PROVIDENCE – Fourteen semi-finalists will compete for $265,000 in prizes in the 2018 Rhode Island Business Plan Competition in May, the competition organization announced Tuesday.
The RIBPC named six Entrepreneur Track semi-finalists and eight Student Track semi-finalists. This year, all principal applicants of the eight semi-finalists in the student track were Brown University students.
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The 14 semi-finalists were chosen from 61 applicants, who proposed businesses in the fields of agriculture, biotechnology, data management, energy, health care, maritime applications, music, nutrition and other fields, according to the organization.
Winners in the 2018 competition will be announced at a public ceremony at the Rhode Island Nursing Education Center at South Street Landing in Providence on May 17 from 5-6 p.m.
Both winners and finalists will be awarded prizes at the ceremony.
“Entrepreneurship is thriving in Rhode Island, as evidenced by this year’s strong applicant group,” stated competition co-chair Anthony J. Mangiarelli, partner with the accounting firm of Kahn, Litwin, Renza & Co. Ltd. in Providence.
The following companies were named for the Entrepreneur Track:
- Biomimesis Medical Technologies is developing a synthetic, non-immunogenic, multi-layer wound dressing to treat third-degree burns. Principal applicant: Anup Mohanty, Grantham, N.H.
- Certified Organic Produce of New England is proposing to increase the quality of organic produce brought to market at lower cost by relying on advanced indoor growing technology. Principal applicant: Rhonda Price, East Providence.
- Keel Inc. has developed an open-source technology that enables companies to integrate external services and data sources in minutes rather than weeks. Principal applicant: Andrew Kelley, Providence.
- PowerDocks LLC has created floating platforms, such as moorings and docks, that use renewable energy sources to generate, store and distribute power at those sites. Principal applicant: Anthony Baro, Newport.
- Sol Tiempo is creating a suite of battery-based household products that charge during the day and run off batteries during peak demand, usually during evening, easing demand on existing electricity generation systems. Principal applicant: Cristian Potter, North Providence.
- Your Heaven LLC has developed a hardware/software technology platform for amplifying and recording acoustic musical instruments accurately and easily. Principal applicant: Prachi Jain, Providence.
The following companies were named semi-finalists in the student track:
- A2Z Drones is developing a delivery drone that will transport small goods to ships at sea, and other water-based destinations, replacing helicopters or boats that are slow, costly, and pose risks to human operators. Principal applicant: Aaron Zhang, Brown University.
- CrossCheck is developing a software system that verifies the accuracy of online news and displays this information to consumers in an accessible format. Principal applicant: Franklin Young, Brown University.
- FungEye is a rover-based detection system, using multispectral imaging, to identify mold growth before the human eye can, replacing manual inspections which often lack accuracy. Principal applicant: David Katzevich, Brown University.
- goTeff is a low sugar, all-natural, nutrition bar that uses Teff, a gluten-free super-grain with low-glycemic index and a superior balance of nutrients, for health-minded consumers. Principal applicant: Saron Mechale, Brown University.
- Poseidon Sensors is a water-monitoring system that uses ultrasonic sensors and machine learning to eliminate the risk of water damage to homes or work places. Principal applicant: Daniel Meteer, Brown University.
- Predictive Optics is developing a portable, inexpensive wearable device that optically evaluates cerebrovascular health by quantifying retinal blood flow dynamic differences between eyes. Principal applicant: Vishnu Dantu, Brown University.
- Pro-Therapy is developing a turnkey solution for hospitals and clinics that reduces the cost and space needed for proton therapy in cancer treatment. Principal applicant: Jonathan Sheedy, Brown University.
- TextUp has developed an encrypted, affordable software package for social workers that increases their efficiency by enabling them to manage all documents and information flows. Principal applicant: Michelle Petersen, Brown University.
To date, the Rhode Island Business Plan Competition has awarded more than $2.3 million in prizes. This year, the competition has 58 sponsors, including five former competitors.
“Those who were not selected as semi-finalists should understand that persistence is a key success factor for launching and growing a business, and should keep working on their idea,” stated competition co-Chair Margaret “Peggy” Farrell, partner with the law firm of Hinckley Allen & Snyder LLP in Providence.
More information on the competition and event may be found at www.ri-bizplan.com.
