MASSCHALLENGE TEXAS NAMES TOP 14 FINALIST STARTUPS FROM AUSTIN-BASED ACCELERATOR
International accelerator to award up to $500,000 in equity-free cash prizes to select top startups from the region’s third startup accelerator program at Oct. 17 awards ceremony
(AUSTIN, Texas — Sept. 19, 2019; source: Juice Consulting) — MassChallenge, a global network of zero-equity startup accelerators, today announced the top 14 finalist startups from its third MassChallenge Texas accelerator and second Austin-based program. Representing some of the most innovative solutions across a range of industries, the top startups will now participate in a final round of judging where they will compete for $500,000 in equity-free cash prizes. The prize winners will be announced at the MassChallenge Texas in Austin Awards Ceremony on Thursday, Oct. 17, 2019 at the Hilton Austin. To RSVP, see here.
“All of the startups in MassChallenge’s second Austin-based program are creating solutions to address some of the biggest and most important challenges facing the world,” said Mike Millard, the managing director of MassChallenge Texas in Austin. “It’s amazing to see how much these entrepreneurs have grown in such a short amount of time. Their experience here in Austin demonstrates the strength of MassChallenge’s global network: the support of our partners helped the startups build the foundation they need to bring their ideas to the world. I am excited to see more corporate organizations leverage MassChallenge’s ecosystem in Texas and innovate at the speed of the market.”
Over the course of the accelerator, 74 early-stage startups from around the world leveraged expert mentorship, tailored curriculum, corporate partnerships and industry resources to launch and grow their companies — all at zero cost and with zero equity taken. The top 14 finalist startups were identified through a round of live, in-person pitches to top corporate executives, industry and innovation leaders from across Texas. During the final judging round, the top startups will demonstrate their growth and impact to a new panel of judges who will determine the competition winners.
The 14 top startups from the cohort represent:
Four US States
- Texas (71.43%)
- Washington, D.C. (14.7%)
- New Mexico (7.14%)
- Virginia (14.3%)
Four Industries
- General (28.57%)
- Healthcare/Life Sciences (28.57%)
- High Tech (28.57%)
- Social Impact (14.3%)
58% Female Founded
“The amount of attention given to female and minority founders is long overdue,” said Sara T. Brand, general partner at True Wealth Ventures. “MassChallenge Texas’ track record of accepting more than 50% female founders across their Texas-based programs this year illustrates that being intentional about positive impact for the end user will bring forward the best entrepreneurs with the best ideas. We are excited to see that 58% of the top finalists for this year’s Austin-cohort are female-led across a range of industries. It is more exciting to see this happen in Texas furthering our belief that this is one of the best places to innovate with inclusive teams.”
MassChallenge Texas in Austin Top 14 Finalist Startups
Catalyst Education: (Austin, Texas): Catalyst Education is founded by experienced and proven STEM EdTech entrepreneurs targeting the $1.3B Higher Ed. lab course learning market.
Collective Liberty: (Washington, D.C.): Collective Liberty facilitates anti-trafficking collaboration across industries and stakeholders to create ground-breaking, data-driven approaches that work.
GotSpot, Inc: (Houston, Texas): GotSpot is short-term space for your business. We’re a marketplace where entrepreneurs borrow Main Street space to grow their businesses.
MµZ Motion, LLC: (Fort Worth, Texas): MµZ Motion is driving the Future of Robotics with the Next Generation in High-Performance Motion.
MakersValley, LLC: (New York, Texas): MakersValley is the AirBnB of small batch apparel manufacturing with the goal to democratize the manufacturing industry.
Mens Gold Boxx: (Austin, Texas): MensGoldBoxx is a Big & Tall ecommerce revolution. Intuitive customer profiles make finding your fit and style easy. Technology built to be licensed.
Olifant Medical: (San Antonio, Texas) Olifant Medical has developed a stylet technology that overcomes the current barriers to successful tracheal intubation.
Phylomics Diagnostics: (Coppell, Texas) Phylomics provides early detection of multiple cancers in presumably healthy individuals by analyzing blood serum.
Pocket Innovations, LLC: (Richmond, Virginia): Pocket Innovations solves the common complication of pocket hematoma associated with pacemaker implants. This new medical device is the first preventative solution.
Rhythmo: (Austin, Texas): Rhythmo aims to provide a cost-effective, fun, and educational way for teenagers to start music production and STEM learning. Rhythmo’s main product, BeatBox, is a DIY cardboard MIDI drum machine kit, with built-in speakers, battery, and a bundled mobile app, to enable music making anywhere, anytime.
Roper: (New Mexico): Roper helps ranchers boost productivity and reduce losses with a solar-powered, GPS-enabled health wearable for beef cattle.
SolGro: (Fort Worth, Texas) SolGro increases greenhouse crop yields by converting photosynthetically inactive sunlight (O,Y,G,I,V) into photosynthetic light (R,B).
teleCalm, Inc: (Allen, Texas)
teleCalm’s phone service can be life-changing for seniors living at home and those in senior living. Keep your elderly loved ones connected longer and protected.
TRAXyL, Inc: (Warrenton, Virginia)
Traxyl is dramatically reducing the cost of broadband communications by “painting” optical fiber onto the road surface.
ABOUT THE MASSCHALLENGE TEXAS AWARDS CEREMONY
At the Awards Ceremony, top influencers from the Texas innovation community — including potential investors and customers, MassChallenge mentors, and VIP community leaders — will come together to celebrate entrepreneurship and startup innovation. The October event is the second MassChallenge Awards Ceremony in Texas and will take place in Austin, the home base of the region’s inaugural program.
The Awards Ceremony will include keynotes from Texas-based influencers Sara T Brand of True Wealth Ventures and whurley.
The co-keynote speakers will address the startup and VIP audience about their experiences from working with entrepreneurs, key findings they’ve gleaned from working with successful startups, and insights on how to apply information to influence change and create impact in Texas.
A limited number of tickets is open to the public, for more information please see here. For more information about the MassChallenge Texas in Austin Awards Ceremony, see here.
MASSCHALLENGE TEXAS IN AUSTIN 2019 AWARDS CEREMONY AGENDA
- 5:30 p.m.: Doors and registration open
- 6 p.m.: MassChallenge Texas in Austin Awards Ceremony begins
- 6:45 p.m.: Awards Presentations
- 7 p.m.: Closing remarks
- 7:15 p.m.: Startup Showcase + After Party
- 9 p.m.: Startup Showcase + After Party ends
ABOUT MASSCHALLENGE TEXAS 2019
- This year, MassChallenge Texas ran programs it’s second Austin-based program and launched a new program Houston.
- Between the two Texas-based accelerators, MassChallenge supported 100 startups across Texas this year.
- MassChallenge Texas added 11 new partners to the list including: BAE Systems, Brex, BHP, Central Houston, City of Houston, Lionstone, Midway, Houston Texans, San Antonio Spurs, Reliant, and Winstead Attorneys
ABOUT THE MASSCHALLENGE TEXAS IN AUSTIN 2019
- In June 2019, 79 of the world’s highest impact, highest potential early-stage startups joined MassChallenge Texas’ second Austin-based cohort. See cohort statistics here.
- The 79 startups selected to participate represent the top 10.7% of the applicant pool.
- The 79 companies have worked out of the new WeWork Barton Springs space and have access to complimentary, world-wide WeWork community membership for six months.
ABOUT THE MASSCHALLENGE TEXAS IN HOUSTON 2019
- In July 2019, 26 of the world’s high impact, highest potential early-stage startup joined MassChallenge Texas’ first Houston-based cohort. These startups represent the top 9% of the applicant pool. See cohort statistics here.
- At the end of the first Houston-accelerator the Houston Angel Network awarded a $40,000 investment prize to one of the program’s top startups, Sensytech. Learn more here.
- All startups from the first Houston-based program receive a total of 18 months of free office space, including: six months at the MassChallenge Texas in Houston offices and another six months of free space at Station Houston and The Cannon.
MassChallenge Texas Founding Partners
Southwest Airlines, TMAC, WeWork, Upstream, USAA
MassChallenge Texas Civic + Corporate Partners
BAE Systems, Brex, BHP, Central Houston, City of Houston, Ingram Micro, Lionstone, Midway, Houston Texans, San Antonio Spurs, Reliant, Texas Foundation for Innovative Communities, Winstead Attorneys
MassChallenge Texas Event Supporters
A Player Media, Centrica, Insperity, Juice Consulting, Mattress Firm, Southwest Research Institute, Texas Squared Startup Newsletter
About MassChallenge
MassChallenge is a global network of zero-equity startup accelerators. Headquartered in the United States with locations in Boston, Israel, Mexico, Switzerland, Texas, and the UK, MassChallenge is committed to strengthening the global innovation ecosystem by supporting high-potential startups across all industries, from anywhere in the world. To date, more than 2,300 MassChallenge alumni have raised more than $5 billion in funding, generated more than $2.7 billion in revenue, and created more than 134,000 total jobs. Learn more about MassChallenge at masschallenge.org.
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