Austin Technology Incubator Holds Graduation For 25 Companies, Celebrates 25 Years of Incubating Central Texas Companies
Austin, TX (PRWEB) January 27, 2014 -- This Wednesday, on January 29, the Austin Technology Incubator (ATI), part of the IC2 Institute at The University of Texas at Austin (UT), will host a graduation event to recognize 25 companies who successfully graduated from the incubator over the past two years. ATI will also celebrate its 25th anniversary, and announce the winners of the Laura J. Kilcrease Civic Entrepreneurship Award and the new John S. Butler Distinguished Alumni Award.
“We are proud to bring together the ATI community to recognize 25 great companies graduating, as well as take a moment to celebrate 25 years of the Incubator,” said Isaac Barchas, director, ATI. “I am so honored to be involved with this organization, and the companies that spend time with us, as well as the network of advisors, investors, business partners and UT student associates who give tirelessly to the Incubator and its portfolio companies. We are dedicated to continue delivering on ATI’s vision.”
Founded in 1989 by Dr. George Kozmetsky and first led by Laura Kilcrease, ATI has graduated some 150 companies who have had a long track record of success. More than 40 of the Incubator’s alumni have exited through M&A or IPO and an additional 55 companies continue to operate today. In the past 10 years alone, ATI alumni have created over 5,500 jobs and have had a nearly $1 billion impact on the Central Texas economy. ATI’s most recent graduating class, the Class of 2014, has already raised over $60 million in outside capital and is poised to continue to advance the vision of Dr. Kozmetsky and Laura Kilcrease.
The 25 companies to be honored as ATI graduates at the 25th anniversary, on January 29, include businesses focused on information technology, wireless, clean energy, and Bio/Health Sciences. They are:
• Amatra emergency notification program management tools for federal, local, municipal governments and corporate campuses.
• Aunt Bertha enterprise platform for the social services sector.
• BeHome247 remote premises management and monitoring systems.
• Black Locus automated and optimized pricing tools for mid-market and large online retailers.
• Datical database schema automation software for IT Systems Management.
• Decision Grid big data analytics targeting military and security markets.
• Evocalize (formerly Dish Opinion) enables businesses to collect consumer feedback with intelligence to increase customer acquisition, retention and satisfaction.
• Favor offers anything you want from your favorite restaurants and stores. Delivered.
• FlowBelow aerodynamic products designed for 18-wheel tractor trailer trucks for increased fuel savings.
• Hoot.me Facebook application that makes it easy for students to collaborate with classmates, teachers and tutors online, targeting the MOOC and tutoring markets.
• Ideation Systems dedicated to the promotion of learning and advancement of science through accessible and affordable technology.
• Ihiji cloud based Network Management as a Service (NMaaS) platform for remote monitoring and maintenance of IP-enabled devices.
• Izpitec develops non-intrusive plasma measurement technology for use in semiconductor manufacturing.
• Limelite Technologies commercial and consumer electroluminescent lighting products.
• Loop & Tie makes it easy to send unique, handpicked gifts to large groups.
• M87 delivers the full potential of machine to machine connectivity in the mobile age by moving network routing to the edge.
• Nuve M2M device management platform, initially targeting transportation market. First applications are fuel theft reduction, cement theft and cargo theft.
• Omni Water Solutions specializes in developing and deploying mobile water treatment platforms for reuse initially focusing on the large hydrofracturing market.
• Ordoro shipping and inventory management for e-commerce.
• SalesVu full suite mobile payment platform offering POS-integration, subscription billing, invoicing, e-commerce solutions and report analytics.
• Set.fm iTunes for Live music. Enabling real time commerce and sharing of high quality concert audio.
• Terra Pave International ozone-friendly asphalt substitute for roadways.
• Toopher Invisible Multifactor Authentication prevents online fraud and identity theft by using the location awareness of your phone.
• Xeris Pharmaceuticals drug stabilization platform. First application: diabetes.
• Yan Engines novel D-cycle engine retrofit which improves fuel efficiency by 60%, increases torque by over 200%, and reduces emissions.
Beyond recognizing these companies and their successes, the event will celebrate the winner of the Laura J. Kilcrease Civic Entrepreneurship Award. First awarded in 1998, the Kilcrease Award is given to business leaders in recognition of their contributions to the Austin community. Past winners have included Austin area influencers such as Pike Powers, Lee Walker, Michael Dell, and, most recently, Gary Farmer. The award is named for Laura J. Kilcrease, founding director of the Austin Technology Incubator, who has dedicated her career to advancing Austin’s tech economy.
The event will also recognize the inaugural winner of the John S. Butler Distinguished Alumni Award. Named in honor of University of Texas Professor John S. Butler, the award recognizes an individual who has taken their UT foundation and gone on to have exemplary impact through entrepreneurship, academia and/or community service. The winner, like Dr. Butler, must foster significant opportunities for students, both inside and outside the classroom.
The graduation and 25th anniversary event will be held Wednesday, January 29, from 6-9 pm, at the AT&T Executive Education and Conference Center at The University of Texas at Austin. ATI deeply appreciates the following companies whose sponsorship helped make this event happen AT&T, HPI, IBM, Norton Rose Fulbright and Pike Powers Lab. Press interested in attending the January 26th event and/or speaking with executives from ATI or the graduating companies can contact Laura Beck, 512-786-1098 or laurabeckcahoon(at)gmail(dot)com.
About the Austin Technology Incubator:
The Austin Technology Incubator (ATI) is the startup incubator of the IC2 Institute of The University of Texas at Austin. ATI works with seed and pre-seed-stage companies, helping prepare these businesses for commercial success, with a particular focus on helping startups compete in the capital markets. The Incubator has operated since 1989 with a dual mission: create jobs and wealth in Central Texas through technology entrepreneurship, and provide distinctive teaching and research opportunities to the UT-Austin community. Over the past 10 years, ATI companies have created more than 5,500 jobs, nearly $1 billion in economic impact, and over $20 million in tax revenues in Central Texas.
Laura Beck, Austin Technology Incubator, http://ati.utexas.edu/, +1 (512) 786-1098, [email protected]
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