The Rhode Island Business Competition has announced the semi-finalists of its annual competition, which will take place next month.
The 12 startups, which we outline below, where chosen from a pool of 68 applicants and represent a host of different industries.
Together, they'll take to the stage and share their vision with a panel of 10 judges, which include thought leaders like Carol Malysz, executive director of RI Bio; Lou Mazzucchelli, investor and coordinator of Entrepreneurship Programs, Bryant University; and Thorne Sparkman, managing director of the Slater Technology Fund.
Established nearly 20 years ago in 2000, the RIBC has awarded more than $2.6 million in prizes to participating companies. The free competition only requires applicants to be over 18 with an "innovative business plan." Additionally, winners must use their prizes to continue to grow their company in-state.
This year, the competition announced it would award a record $185,000 in awards to winners, via cash or in-kind services.
As for the semi-finalists, event co-chairs Peggy Farrell, partner with the law firm of Hinckley Allen in Providence and Anthony Mangiarelli, partner with the accounting firm of KLR in Providence, remarked on their unique strengths.
"Rhode Island continues to be an attractive place to start and grow a business, as evidenced by this year's strong applicant group," they said in a joint statement. "Success never follows a straight path, and we encourage those who were not selected as semi-finalists this year to keep working on their idea."
On May 7, track winners will be announced during a public ceremony at the New England Medical Innovation Center in Providence.
Below, we list the semi-finalists track-by-track, with descriptions provided by a RIBC press release.
Entrepreneur Track
- Alex Therapeutics
- HQ: Providence
- Principal Applicant: Matthew Heller
- Description: "[This startup] ... is developing an interactive artificial intelligence-based app that delivers personalized, behavioral modification support outside a therapist’s office for patients suffering anxiety, substance abuse and mental disorders."
Biotica Bio
- HQ: Providence
- Principal Applicant: John Round
- Description: Biotica Bio "has developed an oral microbial therapeutic that treats inflammatory bowel disease and other human endocannabinoid deficiencies without expensive clinical trials."
- HQ: Warwick
- Principal Applicant: Robert Baxter
- Description: "CBC Wind Energy ... is developing efficient, attractively priced wind turbines to be mounted on homes and other structures to meet the growing demand for alternative power supplies."
- Read More: $50K Awarded to 3 MassChallenge Rhode Island Companies
CryoWave Energy
- HQ: Woonsocket
- Principal Applicant: John Ireland
- Description: "CrypWave Energy ... has developed a pressure wave pulsating injection tool that improves secondary and tertiary recovery of oil at drilling sites with no disruption to current production operations and reduces wastewater output."
- HQ: Providence
- Principal Applicant: Kunal Mankodiya
- Description: "Modus Wear-Tech is developing an app to help people receiving physical therapy to monitor and support prescribed services by providing support, analytics and messaging."
Uproot
- HQ: Providence
- Principal Applicant: Kevin Eve
- Description: "Uproot has developed a space-efficient dispenser of non-dairy milks, including plant-based milk concentrates, for use in cafeterias and other food service operations."
- Read More: Recipients of Brown Venture Founders Award Announced
Student Track
- HQ: N/A
- Principal Applicant: Jack Roswell, Brown University
- Description: "Cloud Agronomics is developing a system by which farmers can monitor fields remotely for disease and nutrient deficiencies, providing actionable prescription maps and recommended treatments."
- Read More: This Brown-Born Startup Uses Aircraft-Collected Data to ‘Put the Power Back into Farmers’ Hands
- HQ: N/A
- Principal Applicant: Saron Mechale, Brown University.
- Description: "goTeff has developed a low sugar, slow-absorbing, high-nutrition, ready-to-eat breakfast meal made of teff, a grain from Ethiopia, which will also provide market access for teff farmers."
- Read More: Formally Wins Big at Brown University’s Venture Prize Competition
- HQ: N/A
- Principal Applicant: David Lu, Brown University.
- Description: "H2Ok Innovations is using artificial intelligence data analytics to map sources of contamination in underground pipes that are targeted for replacement."
Impact Labs
- HQ: N/A
- Principal Applicant: Adi Melamed, Brown University
- Description: "Impact Labs has developed a series of programs that provide access to competitive opportunities in the technology and social good space for computer science students."
- HQ: N/A
- Principal Applicant: John Felton, Brown University
- Description: "Intus Care is using automation and machine learning to develop an improved process to provide improved home care at lower cost."
Marine Monitoring
- HQ: N/A
- Principal Applicant: Kayla Colson, Brown University
- Description: "Marine Monitoring is developing a product to detect harmful bacteria in freshwater/marine environments to ensure community safety."
