Every month, we recap the biggest tech and startup happenings in Rhode Island. (To get this info every Tuesday, sign up for the Rhode Island Inno Beat newsletter.)
Let’s dive in.
In December, RI Inno highlighted some of the brightest minds in Rhode Island as we presented the 5 Under 25. We highlighted several local startups and their founders including shopping app Sift, medical billing company Codified Health, medical platform Intus Care and others.
This fall, East Providence production studio (add)ventures added a large-scale virtual production studio, a first for the Northeast. Used in films like The Batman and Netflix's 1899 and the Disney+ series, The Mandalorian, virtual production combines traditional filming techniques with virtual environments and computer graphics. The new "(add)Galaxies" studio is 1,740 square feet and features a series of 56 individual LED screens to create a volume that is 23 feet wide by 13 feet high, displaying more than 3.1 million pixels.
Last month, a team of University of Rhode Island researchers made a breakthrough discovery that could supercharge a relatively new technique that uses an iron compound to clean water. According to Dugan Hayes, an assistant professor of chemistry at URI and the study’s author, the practical implication of the study with respect to water-treatment applications is that it may be possible to activate ferrate using longer wavelength UV light and possibly even visible light.
A new app called FishLine launched this fall, which lets consumers find fresh, local seafood markets and restaurants. It even helps consumers buy directly off the boat from fishermen. Prior to Rhode Island FishLine's launch this November, both RI Seafood and the Commercial Fisheries Center of Rhode Island worked with the company to create a localized version. The FishLine app lists more than 40 restaurants, seafood markets, grocers, and direct sellers that offer local seafood. The app also includes information on local species and tips for how to cook and enjoy the food.
In December, the New England Medical Center Foundation started enrolling for an Accelerator Program, which is intensive and lasts for six months. Accepted participants can receive up to $20,000 to engage in key activities and move their startups closer to being investable, NEMIC Foundation Director of Programs and Business Development Maey Petrie said. In addition, startups can tap NEMIC advisors who can help develop, solidify and test their business models.
December also marked a new start for MediCircle, an organization that connects leftover, unexpired cancer medications to financially burdened patients by employing a rigorous, three-step quality assurance process. Over the last few weeks of December, MediCircle completed a small, controlled launch in Houston, he said. According to MediCircle co-founder Jack Schaeffer, in the first two weeks of operations, over $200,000 worth of viable medications was successfully donated and re-certified on the platform.
