meaning of giving up. Southside once again will be an economic engine” for the Commonwealth, said Senator Mark Warner. DANVILLE, Va. (Saturday, June 22, 2013) – U. S. Senator Mark Warner, D-Va., came to Southern Virginia on Friday to participate in the celebration of The Launch Place’s new seed fund division and expanded business consulting services. Introduced by the president of Danville-Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce as “a friend to Southern Virginia,” Senator Warner spoke to nearly 150 people from across the region, several of which were state and local elected and appointed officials, including the mayors of South Boston, Danville and Martinsville. “I do appreciate the regional dimensions of this. In my mind, anytime we have the mayors of South Boston, Danville and Martinsville all working together, one more time, that is good news for Southside Virginia,” said Warner. Formerly the Southside Business Technology Center, The Launch Place assists with startups, job creation and retention region-wide, while having a dual responsibility to recruit and retain entrepreneurs to the River District of Danville due to a $10 million grant award over five years by the Danville Region Foundation. “Established in the 2004 by a group of concerned business leaders primarily from Martinsville, The Launch Place led the way to create a unique capacity for entrepreneurs to be successful in the region. Our capacity has now been enhanced and we are confident results will soon follow,” said Moran, who is The Launch Place’s board of directors’ chair. Warner said The Launch Place’s story is inspiring and another example of how the region continues to reinvent itself by creating infrastructures that lead to 21st century jobs, such as regional broadband access, New College Institute in Martinsville, Institute for Advanced Learning & Research in Danville and the Southern Virginia Higher Education Center in South Boston. “This region doesn’t know the meaning of giving up. Southside once again will be an economic engine” for the Commonwealth, he said. As an 501 (C) 3 nonprofit organization, The Launch Place strives to energize and diversify Southern Virginia’s regional economy through entrepreneurship development and business consulting services. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/52 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/52 Sun, 28 Apr 2013 00:00:00 EST Sunday, 28 April 2013 00:00:00 EST In these times, competition is keen for jobs and investments that will spur economic development. It takes a variety of strategies to bring those things in, and one way is to grow them. The Launch Place aims to be one-stop shopping for entrepreneurial development, with consulting, mentorship, funding and real estate. In October, the group received a $10 million grant from the Danville Regional Foundation to expand its services over five years. A $4 million seed fund has been established with that grant to help startups generate investments. “We are really trying to get young entrepreneurship,” said President Eva Doss.The Launch Place is a rebranding of the Southside Business Technology Center, which offered business consulting. With the added focus on entrepreneurship and the investment of DRF, it became The Launch Place. It is moving into the Old Belt One building this week. Doss says that 72 percent of new jobs are created by small businesses, but small business startups have a large risk attached that can lock them out of traditional funding sources. The organization is focused on helping engineering, information technology, biotech and green energy businesses, but business consulting services are still available to people who want to expand those and other existing industries. “We don’t necessarily just want to focus on new recruits,” Doss said. Potential clients present a business concept, explaining their idea, competitors, strategy, pricing, budgets and financial forecasts. Seed fund applications have come from the financial services, IT, applied manufacturing and engineering industries. Awardees will be announced in the next eight weeks. It’s not free money. “This isn’t a grant,” Doss said. “They will pay us back.” There is a repayments schedule and other requirements. Those receiving the seed fund’s $50,000 to $200,000 awards are required to move to the River District. “Once you are awarded the money, you don’t get to work in a vacuum,” Doss said. It is hoped that their investment will generate additional interest in funding for the selected seed fund recipients. “We hope our funds will be leveraged,” with other funds and co-investors, she said.Doss acknowledges lending to startups is a risky business. “At the end of the day, you can’t control the external environment,” she said.She added, “Yes, there will be failures.” On the flip side, though, The Launch Place is betting that those who emerge successfully will go on to create more businesses. “Entrepreneurs don’t stop at the first deal,” she said. While The Launch Place wants to be a financial development ecosystem for entrepreneurs, it says it has a niche. “We are not economic development,” she said. “It takes a village.” Corrie Teague, project manager for Danville’s Office of Economic Development, says The Launch Place has been a useful partner. “We’re seeing a growing number of entrepreneurs looking to locate to the area,” she said. She added, “For our region, they do complement our efforts very well.” Each organization has a hand in promoting the River District, and everyone is working hard to make it a true neighborhood. “Having somewhere you can live and walk to work becomes very attractive to professionals and entrepreneurs alike,” Teague said. The Launch Place can also provide a second infusion of cash at the growth stage for businesses. With that and the River District commitment, Doss is hoping the new companies will want to bloom where they’re planted long after their commitment is complete. “They have a tendency to stay where the money is,” Doss said.   By: Mary Beth JacksonGoDanRiver.com https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/51 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/51 Thu, 21 Mar 2013 00:00:00 EST Thursday, 21 March 2013 00:00:00 EST ~The most innovative and creative entrepreneurs are eligible to up to $200,000~ Danville, Va. (March 21, 2013) –The Launch Place announced today it is now accepting applications from serial and emerging entrepreneurs in need of seed funding and other business support services, such as business consulting, mentoring and training, and office and housing subsidies. According to The Launch Place officials, while all entrepreneurs are eligible for consideration, business ideas related to engineering, high technology and bio-materials are preferred. “We have the flexibility to structure deals as debt, convertible debt or equity. While investments will vary, we anticipate investing between $50,000 and $100,000 with the ability to go as high as $200,000 per startup,” said The Launch Place’s Seed Fund Manager Lynn Allen. Awarded a $10 million grant from the Danville Regional Foundation in July 2013, The Launch Place increased its capacity to offer business consulting services and expanded to include entrepreneurship recruitment, development and retention resources and assistance. “We are looking for good ideas and sound business plans. With our investments and unique wrap-around business consulting and network of support services, we are confident the most innovative and creative entrepreneurs will thrive in Southern Virginia,” said The Launch Place President & CEO, Eva Doss. For consideration, go to www.TheLaunchPlace.org to fill out the seed fund application. As an 501 (C) 3 nonprofit organization, The Launch Place strives to energize and diversify Southern Virginia’s regional economy through entrepreneurship development and business consulting services. ### Contact: Eva DossPresident & CEO434/483-4301 (O)336/908-8806 (C) Lynn AllenSeed Fund Manager434/483-4301 (O)502/727-0252 (C)   https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/49 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/49 Wed, 30 Jan 2013 00:00:00 EST Wednesday, 30 January 2013 00:00:00 EST The Launch Place Appoints Seed Fund Manager (Danville, VA) – The Launch Place has named Lynn E. Allen Manager of The Launch Place Fund. The Fund was established as part of The Launch Place’s Entrepreneurship Initiative funded by a $10 million Danville Regional Foundation grant in July 2012. This newly created fund will provide concept and seed stage investment for innovation-based companies in the Danville region that exhibit significant potential for growth and economic impact. "I'm really looking forward to working with all the folks in Danville and the surrounding region who have demonstrated such extraordinary vision and commitment to their economic future,” says Allen. “It is a unique opportunity, and I feel privileged to be part of it." Allen has a long track record of assisting new enterprises and positioning them for long-term success and sustainability. She has worked with both public and private stakeholders to structure local venture initiatives and to raise first time venture capital from institutions and individuals; and she has lead numerous training programs for entrepreneurs and angel investors. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Kentucky and a Master of International Management from the University of Denver. She is a board member of The Enterprise Corp., Associates in Pediatric Therapy, BYNDL, Inc., and The David School. She also serves on the Board of Economic Advisors for Purdue’s Emerging Innovations Fund, is an advisory board member of the Kentucky Energy Sector Partnership, and was chair of the Jefferson Community and Technology College, Annual Scholarship Event, 2012. “We are very excited about Lynn’s arrival to Danville. Her knowledge, experience and network bring a strong professional skill-set to The Launch Place Entrepreneurship Initiative,” said Eva Doss, President/CEO of The Launch Place. For more information contact Eva Doss, President/CEO of The Launch Place, at (434) 483-4301, extension 231 or EDoss@thelaunchplace.org. “The Launch Place energizes and diversifies our regional economy through entrepreneurial development and business consulting services.” The Launch Place, a member of the VT KnowledgeWorks Entrepreneurship Alliance, is the lead organization overseeing the planning, development, implementation and evaluation of a comprehensive Entrepreneurship Development Plan for the River District in Danville, Virginia. The objective of the Plan is to recruit and assist emerging and serial entrepreneurs who locate within the River District. The Launch Place also provides business consulting services to existing and newly established businesses throughout Southern Virginia and Northern North Carolina in the areas of business plan development, feasibility studies, investments, market research and analysis, financial analysis, operational analysis and mergers and acquisitions. The Launch Place is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization governed by an independent Board of Directors. The Launch Place Fund, a Virginia non-stock corporation which invests in new start-ups in Danville, is governed by The Launch Place Fund Board of Directors. The Launch Place receives financial assistance from the Danville Regional Foundation, USDA, City of Martinsville, and Henry County. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/48 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/48 Mon, 23 Jul 2012 00:00:00 EST Monday, 23 July 2012 00:00:00 EST DRF Announces $10 Million Grant to Fund Entrepreneurship Initiative Danville, VA (July 23, 2012) – DRF announced today a $10 million grant to fund an entrepreneurship initiative to benefit the residents of the City of Danville and Pittsylvania and Caswell counties. In a global economy, investment in those who create businesses is essential. Said DRF President & CEO Karl Stauber, “In today’s global economy, regions have to create new competitive advantage every day. Southern Virginia is doing this, but now we are taking it to the next level. Times have changed. We are no longer going up against cities just down the road, but against other countries—it is not South Boston, but South Korea, not Martinsville, but Malaysia. The focus of this grant is attracting and retaining serial entrepreneurs, people who will create multiple new businesses over time, hiring high skilled, high wage employees. Branch plants will continue to be an important part of our economy, but now we will have a platform to make our region even more attractive. The net effect to the Dan River Region from entrepreneurism is constant creation of businesses and living wage jobs. This is how we gain a competitive advantage, now and in the long-term.” The grant was made to the Southside Business Technology Center (SBTC), an organization that until now provided business consulting services in the region. Going forward SBTC will adopt a new name and focus on the recruiting, development, and retention of entrepreneurs to the area in cooperation with the Danville Office of Economic Development. In addition, SBTC will offer seed fund management, business consulting and mentoring, and incubation for start-up entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurs both locally and from outside of the region are eligible. With research universities and hubs of technology within an hour or two of Danville, a wealth of present and budding entrepreneurs in the fields of technology, business, and engineering are just a quick drive away. This initiative is also the opportunity for many of those who grew up in the Dan River Region to return home and create their own business, while crafting jobs for others who call the area home. SBTC President & CEO Eva Doss commented, “This new initiative is unique in its scope. Nationwide, many organizations strive to offer entrepreneurs financial or coaching assistance, but few organizations offer a comprehensive package that offers everything that entrepreneurs need to succeed – funding, training, mentoring, business consulting, technical assistance, and continuous coaching. Other agencies offer business counseling in our area to local small businesses mainly in retail. This new initiative offers actual tangible resources to entrepreneurs from seed investments to subsidized rent, consulting and mentoring in cooperation with the Danville Office of Economic Development, VT KnowledgeWorks, IALR, and the Chamber of Commerce under the leadership of the SBTC.” The initiative will be housed at the SBTC, currently located at the Dan River Business Development Center. The SBTC, as part of the implementation process will relocate to the River District where the other new start-ups will be housed, as well. We plan to have all legal and preparatory work associated with the establishment of the Seed Fund, and the recruitment of new employees finalized within the next 3-4 months, at which point we will be able to accept applications.” The full payout of the $10 million grant is based upon performance indicators. More information about DRF, its grant opportunities, and this recognition award program can be found on its website, http://www.drfonline.org/. Danville Regional Foundation is a catalyst for innovation and an agent for transformation. Understanding that significant community change takes time, DRF invests for the long term in efforts that promise sustained positive impact for the Dan River Region. DRF is committed to activities, programs, and organizations that address the health, education, and well-being of residents of Danville, Pittsylvania County, and Caswell County. The SBTC currently provides business consulting services at heavily subsidized rates, making it affordable for businesses to gain insight into their company, market environment, and work practices. This helps businesses improve their current and future bottom line. The new SBTC will expand its mission to advance economic growth in Southern Virginia not just by providing business consulting services, but to add to it service offerings Entrepreneurship retention, recruitment and development, Seed Fund management, Business Mentoring/Training/Coaching, and Incubation services. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/47 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/47 Mon, 02 Jul 2012 00:00:00 EST Monday, 02 July 2012 00:00:00 EST SBTC RECEIVES $85,000 GRANT TO SUPPORT SMALL AND EMERGING RURAL BUSINESSES The Southside Business Technology Center (SBTC) has received an $85,000 Rural Business Enterprise Grant from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to provide high-quality tangible management consulting services to rural, Southside Virginia businesses. “This is great news for the SBTC and our clients,” commented Eva Doss, President & CEO of the SBTC. “The grant will allow the SBTC to maintain and further expand business consulting services that advance the economic growth of the Southside region.” The Rural Business Enterprise Grant (RBEG) program provides grants for rural projects that finance and facilitate development of small and emerging rural businesses help fund distance learning networks, and help fund employment related adult education programs. To assist with business development, RBEGs may fund a broad array of activities. The grant will allow the SBTC to serve private businesses which will employ 50 or fewer new employees and have less than $1 million in projected gross revenues. The principal objective of the SBTC’s initiative is to achieve measurable economic development results by providing high-quality tangible management consulting services to rural, Southside Virginia businesses. “The economic transformation in Southside and diversification can only happen by further developing the region’s human infrastructure, technology infrastructure, competitiveness in economic development, and civic infrastructure,” explained Doss. As the SBTC expands its ability to work with new and prospective businesses, the organization is continuing to pursue resources and opportunities that will allow the SBTC to grow its management and business consulting services for the region. “We hope this is the first of many announcements to support the economic transformation of our region as we focus on support for business start-ups and expansions,” Doss added. The SBTC was created in 2005 to provide management/business consulting services to enable new business creation and existing industry transformation to the economy. The SBTC uses professional staff business analysts, student interns, and expert consultants to provide business consulting services for businesses in the areas of business plan and proposal development, feasibility studies, business start-up procedures, finding sources of capital, market research and analysis, financial analysis, operational analysis, and legal issues. The Center, during its operation has been instrumental in developing business skills among start-up and expansion businesses in Southside Virginia. The SBTC currently operates offices in Martinsville and Danville. For more information about the SBTC, please visit the website at www.southsidebtc.org or email evadoss@southsidebtc.org. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/46 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/46 Mon, 07 May 2012 00:00:00 EST Monday, 07 May 2012 00:00:00 EST Senior Business Analyst Job Opening Open Until FilledSenior Business Analyst position The Southside Business Technology Center (SBTC), a business consulting organization, seeks applications for a full-time Senior Business Analyst (BA) position. The qualified candidate should expect to research, develop, analyze and complete business consulting projects for businesses under the leadership of the President/CEO. The Business Analyst’s primary responsibilities include: determine business consulting project requirements and deliverables, develop project timelines/outlines, lead market research and analysis efforts, develop financial models and forecasts, prepare top-quality reports for client delivery, provide day-to-day tactical oversight of the project staff, implement overall Project Management functions, and assure that the SBTC Code of Ethics is followed throughout the project development process. MBA and 5 years experience in business consulting with experience in market research and analysis is required; experience as a business analyst is preferred. The candidate should have excellent analytical, problem solving, technical writing and interpersonal communication skills. Candidate must demonstrate full competence with the following software packages: MS Word, Excel, Power Point, Visio, MS Project, and SPSS preferred. Salary: Commensurate with experience.Location: Southside Business Technology Center in Danville, Virginia. Interested applicants should submit a letter of interest, resume and the names of three professional references to: Regina Haynes, Southside Business Technology Center, 300 Ringgold Industrial Pkwy., Suite 102, Danville, VA 24540 or e-mail it to: rhaynes@southsidebtc.org. Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.   https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/45 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/45 Thu, 29 Mar 2012 00:00:00 EST Thursday, 29 March 2012 00:00:00 EST E3 PILOT PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION GRANT AWARD FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEMarch 27, 2012Contact:Jeff Kohler, GENEDGE ALLIANCE 276-666-8890 x224Clark Casteel, Danville Regional Foundation (DRF) 434-483-4271 GENEDGE ALLIANCE ANNOUNCES E3 PILOT PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION GRANT AWARD OF $100K BY DANVILLE REGIONAL FOUNDATION TO MATCH GRANT AWARD BY THE VIRGINIA TOBACCO INDEMNIFICATION AND COMMUNITY REVITALIZATION COMMISSION Martinsville, Va- GENEDGE ALLIANCE, in partnership with the Southside Business Technology Center (SBTC), received funding approval from the Danville Regional Foundation (DRF) on March 13, 2012 in the amount of $100,000 to co-fund the E3 Pilot Project Implementation program in Danville/Pittsylvania County. The Tobacco Commission has already committed $250,000 to the launch of E3, pending dollar-for-dollar match. The award will provide for the establishment of a pilot group of manufacturers to participate in the E3 Pilot, and for the funding of technical assessments that lead to the implementation of energy and environmentally sustainable strategies within local manufacturing businesses. E3 (which stands for Economy, Energy, and Environment) is a federal initiative that is a model of collaboration between manufacturers, utilities, local economic development entities, and federal resources. E3 is intended to enable economic growth in local communities by working most efficiently with manufacturing businesses providing technical assessments, training, and implementation of energy and environmentally sustainable strategies within local manufacturing businesses. GENEDGE ALLIANCE Executive Director Jeff Kohler states, "A similar E3 Pilot Program exists with our affiliate, The Manufacturing Technology Center (MTC) in Southwestern Virginia." MTC Executive Director Keith Thompson adds, "Our two-year E3 initiative began in October 2011 and has provided comprehensive technical assessments for six regional companies. Over $15,000,000 of potential economic savings plus significant improvements in environmental performance has been identified." DRF President & CEO Karl Stauber says, "DRF is proud to participate in this collaborative effort with TIC, SBTC, GENEDGE ALLIANCE, economic developers in both the county and city, and most importantly manufacturers throughout Pittsylvania County and Danville. This effort to increase productivity and improve the sustainability of our region's manufacturers is an important one. Our hope is that this project will allow these companies the ability to better compete in the global marketplace which is a win-win for the companies and our region." "E3 projects in other communities have produced significant benefits," said Jeremy Stratton, director of the Danville Office of Economic Development. "These benefits are realized not only by manufacturers but everyone in the community. We are pleased that the SBTC has pulled the resources together to build this program for the Danville area." "The Tobacco Commission's goal is to help bring jobs to the footprint. The E3 project will help manufacturing companies stay competitive in a very tough market place. This will keep jobs and bring jobs to our area," says Delegate Danny Marshall (14th District). About GENEDGE ALLIANCE: GENEDGE ALLIANCE is the National Institute of Standards and Technology Manufacturing Extension Partnership (NIST MEP) affiliate for the Commonwealth of Virginia. GENEDGE helps Virginia industries compete. Since 2000, our clients have reported over $2 billion in quantified economic impact for companies. For more information on GENEDGE ALLIANCE visit www.genedge.org . About the Southside Business Technology Center (SBTC): The SBTC provides business consulting services to local and regional private businesses, economic development organizations, non-profit institutions and local governments of Southside Virginia, by providing tangible business consulting services for existing and newly established businesses in the areas of business plan development, feasibility studies, sources of capital, market research and analysis, financial analysis, operational analysis and mergers and acquisitions. For more information on SBTC visit www.southsidebtc.org . About the Danville Regional Foundation (DRF): The Danville Regional Foundation is a catalyst for innovation and an agent for transformation for the Dan River region. The Foundation is committed to development, promotion, and support of activities, programs, and organizations that address the health, education, and well-being of the region's residents. For more information on DRF visit http://drfonline.org . About the Danville Office of Economic Development: For information visit http://discoverdanville.com/ . About the Virginia Tobacco Commission: The Tobacco Indemnification and Community Revitalization Commission (Virginia Tobacco Commission) is a 31-member body created by the 1999 Virginia General Assembly. Its mission is the promotion of economic growth and development in tobacco-dependent communities, using proceeds of the national tobacco settlement. For more information visit http://www.tic.virginia.gov/ .   https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/44 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/44 Mon, 18 Jul 2011 00:00:00 EST Monday, 18 July 2011 00:00:00 EST Business Analyst Position The Southside Business Technology Center (SBTC), a business consulting organization, seeks applications for a full-time Business Analyst (BA) position. The qualified candidate should expect to research, develop, analyze and complete business consulting projects for businesses in Virginia under the leadership of the Director of Operations. The Business Analyst's primary responsibilities include: determine business consulting project requirements and deliverables, develop project timelines/outlines, lead the market research and analysis efforts, develop financial models and forecasts, prepare top-quality reports for client delivery, provide day-to-day tactical oversight of the project staff, implement overall Project Management functions, and assure that the SBTC Code of Ethics is followed throughout the project development process. MBA and three years experience in management or business consulting with experience in market research and analysis is required; experience as a business analyst is preferred. The candidate should have excellent analytical, problem solving, technical writing and interpersonal communication skills. Candidate must demonstrate full competence with the following software packages: MS Word, Excel, Power Point, Visio, MS Project, and SPSS preferred. Salary: Commensurate with experience.Location: Southside Business Technology Center in Martinsville, Virginia. Interested applicants should submit a letter of interest, resume and the names of three professional references to: Regina Haynes, Southside Business Technology Center, 300 Ringgold Industrial Pkwy., Suite 102, Danville, VA 24540 or e-mail it to: rhaynes@southsidebtc.org. Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.   https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/43 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/43 Wed, 18 May 2011 00:00:00 EST Wednesday, 18 May 2011 00:00:00 EST Congratulations to our clients The Southside Business Technology Center congratulates its clients who received prestigious awards at the Business Appreciation Luncheon co-hosted by the MHC Chamber of Commerce and MHC Economic Development Corporation on May 17, 2006 as follows: Paul Ashbrook, Owner, Ashbrook Audiology & Hearing Aid Center 2006 - Small Business Person of the Year Award Kenneth Lovelace, Owner, KBEL Transport, LLC - Small Business of the Year Award John F. "Jay" Edelen, Jr., Vice-President, J.G. Edelen Co., Inc. - Cutting Edge Award Martinsville Bulletin articles on the luncheon https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/42 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/42 Thu, 28 Apr 2011 00:00:00 EST Thursday, 28 April 2011 00:00:00 EST E3 – Economy, Energy, and Environment Click here to view the E3 PowerPoint and learn more. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/41 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/41 Wed, 05 Jan 2011 00:00:00 EST Wednesday, 05 January 2011 00:00:00 EST We have moved! The Southside Business Technology Center has relocated on January 5, 2011 from the West Piedmont Business Development Center located on 22 East Church Street in Martinsville, VA to its new office location at the Clock Tower. The new office contact information is as follows: 300 Franklin Street, Suite 225Martinsville, VA 24112 Phone:Eva Doss: 276-403-5082Varun Sadana: 276-403-5693   https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/40 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/40 Mon, 16 Aug 2010 00:00:00 EST Monday, 16 August 2010 00:00:00 EST SBTC's Business Analysts Complete Certification Southside Business Technology Center's business analysts, Chris Cousins and Varun Sadana completed the Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Certification on July 13, 2010. Lean Six Sigma tools were developed for manufacturing businesses but have a wide spectrum of applications, making them useful for other industries as well. Six Sigma was pioneered by Motorola, and aims to improve business processes and increase operational efficiency. Its name comes from the technique of statistical analysis applied to a system to achieve minimal defects in manufacturing. A sigma rating describes the percentage of products produced without defect. Green Belt Certification requires eight full-day classes and completion of a Green Belt Level Six Sigma project. Mr. Cousins and Mr. Sadana's course was taught by Virginia's Philpott Manufacturing Extension Partnership (VPMEP) Project Manager John Hudson, seen here with Mr. Sadana and Mr. Cousins. Mr. Sadana and Mr. Cousins, both MBA graduates of UNCG's Bryan School of Business, are proud to add Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Certification to their list of qualifications. "Varun [Sadana] and I plan to utilize these tools on SBTC client projects to improve their measurable results," said Cousins. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/39 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/39 Thu, 24 Jun 2010 00:00:00 EST Thursday, 24 June 2010 00:00:00 EST Danville Habitat ReStore weighing expansion Bernie Francisco, a Danville handyman, regularly shops at the Danville-Pittsylvania County Habitat for Humanity ReStore at 503 Hughes St. He said he would come more often if it expanded its hours. The nonprofit is studying to see whether that’s feasible. One Danville handyman finds low-priced building materials at the local Habitat for Humanity ReStore. Bernie Francisco, a 55-year-old semi-retiree, bought ceramic tile grout and 7-foot wood moldings, which cost $1 each, at the Habitat ReStore at 503 Hughes St. on Wednesday. He’s a regular shopper. “I would come more if it were open more,” Francisco said. Danville-Pittsylvania County Habitat for Humanity hopes to expand the ReStore’s hours within the next year, said Donna Redd, development director for Habitat. Yet, the store would need more customers, volunteers and donors to be able to stay open longer. With the help of a $13,500 grant from Danville Regional Foundation, Habitat plans for Southside Business Technology Center to conduct a feasibility study this year to see whether the community would support a ReStore expansion, Redd said. The study would determine the ReStore’s capacity to be a self-sustaining enterprise capable of contributing 50 percent of the annual construction budget over the next three years, according to a DRF news release. “This is another opportunity to increase the capacity of a regional organization by helping them develop a better business model in the present economic climate,” Wendi G. Everson, DRF program officer, said in a news release. “This is aligned with the foundation’s mission because Habitat for Humanity helps build assets of low-wealth residents by creating access to equity through an affordable housing program.” The study would also include a marketing plan and could help determine whether to hire a ReStore manager at some point. “The study will assess where we are, what we can achieve through an expansion, and provide a roadmap for how to reach our full potential,” Habitat Executive Director Marlin Yoder said in the news release. Right now, the store is open four hours a day for two to three days a week. The store has four core volunteers and six others, including high schoolers needing to fulfill community service hours. The materials donated to the ReStore are sold and that money goes toward buying Habitat building supplies, Redd said. The nonprofit asks those renovating their homes or upgrading their appliances to think of the ReStore if they have gently used appliances or leftover materials. Donors get a tax deduction. “Recycling is good and we are saving the landfill,” Redd said. “We are helping the environment as well as building homes.” Ola Wilson sees a lot of new items coming through the store. The 38-year-old is helping to build her Habitat house and works in the ReStore to fulfill her volunteering commitment. As a future homeowner, Wilson will come back and shop to take advantage of the low prices — like $5 for a box of tile. The store allows those with limited or modest incomes to fix and maintain their homes with materials 25 to 75 percent off retail prices in chain stores, she said. Customers also know their money goes back into helping the community, Wilson said. Wilson plans to continue volunteering after her home is built. “I’m excited. I really am. I never thought I would be in this place,” Wilson said. “Habitat made it possible and God — God is first.” How to help Danville-Pittsylvania County Habitat for Humanity ReStore503 Hughes St. Hours: Wednesdays 10 a.m. to noon, Fridays 10 a.m. to noon, first and third Saturday each month from 10 a.m. to noon. Donate: Appliances (5 years old or newer), cabinetry, hardwood floors and other noncommercial building materials Habitat can always use monetary donations. The construction side of the ministry needs a uni-loader to help volunteers do landscaping in hot weather. Loaders needing repair will be considered. For more information about ReStore, visit http://www.danvillehabitat.org/. For more info on volunteering or donating, call (434) 793-3630.Children can help Habitat by building birdhouses. Kits are available. Teenagers under 16 who cannot volunteer on building sites, can volunteer in the store and warehouse. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/38 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/38 Tue, 18 May 2010 00:00:00 EST Tuesday, 18 May 2010 00:00:00 EST Technology Center opens for business in Southside By MICKEY POWELL Bulletin Staff Writer Martinsville Mayor Joe Cobbe was excited by all of the cooperation involved in starting the new Business Technology Center (BTC) at the West Piedmont Business Development Center uptown. "I don't get excited about a whole lot of things," said Cobbe, who serves on the BTC's local board. "But this (center) is one of the best things that's ever happened to this area." The BTC's mission is to provide top-quality business assistance to existing and emerging organizations, individuals and companies to enhance their competitiveness through technology, said board Chairman Candace Payne. "It will help propel Martinsville, Henry County and the surrounding area into the new (high-tech) economy," she said of the office that is located in the West Piedmont Business Development Center in Martinsville. Cobbe had no doubt that enough resources could be leveraged to start the local affiliate. After seeing disagreements and "turf battles" among different sectors of the community in recent years, though, what surprised him is that so many organizations and institutions were willing to share their resources to launch the center. "Every participant's reaction has been 'What can I do?'," he said. The BTC "is something whose time has come." A grand opening celebration for the center was held Tuesday. The center actually opened in February after Executive Director Eva Doss was hired. It is an affiliate of the Virginia Tech Business Technology Center in Blacksburg. The university's Pamplin College of Business launched its BTC in 1992 as a resource for small technology-based businesses. "Our key objective is having a smooth-running (center) in Martinsville, and it's all coming together," said John Politis, director of Virginia Tech's BTC. By working together, Doss said, "I believe we can make a difference" in the community's economic development. "People say 'I know how to do it better -- nobody's ever asked me, but I know how to do it better,'" said Richard E. Sorensen, dean of the Pamplin College of Business. "Now's the time to come forward" and start a small business using those skills. Consultants, university faculty members and student interns counsel with small businesses on start-up procedures, accounting and record keeping, planning issues, finding sources of capital, financial analysis, sales and marketing and other components of operating a business, according to BTC officials. Business students from Patrick Henry Community College, Ferrum College and Averett University do market analysis and prepare business plans and financial forecasts for firms that pay for the center's services. Working in real-life situations gives the students first-hand experience they cannot get simply by reading textbooks, Politis said. Some BTC interns have gone on to work for the companies they helped, he added. Doss said that at least a dozen area businesses have received assistance or inquired about BTC services since the local office was launched. Cobbe said the BTC is able to examine someone's "high-falutin'" business plans and provide the assistance needed to make those plans a reality. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/37 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/37 Wed, 05 May 2010 00:00:00 EST Wednesday, 05 May 2010 00:00:00 EST Adkins, Teague win seats At left, Incumbent Martinsville City Councilman Gene Teague is shown at his home shortly after the election results came in showing that he again won a seat on city council. At right, political newcomer Kim Adkins, who also won, is shown with her husband, Jeff Adkins, at a victory party at the home of Steve Sheppard. Wednesday, May 5, 2010 By MICKEY POWELL - Bulletin Staff Writer City voters on Tuesday elected a political newcomer to the Martinsville City Council and re-elected an incumbent, unofficial election results showed. Kim Adkins and Gene Teague won the two council seats up for grabs in the municipal election. Adkins, the newcomer, received 1,165 votes and Teague, the incumbent, received 1,054 votes, the results showed. Kathy Lawson, the incumbent currently serving as mayor, was defeated in her effort to win a second four-year term on the council. She received 737 votes, the results indicated. Adkins will join the council in July, after Lawson’s term ends. Voter turnout was 19 percent, with exactly 1,700 of Martinsville’s 9,140 registered voters casting ballots. Adkins is executive director of the West Piedmont Workforce Investment Board and former president of the Martinsville-Henry County Chamber of Commerce. Teague is director of business planning for VF Sportswear. After the election results were tallied, Adkins said she felt “very happy” to have garnered so much support from voters. She admitted that “the citizens of Martinsville are taking a chance” on her, and she pledged to do her best not to let them down. In this election, “we had three really good, viable candidates,” Adkins said. “All three of us were working hard (in campaigning) for the right reasons. “Unfortunately, someone had to lose” because there were only two seats to fill, she said. “People had to make a tough choice. I am fortunate to have secured one” of the seats. Teague said his victory is “kind of overwhelming, really.” “I’m excited and happy and honored,” he said. “I honestly didn’t know how the voters would react” in this election. Altogether, Teague has more than 12 years of experience as a councilman. Voters elected him several times, and he was appointed twice to fill council seats that other members had vacated. “I think people feel good about” what he and other council members have accomplished, he said, adding that he thinks name recognition as well as his experience may have helped him retain his seat. Lawson was not bitter about her loss. “I am a firm believer that the Lord sends you in the direction you need to go,” she said. “I had a great four years, and I know I made a difference” as both a council member and mayor, which is an appointed seat in the city. For example, she said she and other council members have helped launch a public transportation system, streamlined city government and increased the use of inmate labor to help the city save money on its expenses. Recently, Lawson said she might be able to live with an increase in the city’s meals tax — as a last resort — as a way to help the city generate revenue in tough financial times. She admitted that she heard some flack from voters, and her stance might have cost her some support. But she was honest about her position, she emphasized. Lawson is the third council member in the past decade to lose a re-election bid while serving as mayor. Joe Cobbe lost in 2006 and Mark Crabtree lost in 2002, past election results indicate. The mayor’s post “has a little dagger attached to it sometimes,” Lawson said, in that although the council selects the mayor from among its members, it is the most prominent seat on the panel. Adkins, who won the most votes overall, was the top vote-getter in three precincts, while Teague was the preferred candidate in four, election results show. Lawson did not prevail in any precinct. The results will not be declared official until after the Martinsville Electoral Board conducts a canvass at 9 a.m. today. Martinsville city elections usually have low voter turnout. In comparison with Tuesday’s contest, turnout in the May 2008 election was 24 percent, while turnout in the 2006 election also was 19 percent, statistics from the city registrar’s office show. “It was a little heavier than we thought” it would be this time around, said electoral board Vice Chairman Ferretta Belcher. “Which makes us happy,” added city Registrar Ercell Cowan. Still, “we wish more people would have voted.” Turnout was highest in the Druid Hills precinct at 32 percent and lowest in the Albert Harris Elementary School precinct at 10 percent, figures show. Cowan said there were no major problems at any of the city’s polling places on Election Day. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/36 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/36 Sat, 17 Apr 2010 00:00:00 EST Saturday, 17 April 2010 00:00:00 EST SBTC Client receives funding Halifax County Board of Supervisors approved a resolution of support Monday night for the Modeling and Simulation Center of Excellence project at Riverstone and the Industrial Development Authority’s (IDA’s) loan application for $400,000. The resolution received supervisors’ support following their joint meeting with the Halifax and South Boston town councils. As part of the resolution, supervisors agreed to reimburse the IDA for the first 18 months of interest-only payments (totaling about $24,000) of the proposed loan from the Lake Country Development Corporation as an incentive to the project. The loan will allow the IDA to accomplish the design and construction of the required M and S Center up-fits at Riverstone. IDA is in the process of applying for $400,000 to up-fit approximately 6,000 square feet of first floor space in Suite 102 at Riverstone for the M and S Center’s use. According to County Administrator Bryan Foster, the maximum principal amount of the loan will not exceed $400,000, and the IDA is seeking to finance this debt through LCDC at the maximum rate of 4 percent with up to a 15-year amortization schedule with no penalty for prepayment. The partners in the M and S Center also have requested the IDA forego the lease payments for the first 18 months as an inducement to the project. Prior to approving the resolution of support for the M and S Center Monday night, ED-5 Supervisor Doug Bowman introduced Brian Caldwell, a hydrogeologist with Tetra Tech who updated supervisors and South Boston and Halifax Town council members on progress being made at Riverstone. “The county has been involved with the M and S Center, and (ED-6 Supervisor) Mr. Conner and I have attended some of their sessions to stay updated on it,” Bowman said. He explained the M and S Summit held at Riverstone in January “was extremely successful” drawing attention and potential partners to the center. “From the synergy of that summit has come a working memorandum of understanding between the IDA and Virginia Tech and Tetra Tech,” Bowman said. “The point here is there are a lot of interested players, and we hope it will be a real spark plug for the development of Riverstone Building One and other things.” Caldwell told county and town representatives that since the M and S Center received a $1.2 million grant from the Virginia Tobacco Commission in February, partners at Riverstone have been researching equipment and getting into the Virginia Tech “procurement bureaucracy.” “We ordered the equipment on Friday and will have the first batch coming in and have it installed and interfaced by May 12,” he said. The M and S Center currently has 10 people from Virginia Tech and Tetra Tech reporting regularly to the Riverstone Technology Building with five of the 10 being Halifax County residents, including Dr. Carol Inge, the center’s executive director. “The other five are from Tetra Tech and are planning on relocating,” Caldwell said.“Our staff has grown quite a bit in the last month. We now have a staff of 10 including four sub-contractors there on a weekly basis, two staff requisition positions, and four PhDs and six graduate students scheduled to come to work this summer,” he added. He said as of today, all the space scheduled for up-fitting by October has been filled.“We don’t have room for anymore,” Caldwell added. However, he noted that over the course of the two years, the employee projection stands at 39. Since its inception last year, partnerships have been developed at the center with Tetra Tech, Virginia Tech, Environmental Ingenuity, Conservation Management Institute and the Ward Burton Wildlife Federation, Northrup-Grummon and Frontline Testing Services. “The current contractual awards that we have backlogged over the next two years total over $750,000,” Caldwell said, with Tetra Tech receiving modeling requests from offices in Pasadena, Calif., Lafayette, Calif., Oak Ridge, Tenn., Boulder, Colo., and Fairfax and Sterling, Va. The Tetra Tech hydrogeologist said the center currently has modeling contracts with a defense contractor, the U.S. Navy, U.S. Army, Iowa Army Ammunition Plant, Army Ammunition Plant in Chattanooga, Tenn. and Anderson Army Depot in Alabama. He showed county and town officials a stack of Dell computers that have been “souped up” to operate the center’s flex system which will include touch screen technology and tele-presence capable of bringing global communication to Riverstone. The flex, according to Caldwell, will be the centerpiece of the whole unit at Riverstone.“It is three walls that are 10 by 10, and they can fold in on themselves and project on the floor as well, so it gives you the full three-dimensional effect, or you can spread the three panels out to be 30 feet wide,” he said. Halifax Town Councilman Jack Dunavant questioned the center’s affiliation with the military.“I’m a little concerned that Big Brother is snooping on us. Rural areas are considered by big government and big corporations as ‘sacrifice zones,”’ he explained. “You know the government dumps the city sludge and looks to locate waste dumps in poor, rural areas. And I was just wondering if you are going to be an arm for that sort of thing, and we’re going to be sorry that you came here.” Caldwell responded that he hopes leaders will not be sorry that Tetra Tech and the center’s other partners have located at Riverstone. “These models we’re doing cost a lot of money, and all this equipment costs a lot of money. The budget for this type of work is with the military, but on the other hand, what we are trying to do is clean these sites up,” Caldwell added. Tetra Tech is in the business of cleaning up military properties that have been abused, he said. Dunavant pointed out the Eastern Compact, composed of North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia, is now looking for another dumpsite. “Gentlemen, we are going to be subject to their scrutiny in the future,” Dunavant said.He questioned whether Tetra Tech does modeling for people like those involved in the Eastern Compact. “Yea, we do modeling of that type. We do environmental impact statements, and generally speaking those require some type of modeling,” Caldwell told Dunavant. Being an engineer himself, Dunavant said the thing that bothers him about engineers, is that they never saw a problem they didn’t want to solve or think they couldn’t solve.“But there are many insoluble problems out there, and I think we all need to be eternally aware of that,” he concluded. Caldwell also pointed out that some of the work that will be conducted at the center in Riverstone will be highly confidential. “I wouldn’t call it classified, classified, but they are pretty choosy about who they get to work on it. It’s not the kind of work where if I told you something, I would have to kill you,” he quipped. In other business Tuesday night, supervisors approved a resolution supporting the establishment of a community based outpatient clinic for Halifax County veterans. According to the resolution, it is estimated over 4,000 veterans currently reside in Halifax County, with many being disabled and facing significant health issues which require them to travel substantial distances to receive veteran’s health care. County veterans are forced to travel over 200 miles round trip to veterans health facilities located in Richmond, which veterans advocates say places significant physical and economic burdens on them. In an effort to provide better access to medical care for veterans, the board of supervisors is being asked to endorse the resolution supporting the establishment of a community-based veterans medical clinic to improve health care access for Halifax County veterans. Bowman said Congressman Virgil Goode Jr. had expressed his support for the establishment of a veterans’ outpatient clinic in Halifax County. “The people involved seem to think we have reason to be optimistic that we can get some sort of veterans’ support center located here,” Bowman said making the motion to approve the resolution which received unanimous approval from the five supervisors attending the Tuesday night joint meeting. Supervisors R.E. “Dickie” Abbott, Lottie Nunn and Bryant Claiborne were absent.   https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/35 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/35 Tue, 26 Jan 2010 00:00:00 EST Tuesday, 26 January 2010 00:00:00 EST MHC Historical Society Taps the SBCT to Develop a Plan for Henry County Courthouse The purpose of this feasibility study is to develop a market analysis with specific recommendations for the uses, tenants, management and staffing structure, and funding strategy for operations of the Courthouse once a planned $4 million capital campaign is completed. A study team under the leadership of the SBTC will include additional experts and consultants from: Virginia Tech’s Office of Economic Development, National Trust for Historic Preservation, Martinsville-Henry County Chamber of Commerce, and Ware Bonsall Architects from Charlotte, N.C. Each organization will perform specific tasks related to their field of expertise and co-operate on the final project delivery with the SBTC. As part of the project development process, the SBTC will establish a project advisory committee, comprised of individuals representing businesses, corporate, education, government, nonprofit, philanthropic organizations, property owners and civic communities in Martinsville-Henry County . The committee will ensure that the options considered for the use of the Courthouse are based on community needs and interests as it relates to revitalizing the Martinsville uptown area and preserving the historic structure. “This is an ideal project for the SBTC. We will be a part of developing a comprehensive, realistic view of the courthouse’s strengths, weaknesses and competitive potential,” said Eva Doss, SBTC Executive Director. Debbie Hall of the Historical Society agreed. “The SBTC has the resources to pull together a quality team of experts in historical rehabilitation to help us assess the best use options for development of this courthouse. We are eager to restore this important resource so that it may resume its original purpose of serving the citizens of Martinsville and Henry County ,” she said. The SBTC opened its Martinsville office on May 17, 2005, at the West Piedmont Business Development Center . The SBTC offers management consulting services to local and regional companies and entrepreneurs for non-profit fees. The center also offers internship opportunities to students from local and regional colleges and universities who are exposed to real business problems and enhance their strategic thinking. Since the beginning of its establishment the SBTC has delivered valuable business plans, market research, financial analysis and product development reports and other result driven consulting projects to over 50 Southside companies and nonprofit organizations. The projects had positive, measurable impact on the companies’ bottom lines including, but not limited to: cuts in operating expenses, securing additional capital, improved operational processes, increased sales and launching of new programs. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/34 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/34 Fri, 09 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EST Friday, 09 October 2009 00:00:00 EST Business plan moves forward for Sports authority By DEBBIE HALL - Bulletin Staff Writer The Southside Business Technology Center (SBTC) was selected to complete a strategic business plan for the Southern Virginia Recreation Facilities Authority, with various parts of the plan to be submitted over the next few weeks. Eva Doss, director of the center, said the plan will be completed in intervals, or blocks. As each block is completed, the center will submit it to Dennis Toney, director of the sports authority. Toney will distribute the information to authority members for their input, Doss said. The business plan was among items requested by the Harvest Foundation before additional funding is considered for the sports authority. The foundation paid $8.7 million to build the Smith River Sports Complex and gave it to the authority to manage. During a meeting of the authority’s board Thursday, she urged authority members to “provide feedback in a timely fashion,” in part due to the short time frame for completion. Doss said Toney should have the first submission — titled “Industry Analysis” — by Oct. 15.When conducting research for that portion of the business plan, the center will look at similar entities in Virginia, North Carolina and nationwide to provide an overview of the industry and identify factors that are critical to success, she said. A market analysis, slated to be submitted Nov. 6, will identify the primary market by using market research and survey results, Doss said. Other components of the business plan, including competitor analysis, a marketing plan and financial forecasts, will be submitted by Nov. 16, 21 and 30 respectively, she said. An executive summary also will be prepared, Doss said. That document will include highlights of other components and recommend strategies for recruitment, outline key points of the marketing plan, highlight the financial forecast, assess the competition and offer strategies to compete in the market, she said. The organizational structure of the authority also will be examined, she said. “We will look at what we have now and what will best support the organization’s plans,” Doss said. The center, located in the West Piedmont Business Development Center, 22 E. Church St., provides consulting services to existing and emerging companies in Martinsville-Henry County. It serves 45 companies a year, according to an April release. Also Thursday, the authority board agreed to allow continued discussions on ways to partner with Martinsville on the city-owned Mustangs baseball team. That is provided those talks do not interfere with the authority’s priority of finishing its business plan and other requirements from Harvest before it will consider more funding. When making the request, Martinsville city manager and authority member Clarence Monday said a recent report on the Mustangs recommended exploring partnerships with individuals and/or private agencies to improve team operations while cutting the team’s expenses. City officials are concurrently advertising for a new general manager and accepting proposals from other private or public entities interested in partnerships for the season next year, he said. Applications and proposals will be accepted through the end of October, Monday said. Beginning next month, city officials will “look to see the merit of the proposals” and the qualifications of applicants and decide how to proceed. “We’re not saying we want the sports authority to take over management” or funding of the baseball team, Monday said. “We want to work with sports authority staff to explore opportunities” for partnerships that would be mutually beneficial. The authority also agreed not to change an existing policy about bicycle use. Cyclists are encouraged to bike to the facility, but bicycles are prohibited inside the complex. The next meeting of the authority is scheduled for 4 p.m. Nov. 12.   https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/33 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/33 Fri, 25 Sep 2009 00:00:00 EST Friday, 25 September 2009 00:00:00 EST SOUTHERN VIRGINIA BIOENERGY CONFERENCE: October 6, 2009 Legislators, community leaders, farmers, and economic developers are closely watching the progress of bioenergy production in Southern Virginia. In searching for innovative solutions, Southern Virginia Bioenergy: Making Innovation Work conference scheduled for Tuesday, October 6, 2009, will offer all stakeholders an opportunity to focus on Virginia’s renewable energy agenda. Beginning at 9 a.m. and ending at 5 p.m. and held at the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research in Danville Virginia, the conference will feature demonstrations from BioSAT (Biomass Site Assessment Tool), an ethanol mini-refinery from Allard Research & Development, and a mobile gasification power generation unit by the Auburn University’s Center for Bioenergy and Bioproducts. Area entrepreneurs will share their bioenergy projects and business models including an overview of the VanDerHyde Dairy anaerobic digester project, Red Birch Energy canola bio-diesel facility, and Osage Appomattox Bioenergy plans to use barley to produce ethanol. The conference is sponsored by the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research, Virginia Cooperative Extension, & Southeast Agriculture & Forestry Energy Resources & Alliance as a component of the EDA Project: Leveraging R&D for Economic Development—A Commercialization System for Southside Virginia. Although the conference is free to the participant, you must register by Friday, October 2, 2009. Click below to register or by phone: Theresa Lewis (434) 766-6756; email: theresa.lewis@ialr.org. Register Now! Program Information: 9:00am—5:00pmDownload detailed itinerary. 25x25Brent Bailey, 25x25 Alliance–America’s Energy Future Virginia Renewable Energy AgendaThe Honorable Patrick O. Gottschalk, Virginia Secretary of Commerce and Trade (invited)The Honorable Robert S. Bloxom, Virginia Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry (invited)The Honorable Charles R. Hawkins, Tobacco Indemnification and Community Revitalization Commission Ken Moss, CEO of Piedmont Bio Products, LLC (invited) From Idea to Reality – Session IBioSAT. A Web Based Biomass Assessment Tool. Tim Young, University of TennesseeEthanol Mini Bio Refineries. Allard Research & Development, Texas Mobile Gasification Unit: Christian Brodbeck , Auburn UniversityProduction of Bio-oil using Fast Pyrolysis Mississippi State University Lunch & Table Discussions with Idea to Reality Speakers From Idea to Reality – Session IICo-firing: Pittsylvania Power Station (Dominion Virginia Power), Hurt, VirginiaAnaerobic Digester: Van Der Hyde Dairy, Chatham, VirginiaEthanol: Appomattox Bioenergy (Osage Bio Energy), Hopewell, VirginiaCanola: Red Birch Energy, Martinsville, Virginia Lessons LearnedDr. Liam Leightley, Executive Director, Institute for Advanced Learning and Research Public Meeting of the Virginia Commission of Energy and the Environment: Discussion of Legislative InitiativeThe Honorable Mary Margaret Whipple, Member, Senate of Virginia, ChairmanThe Honorable Charles D. Poindexter, Member, House of Delegates of Virginia, Vice Chairman Exhibit Visits & Networking Download the PDF.   https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/32 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/32 Thu, 28 May 2009 00:00:00 EST Thursday, 28 May 2009 00:00:00 EST Honoring Earle Greene Mr. Earle Greene, lifetime entrepreneur, native of Martinsville, father of Connie Nyholm, SBTC Board of Directors member, passed away on May 27, 2009. The Greene family has requested that in lieu of flowers, contributions be made to the donor's choice of either of these two non-profit organizations. Alzheimer's Association Danville Office:1225 W Main StreetDanville, VA 24541Phone: (434) 792-3700 Ext. 30Email: melanie.vaughan@alz.org Because Mr. Greene was a keen developer in the Martinsville area, this group's mission was especially close to his heart. Southside Business Technology Center 22 East Church StreetSuite 318Martinsville, VA 24112Phone: (272) 638-2523 x210Contact: Eva DossEmail: evadoss@southsidebtc.org Sincerely thank you for your donations.   https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/31 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/31 Thu, 30 Apr 2009 00:00:00 EST Thursday, 30 April 2009 00:00:00 EST Business center gets Harvest funds The Harvest Foundation has awarded the Southside Business Technology Center (SBTC) $375,000 over three years, in part to create an emergency fund for employers struggling with the recession. The center, located in the West Piedmont Business Development Center, 22 E. Church St., provides consulting services to existing and emerging companies in Martinsville-Henry County. It serves 45 companies a year, according to a release from Harvest and the center. “The consulting services provided by SBTC help companies to have a complete and objective understanding of their internal operations and external environment, resulting in step-by-step approaches to increase efficiencies, decrease costs, maintain cash-flow and if feasible, expand their target markets,” said Eva Doss, executive director of SBTC. “The emergency fund will only be used in special cases where the given employer still has a future business potential but needs help in overcoming the recessionary period.” Under a new agreement, the center will work with the Martinsville-Henry County Economic Development Corp. (EDC) to identify businesses needing help, “whether it is through the emergency fund or the regular services of the SBTC,” according to Jeff Mansour, senior program officer of The Harvest Foundation. The center and EDC also will collaborate on some public programs and an informational campaign aimed at local businesses, he said. Those programs will help “people better understand the roles of both organizations and the resources available through both organizations,” Mansour added. The center was established in 2005. It develops business and operating plans, and performs competitor and market research analyses to ensure the continuation of businesses and the retention of jobs in Southside Virginia. Client fees are established on a sliding scale based on the stage of development of the company. In recent months, the center’s services have especially helped small- and medium-sized businesses coping with the recession in the local and national economies. Mansour said the center services are a valuable resource for local employers. “Their services help local employers meet challenges and take advantage of opportunities in a way that helps us keep or increase local jobs,” he stated. “This grant will also support a new partnership between the EDC and SBTC aimed at bringing more resources to bear to help local employers weather the current economic storm.” The center can be reached at 638-2523, ext. 210. The Harvest Foundation researches and invests in programs and initiatives in areas of health, education and welfare. It was established in 2002 from the sale of the Memorial Hospital in Martinsville. Its Web site is http://www.theharvestfoundation.org. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/50 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/50 Mon, 02 Mar 2009 00:00:00 EST Monday, 02 March 2009 00:00:00 EST SBTC exhibits at Fast Track 2009 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/30 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/30 Wed, 10 Dec 2008 00:00:00 EST Wednesday, 10 December 2008 00:00:00 EST SBTC Hires Deputy Director The Southside Business Technology Center (SBTC) in partnership with Virginia Tech is pleased to announce the recent hiring of Mr. Lascelles James as a full-time Deputy Director to be located in the center’s Danville, VA office. This is a new position created to support SBTC’s growth. The SBTC has been serving business clients in the Southside region for over 3 years and the center further anticipates an increase in demand for its services in the Danville/Pittsylvania County area. The SBTC offers top quality business consulting services to local and regional companies and entrepreneurs for subsidized fees. The SBTC service offerings include, but are not limited to: business planning, competitor analysis, market and industry research and analysis, financial modeling, feasibility studies, and operational planning. The SBTC also offers internship opportunities to students from local and regional colleges and universities who learn to use their analytical skills in real world business projects to enhance the sustainability of Southside Virginia area businesses. Mr. James is a graduate of the University of Florida (1993) where he earned a Bachelors of Science in Industrial and Systems Engineering. He also holds a Masters of Science degree in Engineering Management from the University of South Florida (1998). Mr. James has also been certified in Project Management from Villanova University. Mr. James brings over 12 years of business consulting experience to the SBTC. He has worked in the Healthcare, Management and Information Technology (IT) Strategy Consulting, and Telecommunications Industries fulfilling roles such as Management Engineer and Director of Business Process Engineering, Senior IT Strategy Consultant, IT Project Manager and Engagement Manager. Mr. James has demonstrated a successful track record of defining, measuring, analyzing and improving organizational performance and effectiveness in diverse corporate and governmental environments. Mr. James has worked within the Corporate Strategic Planning and Performance departments in the private sector where he was instrumental in developing competitive strategies, helped organizations bridge the gap between corporate goals and objectives and departmental plans and budgets; put in place metrics, technologies and methodologies to measure organizational effectiveness; helped organizations create balanced scorecards for measuring and ensuring organizational effectiveness. His experience in consulting with the premier Management and Strategy consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton has afforded him exposure to multiple consulting engagements with such entities as the US Treasury, NASA and other fortune 500 companies. His experience in IT, P&L, performance improvement, change management, and project/program management will greatly serve the SBTC and Southside Virginia area businesses. As the Deputy Director of the SBTC Mr. James will have oversight responsibility for the Danville City and Pittsylvania County program administration to include: project management, management of business analysts, interns and consulting staff, branch organizational strategy, program effectiveness measurement and evaluation, and assist the SBTC Executive Director, Eva Doss, in resource development and other special projects. Mr. James resides in Dry Fork, Virginia with his wife Bethann and three sons; Carter, Weston and Mason. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/29 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/29 Mon, 06 Oct 2008 00:00:00 EST Monday, 06 October 2008 00:00:00 EST SBTC Deputy Director The Southside Business Technology Center, a well-established business consulting organization, has an opening for a full-time Deputy Director to be located in Danville, VA. This is a new position created to support SBTC’s growth. Reporting to the Executive Director, the Deputy Director will be expected to ensure the successful establishment of SBTC’s branch office in Danville, VA and longer term organizational goals. The Deputy Director will have Danville branch office, program oversight and supervisory responsibilities, and will manage business consulting projects. Master in Business Administration or in a related field is required. Minimum five years experience in business consulting, including project management, planning, and development is a must. Demonstrated proficiency in the following is needed: conceptualize, design, and implement business consulting projects; strong analytical, project and financial management skills; and effective written and oral communication skills. The incumbent is expected to travel at times, including some overnight. Salary is negotiable based on qualifications and experience, and includes a highly competitive benefits package. Please submit a resume and three professional references to the Southside Business Technology Center, 22 East Church Street, Suite 318, Martinsville, VA 24112. Resumes accepted until the position is filled. Job Description https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/28 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/28 Wed, 01 Oct 2008 00:00:00 EST Wednesday, 01 October 2008 00:00:00 EST SMALL BUSINESSES TO RECEIVE MORE ASSISTANCE The grant of $985,000 is for five years and will enable the SBTC to open an office in the region and to serve existing and start-up businesses. Founded in Martinsville in 2005 by the Harvest Foundation, the SBTC was developed in partnership with the Martinsville-Henry County Chamber of Commerce and Virginia Tech to provide business consulting services to enhance the economy of the region. The SBTC has been serving approximately 45 businesses a year. The SBTC provides consulting services for local and regional existing and emerging private businesses, non-profit organizations, economic development organizations, local governments using business analysts, Virginia Tech and industry experts. The SBTC also offers internship opportunities to business student from regional colleges and universities. “Through this grant, we can increase our capacity and serve more businesses based on very high demand,” said Eva Doss, Executive Director of the SBTC. “We encourage businesses to call our office to learn more about our services.” The announcement was made at the Dan River Business Development Center, where the SBTC will open its office October 15. The SBTC will hire a deputy director for the Danville office and plans to hire an additional business analyst in the third year of the grant. The SBTC has been serving a limited number of clients in the Danville area. Representatives of three of them, the Danville Regional Airport, Chatham Communications, and the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research, discussed how the SBTC has assisted the development of their organizations. The SBTC assists in job creation and retention, increased capital investments, increased sales and business growth, target market expansions, and business education and training, based on demand. “The Foundation is impressed with the tangible results that the SBTC has achieved in its initial three years,” said Karl Stauber, President and CEO. “This grant will enable the SBTC to serve more organizations in Danville, Pittsylvania and Caswell counties and support one of the major goals of the Foundation, strengthening our economy.” The Danville Regional Foundation seeks to develop, promote and support activities that improve the health, education and well-being of the residents of the City of Danville and Pittsylvania County, VA and Caswell County, NC. The Foundation has awarded approximately $20.5 million to nine not-for-profit or government agencies since its founding in 2005.   https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/27 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/27 Wed, 24 Sep 2008 00:00:00 EST Wednesday, 24 September 2008 00:00:00 EST Southside Business Technology Center hires a new Executive Assistant The Southside Business Technology Center (SBTC) in partnership with Virginia Tech hired Mrs. Regina C. Haynes, of Bassett, Virginia, as a full–time Executive Assistant. Mrs. Haynes graduated from Averett University in Danville, Virginia, with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in 1995. She has an Associates degree in Business Management and General Studies from Patrick Henry Community College and is a Certified Professional Secretary. Until recently, Mrs. Haynes was an Executive Assistant at Hooker Furniture Corporation, Martinsville, Virginia. She was an employee of Tultex Corporation and acted as Corporate Secretary and Manager of Shareholder Relations until its closing in 2000. Ms. Haynes’ duties at the SBTC include overall administrative, office management and accounting functions of the organization. "I look forward to the opportunity to work at the SBTC and hope to make a positive contribution to the organization and the community.” (Regina Haynes) SBTC offers top quality management consulting services to local and regional business for subsidized fees. SBTC areas of expertise include, but are not limited to: business planning, market research and analysis, financial analysis, organizational analysis, etc. The center also offers internship opportunities to students from local and regional colleges and universities who are exposed to real business problems and learn to enhance their analytical thinking. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/26 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/26 Thu, 15 May 2008 00:00:00 EST Thursday, 15 May 2008 00:00:00 EST SBTC Congratulates HD Web Studio and Business Award Winners Local businesses and executives were recognized Wednesday for their significant accomplishments and contributions to the community. The Martinsville-Henry County Economic Development Corp. (EDC) and the Martinsville-Henry County Chamber of Commerce presented the awards during a Business Appreciation Luncheon at the Bassett Country Club. The following awards were presented by the EDC: The Cutting Edge Award, presented to Applied Felts. The award goes to a business that has kept ahead of the technology curve. EDC President and Chief Executive Officer Mark Heath said Applied Felts has seen continuous growth since it opened in 1997, and its staff has grown from 25 to 125. The firm has a modern Web site, which in today’s business world is “the way business gets done,” he said. Charlie Mattox, the firm’s general manager, accepted the award. The Keystone Award, presented to StarTek. The award goes to the firm that created the most jobs during the past year. StarTek, a call center, opened in 2004 and now employs 820 people, Heath said. About 140 of those jobs were created in 2007, he said.Site Director Mike King accepted the award. The Pillar Award, presented to Cynthia Ingram, who recently retired as dean of continuing education and work force development at Patrick Henry Community College. The award recognizes lifetime achievement. “She devoted her life to enhancing the livelihood of all the citizens of this area,” Heath said. According to Heath, Ingram was instrumental in the founding of PHCC’s School of Craft and Design as well as the Southern Virginia Artisan Center. Those entities have boosted the arts’ local economic impact and helped the area “take a giant step forward” in diversifying its economy, he said. The Entrepreneurial Spirit Award, presented to Joey Arrington, president of Arrington Engines. The award recognizes the perseverance of a business or executive. Heath said that Arrington’s firm is “constantly introducing” new innovations in the racing industry. He added that Arrington brought a racing team and 30 jobs to the Martinsville area — “what we consider to be the center of NASCAR.” The Ambassador of the Year Award, presented to Dennis Taggart, vice president of human resources for Stanley Furniture. The award goes to a business leader who has gone above and beyond the call of duty to host economic development prospects. Heath said the community would not have landed RTI International Metals without Taggart’s help. RTI plans to invest $100 million in a new factory at Patriot Centre at Beaver Creek industrial park and hire 150 people. The Tourism Achievement Award, presented to Nancy Spilman, chairman of the Southern Virginia Artisan Center’s board of directors. The award recognizes achievement in the development of local tourism efforts. Without Spilman’s help, the center would not have become as successful as it has, Heath said. He noted that since the center opened in August, it has had more than 2,000 visitors from many states and countries. The Small and Minority Business Development Award, presented to Sharon Quesinberry-Minter, owner of Creekside Repair. The firm repairs large vehicles, according to Heath. In recent years, the firm had an economic slump and sought help from local small business consultants. It then received a three-year contract to repair Virginia Department of Transportation vehicles in 13 counties, Heath said. The firm’s revenues have since increased 360 percent from 2006 to 2007, said Heath, adding that Creekside anticipates expanding its staff. The following awards were presented by the chamber: The Small Business of the Year Award for Service, presented to HD Web Studio (formerly Her Design). Accepting was founder Masha Edelen. Chamber board Chairman John Parkinson said the Web site design firm has moved from the West Piedmont Business Development Center — a small business incubator — into its own location uptown. The firm’s sales have increased 600 percent in recent years, he noted. The Small Business of the Year Award for Retail, presented to Martinsville Electronics. Michele Shelton of the firm accepted the award. Parkinson said the family business has grown in the past six years to need both full- and part-time employees. The firm has seen a steady increase in sales for each year it has been in operation, he said. The Small Business of the Year Award for Manufacturing, presented to Medley Specialties Inc. Accepting was Gene Medley, the firm’s president. The firm manufactures detergents, softeners and pet products. During the past year, it has seen a 30 percent increase in sales and doubled its staff, Parkinson said. In addition, Medley and the firm are active in the community, such as by providing free supplies to animals at the Martinsville-Henry County SPCA, according to Parkinson. The Small Business Team of the Year Award, presented to Nancy and Charles Bradshaw of Triangle Electric Corp. Nancy Bradshaw was the first woman in Virginia to be certified as a master electrician and is one of only three in the state today, Parkinson pointed out. The firm has been in business since 1965 and despite economic troubles in the community in recent years, Parkinson said, Triangle Electric has survived due to the diversification of its customer base to include both state and federal procurement opportunities. The Bradshaws also are active in community service, he said. Parkinson added that all of the award winners have proven that Henry County-Martinsville can diversify its economy.   https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/25 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/25 Fri, 18 Apr 2008 00:00:00 EST Friday, 18 April 2008 00:00:00 EST Hilden America Inc. Completes Recapitalization with Pine Creek Partners April 18, 2008 - SOUTH BOSTON, VA - Hilden America Inc. (http://www.hildenamerica.com/) announced today that it has completed a recapitalization financed and backed by Washington, DC-based private equity firm Pine Creek Partners (http://www.pinecreekpartners.com/) in partnership with SunTrust Bank. Headquartered in South Boston (VA), Hilden is a luxury linen provider to high-end hotels and restaurants and specializes in long staple, Egyptian cotton bed, table and bath linen, as well as terry towels, robes and slippers. Customers include the Sun Valley Company, The Greenbrier, The Breakers, The Homestead, and the Pebble Beach Company. This transaction will allow Hilden to strengthen working capital resources and solidly position the Company for future growth. Hilden, a well known name in textiles, was founded in 1874 and was previously a privately-owned family business. As a subsidiary of British textile manufacturer Hilden Manufacturing, Hilden America was established as a direct presence in the United States in 1989 through the acquisition of Halifax Cotton Mills. In 2006, investors including the Company's current CEO Russell Basch, purchased this US division. Pine Creek is very pleased to have partnered with proven executive and CEO Russell Basch who has overseen solid revenue growth and margin expansion during his tenure at Hilden. Mr. Basch will own a significant amount of the business going forward. "This infusion of capital and talent will provide tremendous opportunities for Hilden," said Basch. "We will be able to even better offer our customers the right products on time with a continued focus on excellent quality, delivery and prices. Moreover, this transaction will enable Hilden to continue to grow organically and via acquisitions." "This transaction fits squarely with Pine Creek's objective of partnering with skilled management teams to realize opportunities to really grow businesses and create value," said Hilden Chairman and Pine Creek Managing Partner George McCabe. "Hilden enjoys a unique advantage with its US-based cut and sew operation and unequaled sourcing capabilities which affords the Company the ability to quickly deliver high-quality products at competitive prices. The growth prospects are truly exciting." "For over 130 years, Hilden has been providing high-quality linens to its customers," Basch said. "Pine Creek's financial support strongly positions the company to continue to constantly exceed its customer expectations and also realize its plans for significant growth." _____ Hilden America Inc. is a leading provider of luxury table, bed, and bath linens to the hospitality industry. Through its Virginia manufacturing facility and strong relationships worldwide, Hilden America proudly offers sophisticated products of unbeatable quality to a range of clients including 4 and 5 star hotels and fine dining establishments. With seasoned staff and a 130-year old weaving heritage, Hilden America fuses tradition with technology to maintain quality, give outstanding customer service, and provide dependable delivery dates. For more on Hilden America and its long-lasting, luxurious products visit http://www.hildenamerica.com/. ______ Pine Creek Partners, Washington, D.C., manages a proprietary private equity fund that offers capital and guidance to growing companies and the executives who currently or in the future will run them. The firm was founded on the belief that entrepreneurs are unique leaders whose vision and energy is the core of a successful company. Through constructive and confidential partnerships, Pine Creek provides unobtrusive advice and timely funding for expanding or purchasing a business, or providing liquidity to an owner. Over the past decade, our founding partners have invested over $600 million in more than 30 companies and helped numerous executives build businesses. To learn more about Pine Creek's management-focused approach, visit www.pinecreekpartners.com. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/24 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/24 Thu, 07 Feb 2008 00:00:00 EST Thursday, 07 February 2008 00:00:00 EST Southside Business Technology Center Receives Harvest Foundation Grant MARTINSVILLE, VA, December 20, 2007 -The Southside Business Technology Center (SBTC), a non-profit organization created in partnership with Virginia Tech, received $148,000 in grant allocations from the Harvest Foundation based on the center’s unprecedented, private industry, demand driven track-record of providing tangible, measurable, high-quality, on-site management consulting services to over 86 companies since its establishment. Harvest Foundation Executive Director, Rich Killingsworth, stated: “SBTC is a vital component of our community’s efforts to attract, create, retain, and expand the employment base of Martinsville and Henry County. They have been very successful in helping local small to medium-sized employers become more competitive and profitable. We applaud their accomplishments and the success of their clients.” The grant funds will be used to assist the overall economic development of MHC and Southside Virginia, by providing in-depth business consulting services for existing and newly established businesses. These services include business plan development, feasibility studies, finding sources of capital, market research and analysis, financial analysis, operational analysis, and mergers and acquisitions. Serving approximately 45 businesses annually, the SBTC will continue to assist in job creation and retention, increased capital investments, increased sales, creation of a greater more diversified tax base, and business management education and training based on actual industry demand. The principal objective of the project is to achieve measurable economic development results by providing high-quality tangible management consulting projects to MHC businesses. “I am very pleased with the development of the SBTC and the quality of the services our organization is providing to Southside businesses. Our deliverables enable the client companies to identify real improvements in their sales, operations, and growth plans,” said Joe Cobbe, Chairman of the SBTC Board of Directors. “I believe the Harvest Foundation grant will help the SBTC to continue providing its services to more companies in Martinsville – Henry County, thereby further contributing to the overall economic development of the region.” Through start-up funding from the Harvest Foundation, the SBTC opened its doors in May 2005 and has provided on-site tangible management consulting services to approximately 86 businesses and non-profit organizations resulting in 100% client satisfaction and actual, measurable bottom line business results. An example of the type of assistance they provide local employers is SBTC’s work with Blue Ridge Solvents & Coatings, Inc. located in Henry County. “Resultant of the sale of Prillaman, in 1999, Blue Ridge Solvents was formed. The owner and CEO of the new company was formerly a chemist and though he knew a lot about the industry, he knew little about managing a company. Because of the need for business management skills, Blue Ridge contracted the SBTC to perform an organizational analysis and then help develop a business plan for growing the company. The organizational analysis was very helpful as it indicated areas in the company that needed restructuring and strengthening. Topics in the analysis included Management/Leadership Issues, Financial Analysis, Costing Methods, Operations, Sales Analysis, and Profit Analysis. In addition, and more importantly, each area of the analysis was thoroughly explained and key managers were trained and given the tools necessary to continue using the information obtained. Because of the Organizational Analysis and the resulting Business Plan, Blue Ridge Solvents & Coatings, inc. has recreated itself, streamlined the business making it financially stronger than ever. We have been able to increase margins, increase profit and have gone from being under capitalized to a company that is very bankable.” – said George Quinlan, President of Blue Ridge Solvents & Coatings, Inc. For more information about the SBTC, please visit www.southsidebtc.org or call Eva Doss at 276-638-2523, ext. 210. For information regarding the Harvest Foundation or the foundation’s support of SBTC, please contact Jeffrey Mansour at 276-632-3329. For more information about Blue Ridge Solvents and Coatings, Inc. and the SBTC projects with them please contact George Quinlan at 276-629-5325 ext. 232. The Harvest Foundation supports health, education, and welfare initiatives that serve our vision of cultivating Martinsville and Henry County, Virginia as a “community of choice.” The Harvest Foundation was established in 2002 from the sale of Memorial Hospital. For more information visit www.theharvestfoundation.org. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/23 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/23 Tue, 29 Jan 2008 00:00:00 EST Tuesday, 29 January 2008 00:00:00 EST SBTC Receives $148,000 grant from the Harvest Foundation The Harvest Foundation board approved more than $1.5 million in grants on Thursday. The nine, one-year grants continue the foundation’s support for entertainment programs in uptown, financial literacy, rivers and trails development and K-12 education, among other things. The only new group receiving funding was LEAD VIRGINIA, according to Rich Killingsworth, executive director of Harvest. The board approved a $50,000 grant to allow two people to participate in the statewide leadership initiative. The program educates participants about regional differences and statewide needs, according to Harvest. Previously, Martinsville Mayor Kimble Reynolds Jr., Lisa Fultz of the Martinsville-Henry County Economic Development Corp., and Kathy Rogers, executive director of the United Way of Martinsville and Henry County, participated in the program. Killingsworth said the program creates a leadership network that “allows us to ... bring the best practices” in the commonwealth to Southside. “It’s critical to building capacity (and) sustaining leadership” in the area, he said, calling the grant a critical investment in the area’s future. Other grants approved are: • $504,560 to Patrick Henry Community College for the Martinsville-Henry County After Three program. This is the largest grant approved Thursday. The program addressees the need for after-school programs for middle-school students by providing experiences in academics, art and athletics. It serves about 700 students in programs with the Bassett and Fieldale community centers, two YMCAs, Boys and Girls Clubs, Spencer-Penn Centre, Blue Ridge Library, New College Institute, Coalition for Health and Wellness and DeHart School of Dance. • $234,125 to Martinsville Uptown. This will go to enhance entertainment programs and marketing uptown as an entertainment destination, Harvest stated. It also will increase programming for young adults and establish a cooperative event promotion program for the surrounding region. Killingsworth said concerts uptown, such as those held last summer, will be expanded into the spring and fall when the weather is better. He said he was surprised by the number of people who turned out for those concerts, despite the heat, and it showed their “passion about uptown. They want to come” there for events. Efforts will be made to find desirable entertainment for young adults, aged 18-25, and things that will make visitors become enthusiastic about what goes on here. He noted that bluegrass concerts being held in the Rives Theater in uptown have drawn “wall-to-wall people,” 300 or more, and said the fact that such events are heavily subsidized is OK. That is because they help people become more familiar with the arts in their everyday lives and create a culture of art in the area, he said. • $216,075 to the Dan River Basin Association. This grant will continue to fund the group’s Community Connections — Rivers and Trails program, according to Harvest. The project will continue building on existing partnerships to create a connected system of rivers, trails and greenways in this area, and expand efforts to restore healthy rivers through outreach and education, Harvest stated. “This is one of the most successful, most visible,” projects Harvest has funded, Killingsworth said. The goal is to eventually connect the uptown walking trail to Fieldale, a 7-mile stretch, he said. That would be a huge recreation attraction and a huge tool for recruiting businesses, which often want that type of amenity in a locality, he added. Ultimately, Killingsworth said local trails might connect with the East Coast Greenway, which will be the largest in the country when completed. • $150,000 for the K-12 initiative administrative support for one year. For now, Harvest will provide this support, which will include professional technical assistance, leadership development, monitoring project implementation, evaluation of strategic plans, subject area development, planning and reports, and outside professional evaluation of the K-12 initiative Harvest has funded for the 21 schools in Henry County and Martinsville. “We don’t want the schools doing their own evaluation” of how well programs are working, Killingsworth said. He added that in the future some other group may take on that role, other than Harvest. Rather than fund new initiatives, this grant “is the administrative side of the K-12” initiative in place, he said. • $148,000 to the Southside Business and Technology program. This grant will support the Southside Entrepreneurial Capacity Building project locally by providing professional quality business consulting to a projected 45 employers. “Eva Doss is doing a phenomenal job,” Killingsworth said of the director of the program. “We hope to get the word out more” about the services, such as planning and analysis with a focus on technology, provided by the program. • $131,822 for Gateway Streetscape Foundation. This grant will support the uptown beautification enhancement program, which works to beautify and maintain key streetscapes and gateways in the uptown commercial district, uptown rail trail and high traffic sites throughout Henry County, according to Harvest. Killingsworth said beautification efforts are critical to increasing people’s pride and sense of ownership in the area which, in turn, is critical to recruiting business. • $68,970 for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Martinsville/Henry County. This grant will fund a board and staff development program focusing on creating a strategic plan that will lead to the investment in training and professional development. The club is a “strong organization. What they’ve done is phenomenal” and the board deserves support as it develops future directions, Killingsworth said. • $60,000 for the HOPE Initiative of the United Way of Henry County and Martinsville. This grant aids the project that is focusing on improving the financial literacy of individuals, families and high school students through tax assistance services, education and outreach services. “In my mind, this is a critical initiative” that is attempting to teach financial literacy — how to balance a checkbook, get a loan, manage a mortgage and so on — to people of all ages, Killingsworth said. Killingsworth said the grants, totaling $1,563,552, show the board’s strong commitment to nurturing and building on programs in the community. The Harvest Foundation was created from the sale of Memorial Health Systems in 2002. It provides grants to non-profit endeavors in Henry County and Martinsville in the areas of health, education and welfare. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/22 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/22 Thu, 04 Oct 2007 00:00:00 EST Thursday, 04 October 2007 00:00:00 EST Southside Business Technology Center hires a new Business Analyst The Southside Business Technology Center (SBTC) in partnership with Virginia Tech hired Mr. Varun Sadana as a full –time Business Analyst to satisfy the growing demand of Southside businesses requesting SBTC consulting services. SBTC has successfully delivered during its two years of operations 48 and currently is working on 4 management consulting projects for Southside Virginia businesses. SBTC offers top quality management consulting services to local and regional business for subsidized fees. SBTC areas of expertise include, but are not limited to: business planning, market research and analysis, financial analysis, organizational analysis, etc. The center also offers internship opportunities to students from local and regional colleges and universities who are exposed to real business problems and learn to enhance their analytical thinking. Mr. Sadana graduated from the University of North Carolina – Greensboro’s Bryan School of Business MBA program in May 2007. He also has a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Delhi, New Delhi, India. Mr. Sadana has a broad perspective on all functional areas within a corporation as well as in-depth knowledge in: Management Science, Advanced Business Statistics, Corporate Strategy and Finance Functions, Global Financial Markets and Security Analysis. "I welcome the opportunity to work with the SBTC and make a positive contribution towards the economic growth of the local community and the Commonwealth of Virginia. I also look forward to bringing a broad prospective to the consulting services offered by the SBTC.” (Varun Sadana) As SBTC’s Business Analyst Mr. Sadana will manage several new management consulting projects and work with interns from area colleges and universities. SBTC welcomes student applications for internship opportunities from all regional schools. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/21 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/21 Tue, 07 Aug 2007 00:00:00 EST Tuesday, 07 August 2007 00:00:00 EST SBTC FY 2006-2007 Annual Report released: Center achieves higher than expected results The Southside Business Technology Center (SBTC) completed its second full year of operations with better than expected/planned results on June 30, 2007. The center achieved its goals in all three core objectives regarding: 1.) Client recruitment/Project development2.) Financial sustainability3.) Contributing to the overall economic development of the region. View Annual Report   https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/20 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/20 Mon, 02 Jul 2007 00:00:00 EST Monday, 02 July 2007 00:00:00 EST Southside Business Technology Center hires a new Business Analyst The Southside Business Technology Center (SBTC) in partnership with Virginia Tech hired Mr. Chris Cousins as a full –time Business Analyst to satisfy the growing demand of Southside businesses requesting SBTC consulting services. SBTC has successfully delivered during its two years of operations 45 and currently is working on 4 management consulting projects for Southside Virginia businesses. SBTC offers top quality management consulting services to local and regional business for subsidized fees. SBTC areas of expertise include, but are not limited to: business planning, market research and analysis, financial analysis, organizational analysis, etc. The center also offers internship opportunities to students from local and regional colleges and universities who are exposed to real business problems and learn to enhance their strategic thinking. Mr. Cousins graduated from the University of North Carolina – Greensboro’s Bryan School of Business MBA program in May 2007. He has a broad perspective on all functional areas within a corporation as well as in-depth knowledge of each of the business functions: corporate finance, consumer behavior, market research, information technology, management science and overall corporate strategy. "I am excited about joining the SBTC team. I look forward to contributing to the center’s stellar management consulting services that contribute greatly to the economic growth in Southside Virginia." (Chris Cousins) As SBTC’s Business Analyst Cousins will manage several new management consulting projects and work with interns from area colleges and universities. SBTC welcomes student applications for internship opportunities from all regional schools. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/19 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/19 Tue, 05 Jun 2007 00:00:00 EST Tuesday, 05 June 2007 00:00:00 EST SBTC Senior Business Analyst position opening The Southside Business Technology Center (SBTC), a management consulting organization in partnership with Virginia Tech, seeks applications for a full-time Senior Business Analyst (BA) position. The qualified candidate for this position should expect to research, develop, analyze and complete management consulting projects for businesses in Southside Virginia under the leadership of the Executive Director. The Senior Business Analyst’s primary responsibilities include: determine management consulting project requirements and deliverables, develop project timelines/outlines, lead the market research and analysis efforts, develop financial models and forecasts, prepare top-quality reports for client delivery, provide day-to-day tactical oversight of the project staff, implement overall Project Management functions, assure that SBTC Code of Ethics is followed throughout the project development process, and assists the Executive Director with client recruitment. Minimum Bachelor’s degree in business or related field is required, MBA is preferred. Three years experience in consulting, management, market research and/or business analyst position is preferred. The candidate should have excellent analytical and problem solving, technical writing and interpersonal communication skills. Computer skills required are: MS Word, Excel, Power Point, Visio, Project Manager, and SPSS preferred. Salary: Commensurate with experience.Location: Southside Business Technology Center in Martinsville, Virginia. Interested applicants should submit a letter of interest, resume and the names of three professional references to: Shannon Compton, Southside Business Technology Center, 22nd East Church Street, Suite 300, Martinsville, VA or e-mail it to: scompton@southsidebtc.org. Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.   https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/18 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/18 Tue, 22 May 2007 00:00:00 EST Tuesday, 22 May 2007 00:00:00 EST THE SBTC HONORS ITS CLIENTS AND SUPPORTERS The Southside Business Technology Center celebrated its 2nd successful year in operations at its Appreciation reception on May 16th, 2007 at Chatmoss Country Club in Martinsville, VA. The event was organized in recognition of those individuals, businesses and agencies that support the Southside Business Technology Center. More than 90 local and regional business clients, funders and partners participated at the event sponsored by the Lucy P. Sale Foundation. All participants have supported the Southside Business Technology Center enabling the center to provide economic development benefits throughout the Southside region. On May 17, 2005, SBTC hosted its grand opening event, with the support of a staff of one, two funding organizations, 7 board members, and 3 signed client projects. On May 16, 2007 the SBTC has a staff of four, six funding entities, and nine regional board members. Over the course of the last 2 years, the SBTC has hired 24 student interns, delivered 45 projects and assisted 63 businesses throughout the Southside region. Based on the SBTC Client Impact Evaluation Survey conducted by an independent third party, the services provided by SBTC led to increased revenues for 82%, job creation for 80%, and cost savings for 64% of the center’s clients, and 73% of the client companies reported that they became more competitive in their respective markets as measured by increased sales and market shares. Without the support of SBTC clients, funding entities, partners & affiliates the center would not have been able to fulfill its mission to provide strategic planning and business development services to existing and emerging businesses in order to promote economic development in Southside Virginia. The Harvest Foundation and the Lucy P. Sale Foundation have been great supporters of the SBTC from the beginning. SBTC thanks the funders for believing in the organization. The Virginia Tobacco Indemnification and Community Revitalization Commission followed in July 2006 with a Special Projects grant approval. At the present, in addition to the original funders, the SBTC has the support of the Governor and the Commonwealth of Virginia, Henry County, & the city of Danville. These funds will give SBTC the ability to increase its capacity, serve more businesses, and further propel the organization’s mission. SBTC truly appreciates its business clients and thanks for their confidence and support. SBTC acknowledges and thanks its affiliates and partnering organizations. The center is supported by Southside Virginia banks and financial institutions that are often sources of client referrals. The organization cooperates with Southside colleges and universities in offering project internships to qualified students. The SBTC works closely with Southside Virginia Economic Development organizations and Industrial Authorities, as well as Southside Chambers of Commerce. Prior to SBTC’s 501 (c) (3) status, the Martinsville-Henry County Chamber of Commerce served as the center’s fiscal agent and the Chamber’s Partnership for Economic Growth served as its funding channel. Virginia’s Philpott Manufacturing Extension Partnership has been a close partner since the organization’s inception, as has the Institute for Advanced Learning & Research offered its support and partnership very early in the process, even prior to the center receiving funding and forming its structure. The support of Virginia Tech has been unending. The concept of the SBTC was initially modeled after the highly successful Business Technology Center located at the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center in Blacksburg. The SBTC has tremendous support from Dr. Richard Sorensen, Dean of the VT Pamplin College of Business, Dr. Ted Settle, Director of Virginia Tech Office of Economic Development Outreach – SBTC Board member, Dick Daugherty, Director of the VT Business Technology Center – SBTC Board member and Dr. John Dooley, Vice-Provost. SBTC honors those individuals, client businesses and agencies that support the Southside Business Technology Center. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/17 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/17 Thu, 22 Feb 2007 00:00:00 EST Thursday, 22 February 2007 00:00:00 EST Ideas on old courthouse's use sought Thursday, February 22, 2007 By MICKEY POWELL & DEBBIE HALL - Bulletin Staff Writers Got an idea about how the old Henry County Courthouse uptown can be used again? The Southside Business Technology Center (SBTC) is listening. In partnership with Virginia Tech, the SBTC is developing a strategy for reusing the historic structure as part of a study commissioned by the Martinsville-Henry County Historical Society. In the process, the SBTC is seeking ideas from the public on potential uses and tenants for the courthouse, funding options and how the building can be managed and staffed, according to SBTC Executive Director Eva Doss. Doss said an advisory committee studying possible uses for the courthouse so far has referred about 150 people to the SBTC. They include local business owners, retirees and academicians. But “we want to give everybody an opportunity to comment,” she said. Anyone wanting to give an opinion is asked to contact Steve Mergeani at 638-2523, ext. 325, by March 5.They will be asked to fill out a confidential questionnaire, Doss said. Questions will include: • “What is your view on the historic Henry County Courthouse’s role in Martinsville-Henry County? How could it best serve the community?” and • “What is your view on the following potential uses for the Henry County Courthouse?” (Respondents will be asked to choose either a “single use” for the building or “mixed use.”) “From the very beginning, the community stakeholders’ opinions have been very important,” Doss said, adding that the SBTC itself remains neutral. “The SBTC doesn’t have a decision or strategy” as to what vision will be adopted for the courthouse, she emphasized. “We remain objective.” Doss declined to mention any ideas that people already interviewed have suggested out of concern for compromising the SBTC’s objectivity. The SBTC will oversee a study team representing various organizations, including Virginia Tech’s Office of Economic Development, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Martinsville-Henry County Chamber of Commerce and Ware Bonsall Architects of Charlotte, N.C. When the team’s work is completed, Doss said, several presentations will be made to the advisory committee related to different visions for reusing the courthouse. She expects that may happen as early as mid-March. After receiving feedback on the various options from committee members, she said, the SBTC will “really start looking at the cost” and other factors involved with options favored by the committee. Those concepts then will be presented at a public forum, maybe as soon as April or May, “where we again ask for citizens’ input,” Doss said. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/16 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/16 Mon, 19 Feb 2007 00:00:00 EST Monday, 19 February 2007 00:00:00 EST SBTC seeks public input on the use of the historic Henry County Courthouse in Martinsville (Monday, February 19, 2007)—The Southside Business Technology Center (SBTC) in partnership with Virginia Tech announced today that it is seeking public input to assist in the development of a strategy for potential uses, tenants, management, staff structure and funding options of the historic Henry County Courthouse. Commissioned by the Martinsville and Henry County Historical Society, SBTC is developing a “Marketing and Re-Use Plan” for the courthouse. A study team under the leadership of the SBTC will include additional experts and consultants from: Virginia Tech’s Office of Economic Development, National Trust for Historic Preservation, Martinsville-Henry County Chamber of Commerce, and Ware Bonsall Architects from Charlotte, N.C. Individuals who would like to be interviewed should call Stere Mergeani of the SBTC at 638-2523, extension 325, by Monday, March 5. The SBTC opened its Martinsville office on May 17, 2005, at the West Piedmont Business Development Center. The SBTC offers management consulting services to local and regional companies and entrepreneurs for non-profit fees. The center also offers internship opportunities to students from local and regional colleges and universities who are exposed to real business problems and enhance their strategic thinking. Since the beginning of its establishment the SBTC has delivered valuable business plans, market research, financial analysis and product development reports and other result driven consulting projects to over 50 Southside companies and nonprofit organizations. The projects had positive, measurable impact on the companies’ bottom lines including, but not limited to: cuts in operating expenses, securing additional capital, improved operational processes, increased sales and launching of new programs. The Historical Society was established in 1996 for the purpose of preserving and promoting the history of Martinsville and Henry County and to rehabilitate the historic Henry County Courthouse. View Article in Martinsville Bulletin View SBTC Courthouse Advertisement https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/15 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/15 Tue, 12 Sep 2006 00:00:00 EST Tuesday, 12 September 2006 00:00:00 EST Southside Business Technology Center Annual Report Results The Southside Business Technology Center (SBTC) completed its first full year of operations on June 30, 2006. The organization was created in cooperation with Virginia Tech Business Technology Center, Martinsville-Henry County Chamber of Commerce and the Chamber’s Partnership for Economic Growth (C-PEG). The center officially opened its doors on May 17, 2005. The SBTC was funded by the Harvest Foundation and the Lucy P. Sale Foundation in August, 2004. The SBTC offers management consulting services to local and regional companies and entrepreneurs for non-profit fees. The mission of the BTC is to provide strategic planning and business development services to existing and emerging businesses in order to promote economic development in Southside Virginia. The center also offers internship opportunities to students from local and regional colleges and universities who are exposed to real business problems and enhance their strategic thinking. Although the SBTC was initially modeled after the Virginia Tech Business Technology Center (VT BTC), in Blacksburg, Virginia, it has evolved during the past year to match the needs of and resources available in Southside Virginia. In summary, during the fiscal year of 2005-2006 the SBTC: Delivered 24 in-depth management consulting projects to Southside companies and assisted 40 + companies; Generated higher than anticipated in revenues from client fees; Provided 4,094 consulting hours to Southside businesses; Recruited and trained 5 interns from local colleges and 10 Virginia Tech student interns to work on SBTC consulting projects; Hired two additional full time staff employees to manage the client demand that was higher than originally anticipated; Received its independent 501 (c) (3) status from the IRS; Received additional grant funding for FY 06-07 from the Virginia Tobacco Indemnification and Community Revitalization Commission (TICRC) in the amount of $75,000; Received additional funding for a three year-period to cover SBTC rent from the Lucy P. Sale Foundation in the amount of $30,000; Developed its three-year Strategic Plan; and Expanded SBTC Board of Directors membership. The projects had positive, measurable impact on the companies’ bottom lines including, but not limited to: cuts in operating expenses, securing additional capital, improved operational processes, and increased sales. The SBTC is currently developing additional projects for 6 local and regional businesses. The center is continuously recruiting: 1) new clients to improve their company profitability through in-depth management consulting, and 2) new interns who are interested in gaining first-hand business experience. For additional information, go to www.southsidebtc.org, or call Doss at 276/638-2523 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/14 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/14 Thu, 31 Aug 2006 00:00:00 EST Thursday, 31 August 2006 00:00:00 EST SBTC releases its 2nd Annual Report The Southside Business Technology Center (SBTC) completed its first full year of operations on June 30, 2006. The SBTC was created to implement the common goal of concerned citizens and business leaders to improve the economic outlook of the Southside region in coordination with the Virginia Tech Business Technology Center, Martinsville-Henry County Chamber of Commerce and the Chamber’s Partnership for Economic Growth (C-PEG). The center officially opened its doors on May 17, 2005. The SBTC was funded by the Harvest Foundation and the Lucy P. Sale Foundation in August, 2004. Although the SBTC was initially modeled after the Virginia Tech Business Technology Center (VT BTC), in Blacksburg, Virginia, it has evolved during the past year to match the needs of and resources available in Southside Virginia. In summary, during the fiscal year of 2005-2006 the SBTC: Delivered 24 in-depth management consulting projects to Southside companies and assisted 40 + companies;Generated $22,285 in revenues from client fees;Provided 4,094 consulting hours to Southside businesses;Recruited and trained 5 interns from local colleges and 10 Virginia Tech student interns to work on SBTC consulting projects;Hired two additional full time staff employees to manage the client demand that was higher than originally anticipated;Received its independent 501 (c) (3) status from the IRS;Received additional grant funding for FY 06-07 from the Virginia Tobacco Indemnification and Community Revitalization Commission (TICRC) in the amount of $75,000;Received additional funding for a three year-period to cover SBTC rent from the Lucy P. Sale Foundation in the amount of $30,000;Developed its three-year Strategic Plan;Expanded SBTC Board of Directors membership. SBTC is in its organizational development stage and the purpose of this annual report is to document its activities for the fiscal year 2005-2006. Annual report in its entirety: https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/13 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/13 Thu, 25 May 2006 00:00:00 EST Thursday, 25 May 2006 00:00:00 EST Southside Business Technology Center Receives Tobacco Commission Grant The Southside Business Technology Center (SBTC), a non-profit organization created in partnership with Virginia Tech, announces its expansion of management/business consulting services for new business development and existing industry transformation within the counties of Floyd, Franklin, Halifax, Henry, Mecklenburg, and Pittsylvania, and the cities of Martinsville and Danville. With a $75,000 Special Projects grant awarded April 27, 2006 from the Virginia Tobacco Indemnification and Community Revitalization Commission, SBTC will use funds to increase personnel capacity and support additional operational expenses associated with expanding service delivery to businesses throughout Southside Virginia. Through start-up funding from the Harvest Foundation, the Center opened its doors in May 2005 and has provided assistance to approximately 40 businesses in the areas of business plan development, feasibility studies, start-up procedures, locating sources of capital, market research and analysis, financial and operational analysis, and legal framework issues. The SBTC utilizes professional staff consultants, faculty members, and student interns to deliver its product to the business client. “I am very pleased with the development of the SBTC and the quality of the services our organization is providing to Southside businesses. Our deliverables enable the client companies to identify real improvements in their sales, operations, and growth plans,” said Candace Payne, chairperson of the SBTC Board of Directors. “I believe the Tobacco Commission grant will help the SBTC to continue improving its services and geographical reach, thereby further contributing to the overall economic development of the Southside region.” During its second year of operation, the Center plans to serve as a major driving force of business development in Southside Virginia. Funding assistance from the Virginia Tobacco Commission will help keep the Center on track with its efforts to support the region’s entrepreneurs and facilitate job creation. The SBTC projects to serve 60 client businesses during the expansion, along with the creation of ten internships for business student interns from local colleges. For more information about the SBTC, please visit www.southsidebtc.org or call Eva Doss at 276-638-2523, ext. 210. The Tobacco Indemnification and Community Revitalization Commission is a 31-member body created by the 1999 General Assembly. It has, as a significant part of its mission, the promotion of economic growth and development in tobacco-dependent communities. To date, the Commission has awarded 641 grants totaling $274 million across the tobacco region of the Commonwealth. For complete information on all of the Commission’s history, mission, funding programs and past awards, visit our website at www.vatobaccocommission.org. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/12 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/12 Tue, 14 Mar 2006 00:00:00 EST Tuesday, 14 March 2006 00:00:00 EST Open for business: Southside Business Technology Center exceeding its goals for projects By MATTHEW McCORMICKBulletin Staff Writer The Southside Business Technology Center (BTC) has been operating at full tilt since opening its doors last May, said Executive Director Eva Doss."I feel very good about our results," said Doss. "We definitely reached our goals." The BTC was created in early 2005 in partnership with Virginia Tech to provide business assistance to existing and emerging organizations, individuals or companies seeking to enhance their competitiveness through technology. The center, which is funded through grants by The Harvest Foundation and Lucy P. Sale Foundation, was modeled after a similar program at Virginia Tech's Pamplin College of Business, which was founded in 1992. It is located at the West Piedmont Business Development Center in uptown Martinsville. At the local BTC's first strategic planning meeting in July, Doss said the center set a goal for the year of delivering 15 major projects, which have usually taken the form of comprehensive reports that assess a company's strengths and make recommendations on how to overcome weaknesses. So far, Doss, business analyst Stere Mergeani and interns from Tech and local colleges have completed 13 such projects and have some 10 more in the works. "We're booked all the way through June," she said. "But that's a good problem to have." An example of one of its projects would be if a business is having difficulty managing its finances, the reports might make suggestions for financial modeling, budgeting and pricing, said Doss. Other enterprises, she said, are just getting off the ground and need help developing a business plan to procure capital from investors and banks as well as determine where and how to market their product. In addition to the 13 major projects, the center has provided one-on-one counseling to more than 60 other clients, some of whom needed a slight nudge in the direction of certain resources and others who had ideas for companies that, after a little research, were determined to be unfeasible. But Doss is not simply after numbers. BTC's success is better told, she said, by the effect it has had on the local businesses with which it has worked. While measuring that impact is difficult because so little time has passed since BTC began offering its services, Doss said evaluation forms clients fill out after receiving assistance indicate the organization is making a difference. In the evaluations, Doss said all of the BTC's clients have indicated that their work with the organization had helped them run their businesses more efficiently and led to an average profit increase of 12 percent in a single quarter. One company wrote that earnings surged by $500,000 during that time. BTC suggestions have also helped businesses reduce costs, in some cases by as much as 50 percent, she said. Doss said the center also is having an educational impact. At any given time, it uses between four and eight interns from Virginia Tech, Averett University and Patrick Henry Community College (PHCC), providing hands-on experience and mentoring that reinforces concepts learned in class. "Depending on their program (of studies) and experience, interns are assigned certain parts of projects, in most cases research," Doss said. "As they grow, we try to give them more and more difficult tasks to give them the tools for successful strategic thinking."The BTC is open to anyone who uses or will use technology in any capacity in the operation of a business. While the organization charges a fee for its services, because it is a nonprofit, its prices are lower than private consulting firms.   https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/11 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/11 Mon, 16 Jan 2006 00:00:00 EST Monday, 16 January 2006 00:00:00 EST SBTC Hires New Interns The Southside Business Technology Center (SBTC) in partnership with Virginia Tech hired Ms. Pamela Blocher and Mr. Tim Berg as Business Interns to satisfy the growing demand of Southside businesses for SBTC consulting services. Since July 2005 the SBTC has successfully delivered ten and currently is working on five management consulting projects for Southside businesses. In addition, SBTC is negotiating ten future consulting projects with other local and regional companies. SBTC offers top quality management consulting services to local and regional companies and entrepreneurs for non-profit fees. SBTC areas of expertise include, but are not limited to: business planning, market research and analysis, financial forecasting, operational planning, etc. The center also offers internship opportunities to students from local and regional colleges and universities who are exposed to real business problems and learn to enhance their strategic thinking. Ms. Pamela Blocher and Mr. Tim Berg are senior undergraduate business students at Ferrum College and plan to graduate in May 2006. Blocher plans to major in business and minor in performing arts. She has an impressive educational record and now she wants to put her theoretical knowledge into real life application through the SBTC internship. Berg has a 3.3 GPA and an already extensive business experience, both as a professional and as a volunteer. Berg views the SBTC internship as an experience which will help him to decide which business profession to pursue in the future. He will major in business and minor in computer technology. Both interns will be assigned to specific client projects and gain valuable professional experiences through working with real businesses. SBTC welcomes student applications for different types of internship opportunities from all local and regional colleges and universities. To view additional information please go to SBTC’s website www.southsidebtc.org or call Eva Doss at 276-638-2523 ext. 210. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/10 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/10 Fri, 13 Jan 2006 00:00:00 EST Friday, 13 January 2006 00:00:00 EST Year End Results Press Release Southside Business Technology Center year end results The Southside Business Technology Center (SBTC) in partnership with Virginia Tech opened its Martinsville office on May 17, 2005 at the West Piedmont Business Development Center. The SBTC offers management consulting services to local and regional companies and entrepreneurs for non-profit fees. The mission of the BTC is to provide top quality business assistance to existing and emerging organizations, individuals and companies seeking to enhance their competitiveness through technology. The center also offers internship opportunities to students from local and regional colleges and universities who are exposed to real business problems and enhance their strategic thinking. Since the beginning of the current fiscal year starting in July 2005 the SBTC has delivered valuable business plans, market research, and financial analysis reports and other result driven consulting projects to ten Southside companies. The projects had positive, measurable impact on the companies’ bottom lines including, but not limited to: cuts in operating expenses, securing additional capital, improved operational processes, and increased sales. The SBTC is currently developing additional projects for 5 local businesses and has plans for 10 additional assignments by the end of June 2006. The center is continuously recruiting new clients to assist them with management/business issues and new interns who are interested in gaining first-hand business experience. For additional information, go to www.southsidebtc.org, or call Doss at 276/638-2523, X210. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/9 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/9 Fri, 28 Oct 2005 00:00:00 EST Friday, 28 October 2005 00:00:00 EST Check out the invitation. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/8 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/8 Fri, 14 Oct 2005 00:00:00 EST Friday, 14 October 2005 00:00:00 EST SBTC Welcomes New Business Analyst The Southside Business Technology Center (SBTC) in partnership with Virginia Tech hired Mr. Stere Mergeani as a full –time Business Analyst to satisfy the growing demand of Southside businesses for SBTC consulting services. SBTC has successfully delivered seven and currently is working on six management consulting projects for local businesses. In addition, SBTC is negotiating future consulting assistance with other local and regional companies. SBTC offers top quality management consulting services to local and regional companies and entrepreneurs for non-profit fees. SBTC areas of expertise include, but are not limited to: business planning, market research and analysis, financial forecasting, operational planning, etc. The center also offers internship opportunities to students from local and regional colleges and universities who are exposed to real business problems and learn to enhance their strategic thinking. Mr. Mergeani graduated from the University of North Carolina – Greensboro’s Bryan School of Business MBA program in May 2005. He has a broad perspective on all functional areas within a corporation as well as in-depth knowledge of each of the business functions: cost management, corporate finance, strategic marketing, consumer behavior, marketing research, human resources, information technology and ERP systems, management science and overall corporate strategy. In addition to his corporate professional experience, Mergeani had interned with Merrill Lynch and SBTC in the past. As SBTC’s Business Analyst Mergeani will manage several new management consulting projects and work with interns from area colleges and universities. SBTC welcomes student applications for paid and unpaid internship opportunities from all regional schools. The MBA courses offered him a broad perspective on all functional areas within a corporation as well as in-depth knowledge in each of the business functions: cost management, corporate finance, strategic marketing, consumer behavior, marketing research, human resources, information technology and ERP systems, management science and overall corporate strategy. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/7 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/7 Fri, 30 Sep 2005 00:00:00 EST Friday, 30 September 2005 00:00:00 EST SBTC Internship Opportunities Announced PRESS RELEASE : FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Eva DossSouthside Business Technology Center276/638 2523 ext 210 Southside Business Technology Center announces Internship Opportunities The Southside Business Technology Center (SBTC) in partnership with Virginia Tech has successfully delivered its first five projects. The SBTC offers management consulting services to local and regional companies and entrepreneurs for non-profit fees. The center also offers internship opportunities to students from local and regional colleges and universities who are exposed to real business problems and learn to enhance their strategic thinking. Since SBTC’s opening in May 2005, the organization has already delivered valuable Business Plans, Market Research and Analysis, and Financial Forecasting reports to Martinsville companies. Amongst SBTC’s first clients were HerDesign, Inc. – a unique dynamic web-design company, All Trust, NM – a freight brokerage company; J.G. Edelen Co., Inc. – a hardware manufacturer, and Ashbrook Audiology & Hearing Aid Center. As the SBTC prepares to begin research on several new client projects, it is looking to recruit new interns from area colleges and universities. SBTC has worked with interns from Averett University, Virginia Tech, Ferrum College, and University of North Carolina – Greensboro. SBTC welcomes all applicants from area schools to apply.The requirements to apply are: ª 3.0 Grade Point Averageª Business or related field majorª Senior Undergrad or MBAª Three Academic references must be availableª Up-dated resume To view additional information please go to SBTC’s website www.southsidebtc.orgInternships range from paid to unpaid, dependent upon project availability, but all offer exciting learning opportunities.     https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/6 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/6 Fri, 23 Sep 2005 00:00:00 EST Friday, 23 September 2005 00:00:00 EST Latest Projects Since SBTC’s opening in May 2005, the organization has delivered valuable Business Plans and Market Research and Analyses reports to Martinsville companies. Amongst SBTC’s first clients was HerDesign, Inc. – a unique dynamic web-design company offering a wide range of web design services, for which SBTC developed a business plan and market research analysis to identify the company’s growth potential, target markets and market penetration strategies including financial forecasts. SBTC also developed a business plan for All Trust, NM – a national freight brokerage company located in the incubator – to support the company’s growth plans and the introduction of a new service line to the core business. The most current projects were delivered to J. G. Edelen Co., Inc., a hardware manufacturing company which requested a market research and analyses and a financial statements analysis to Ashbrook Audiology. SBTC is developing additional projects for local companies and is actively recruiting interns from regional colleges and universities to be a part of the SBTC effort. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/5 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/5 Sat, 28 May 2005 00:00:00 EST Saturday, 28 May 2005 00:00:00 EST First Projects Delivered The Southside Business Technology Center (SBTC) in partnership with Virginia Tech opened its Martinsville office on May 17, 2005 at the West Piedmont Business Development Center. The SBTC offers management consulting services to local and regional companies and entrepreneurs for non-profit fees. The mission of the BTC is to provide top quality business assistance to existing and emerging organizations, individuals and companies seeking to enhance their competitiveness through technology. The center also offers internship opportunities to students from local and regional colleges and universities who are exposed to real business problems and learn to enhance their strategic thinking. Since SBTC’s opening in May 2005, the organization has already delivered valuable Business Plans and Market Research and Analysis reports to Martinsville companies. Amongst SBTC’s first clients was HerDesign, Inc. – a unique dynamic web-design company offering a wide range of web design services, for which SBTC developed a business plan and market research analysis to identify the company’s growth potential, target markets and market penetration strategies including financial forecasts. SBTC also developed a business plan for All Trust, NM – a freight brokerage company located in the incubator – to support the company’s growth plans and the introduction of a new service line to the core business. Currently the center is developing additional market research and analyses, business plans and financial forecasts for several local companies. Additional services are also available based on the customers’ needs. The center is continuously recruiting new clients to help them with management issues and new interns who are interested in solving real business problems. For additional information, call Doss at 276/638-2523, X210. https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/4 https://www.thelaunchplace.org/news/details/ID/4 Thu, 24 Feb 2005 00:00:00 EST Thursday, 24 February 2005 00:00:00 EST Virginia Tech Business Technology Center's Southside Office Hires First Director The Business Technology Center Advisory Board announced today that it has hired Eva Doss as its Executive Director. The mission of the BTC is to provide top quality business assistance to existing and emerging organizations, individuals and companies seeking to enhance their competitiveness through technology. As the director, Doss will mentor college-level student interns and conduct market analysis, financial forecasts and prepare business plans. “One of our key objectives is to establish the BTC as a prestigious, high quality organization that, through effective business assistance, will enhance economic development in the Martinsville-Henry County region,” said Candace Payne, Chair of BTC Advisory Board. “The mentoring component is equally as important. The BTC wants to expose students to entrepreneurial thinking and develop their business skills, while at the same time providing assistance to promote the growth of existing businesses and benefiting the emergence of technology-based firms,” she said. Doss has more than a decade of experience in management training and consulting, strategic planning and business development in the United States and Europe. She was recently employed as Vice President of Business Development for Strategic Staffing Resources in Greensboro, N.C., where she developed new business opportunities and retention programs for companies worldwide and was known for successfully negotiating international contracts at the executive level and creating global networks with numerous industries, private companies and government institutions. Doss has worked at several other organizations, including the U.S. Agency for International Development in Washington, D.C., where she also designed, budgeted, implemented and evaluated managerial training programs in leadership and organizational management skills, strategic planning and environment protection. Doss has a MBA and BS in business administration from the City University, Bellevue, in Seattle, WA. She is fluent in Hungarian, Slovak and Czech. The Business Technology Center is an office of Virginia Tech’s Business Technology Center in Blacksburg. In 1992, the Pamplin College of Business at Virginia Tech created its BTC to serve as an educational and research resource for small technology-based businesses. It uses faculty members, student interns and expert consultants to provide counseling services for small businesses in the areas of business plan and proposal development, accounting and record keeping, business start-up procedures, finding sources of capital, marketing and sales, financial analysis, patent searches and legal issues. The Virginia Tech BTC serves about 100 clients each year and is expecting the new office to further build on the university’s commitment to help the Southside region diversify its economic base. This new office is a collaborative effort between Virginia Tech, the Chamber of Commerce and the Harvest Foundation in an effort to improve the economic outlook of the Martinsville-Henry County region. The Martinsville-Henry County BTC is located at the West Piedmont Business Technology Center, a regional incubator, on Church Street in Uptown Martinsville. For additional information, call Doss at 276/638-2523, X210.