After teaming up with Texas Woman’s University’s Center in an effort to help female founders, TechFW has unveiled the newest participants in its accelerator and incubator programs.
The university’s Center for Women Entrepreneurs has awarded funding to eight companies to take part in the nonprofit entrepreneurial support organization’s ThinkLab accelerator and SmartStart incubator programs.
“With new intentions and new alliances, we believe TechFW can be a force for good in reducing barriers and helping level the playing field for female founders of high-growth tech startups,” said Hayden Blackburn, TechFW’s executive director, in a statement.
Companies in the cohort will receive $1,000 and $2,000 awards from TWU to take part in the programming. Selected companies are all women-owned or led and based in Texas. Companies also needed to own, license or be working on a proprietary technology or have an innovative business model.
The majority of the chosen companies will take part in TechFW’s ThinkLab startup accelerator, which focuses on helping early-stage companies find product-market fit, develop business strategies and communicate with investors. Two companies will take part in TechFW’s SmartStart business incubator, which helps businesses develop a framework to go to market.
TechFW announced its partnership with TWU in March, marking its first foray into the Denton region. In addition to helping fund companies through TechFW’s programs, the partnership included the launch of the Women & Wealth seminar, which aims to connect female entrepreneurs and investors. At the end of last year, TechFW expanded its reach in Dallas, bringing its ThinkLab program to the planned biotech hub at the Pegasus Park development in a partnership with nonprofit LaunchBio and UT Southwestern’s Office of Technology Development.
TechFW was launched in 1998. Notable names in its current client portfolio include Ayuvis Research, Cx Precision Medicine, Eosera and Nanoscope Technologies. Past TechFW clients include Linear Labs and OncoNano Medicine.
“We are happy that we can help these women take part in programming that will prepare them for entrepreneurial success,” said Tracy Irby, director at TWU’s Center for Women Entrepreneurs, in a statement.
Meet the six companies in the ThinkLab program below.
- Body Spring (Euless) – a medical device company focused on improving physical therapy.
- Art to the Power of Gamma (Fort Worth) – a creator of interactive art and community spaces that looks to combine science and creativity.
- LoneStar Corre Care (Weatherford) – a health care company focused on developing electronic medical record software.
- Bridget Pervalle – a filmmaker developing a multi-use toothbrush that she describes as the “Maserati of toothbrushes.”
- HYPE Math (Arlington) – Standing for Helping Young People Excel in Math, the company provides virtual learning content aimed at students in elementary and middle school.
- Allbodies Collective – a directory platform connecting women and non-binary individuals of all body types with understanding health care providers.
And meet the two companies taking part in the SmartStart program below.
- Head to Vegas (Weatherford) – a company helping travelers plan trips to Las Vegas and make it a cashless experience with RFID tags once they arrive.
- TD Products (Fort Worth) – a maker of DIY home repair products. Its flagship product is Erase-A-Hole, a wall repair putty.
