$77,500 awarded to student---led startups

Three hundred judges, mentors and student entrepreneurs gathered at the Bell Harbor Conference Center Thursday evening to award a record number of prizes—14—and a record amount of seed funding—$75,000—to participants of the 18th annual UW Business Plan Competition.

The UW Business Plan Competition, run by the Buerk Center for Entrepreneurship at the Foster School of Business, offers innovative and entrepreneurial students an opportunity to turn their ideas into compelling and viable startups. In the past 18 years 1,278 student teams from 16 colleges and universities around Washington State have participated in the competition, and the Buerk Center has awarded over $1.3 million in prize money/seed funding to 140 winning teams—over half of which are still in business.

While this year’s winning teams represent many industries, a significant number are innovating in the area of life sciences. Empreva, for example, has developed a new method of birth control and STI prevention, and vHAB’s technology helps stroke patients rehabilitate their fine motor skills.

The winners will use their prize money to turn their student teams into early---stage startups—some may apply to the Buerk Center’s Jones + Foster Accelerator, which provides mentoring and Guidance through the decisive first six months of the startup process.

Congratulations to this year’s winners:

$25,000 Grand Prize sponsored by the Herbert B. Jones Foundation
Vie Diagnostics (University of Washington)

A significant portion of patients attending STD clinics fail to follow up for treatment, even when tests are positive and the risk for transmission and complication is highest. Vie Diagnostics’ disruptive molecular diagnostic technology will reduce the spread and pain of STD infections by allowing patients to be tested and treated in a single clinical visit. Its tests will provide better patient management, lower costs for clinics, and improve overall public health.

$10,000 Second Place Prize sponsored by WRF Capital
Empreva (University of Washington)
Empreva aims to empower and engage women across the world to take their health into their own hands by providing a safe, convenient and comfortable method for birth control and STI prevention. Empreva is developing birth control and combination birth control/anti---HIV products to benefit the health of women in high---HIV burden areas of the developing world who lack options for protection.  For every purchase of an Empreva birth control product in the U.S., Empreva will donate one combination product to a woman in need in the developing world to help achieve sexual health and empowerment for women everywhere.

$7,520.15 Finalist Prize sponsored by the Friends of the BPC
Hook (University of Washington)
Hook is a home automation hub that offers smart home capability to the price sensitive consumer. Customers are able to convert existing electronics in the home to smart compatible devices, keeping these products up---to---date for years to come. Consumers will enjoy convenience with control via their mobile devices, savings on energy costs, and improved home safety. With an affordable price and remarkable ease of use, Hook aims to make smart home technology accessible to the masses.

$5,000 Finalist Prize sponsored by Fenwick & West
vHAB (University of Washington)
vHAB is a virtual rehabilitation platform that helps patients regain fine motor skills to lead autonomous lives again. vHAB enables occupational therapists to customize patient treatment and accurately monitor progress through engaging and dynamic video games. System portability and precision metrics  pose a competitive advantage for rehabilitation facilities, allowing delivery of quality treatment to patients – anywhere, anytime. vHAB saves rehabilitation facilities time and money. Most importantly, vHAB empowers patients to reclaim their independence.

$5,000 AARP Prize Targeted for teams that best address the challenges faced by low---income seniors: affordable age---in---place housing; affordable healthy food; increased income; and the impact of isolation on physical, mental and emotional well---being.

Co Optical (Washington State University)
Co Optical specializes in lifestyle management technologies, with a flagship product that revolutionizes diabetes management by continuously and non---invasively monitoring blood glucose. This wearable device, structured as a pair of glasses, improves convenience and enhances the overall user experience allowing seamless integration of lifestyle management strategies into the everyday lives of people with diabetes.

$5,000 Wells Fargo Clean Tech Prize Recognizes a venture with products, services or processes that harness renewable materials and energy sources, dramatically reduce the use of natural
resources and cut or eliminate emissions and wastes.

NOVA Technologies (Western Washington University and University of Washington)
NOVA Technologies’ Smart Solar Window uses transparent nanotechnology to create clean, local electricity that can turn skyscrapers into giant solar arrays and reduce HVAC systems costs, an innovative link to a carbon neutral future.

$2500 Best Idea Prizes Best Technology Prize sponsored by UIEvolution
TriboTEX (Washington State University)
TriboTEX aims to extend the operational life---span of industrial machinery by improving efficiency where lubricated friction takes place. TriboTEX’s self---assembling nanostructured lubricious coating provides regenerative effects to frictional surface during normal operation.

Best Marketplace Prize sponsored by ebay
Enterprise Park A Lot (University of Washington)
Park A Lot is a platform connecting private businesses which have unused parking spaces with customers looking for parking. Lot owners sign up on a hop---on, hop---off platform and their lots become available to the public, generating them revenue. Customers use Park A Lot’s website or app to  purchase parking on a lot of their choice from their home or mobile device.

Best Service/Retail Prize sponsored by REI
SmartyPants (University of Washington)
SmartyPants reinvents toilet training and mitigates adult incontinence issues to prevent millions of diapers from ending up as a biohazard in landfills. It predicts impending bowel events and alerts users to get to a toilet. The company’s innovative, first---of---its---kind, technology creates value for the  consumers by saving on diaper purchases and the environment by reducing waste and biohazard from disposable diapers.

Best Consumer Product Prize sponsored by Accenture
Hook (University of Washington)
(See earlier description)

Best Sustainable Advantage Prize sponsored by Sensors In Motion
JikoPower (University of Washington)
JikoPower makes thermo---electric generators to turn ordinary cook stoves into personal charging stations for off---grid households that have small electronic devices in the developing world. JikoPower POWERS devices, but it EMPOWERS people.

Best Innovation Prize sponsored by Perkins Coie
Vie Diagnostics (University of Washington)
(See earlier description)

Best Health/Healthcare Prize sponsored by Cambia
Empreva (University of Washington)
(See earlier description)

Best Idea for the Future Prize sponsored by DLA Piper
miPS (University of Washington)
miPS is the first consumer stem cell generation and cell banking service. miPS allows consumers to store their adult cells to prevent cellular aging, generate stem cell lines for research, and use banked cells for future stem cell therapies.

For more information contact Ellen Pepin.

New Downtown Tacoma User Research Lab

GearLab, in partnership with digital agency SiteCrafting, Inc., has opened a user research and usability testing lab in Tacoma’s Dome District. The lab is the first of its kind in Pierce County.

GearLab, which stands for Guided Experience and Research, is a user research and usability testing lab outfitted with tools for testing how users interact with technology, including software for eye tracking, a mobile suite for testing across devices and platforms, and an observation room. GearLab’s focus on design thinking and user-centered design is part of an emerging industry trend centered around creating websites, software, and products that are designed, through research and evaluation, to be more efficient and effective for users.

Through a series of facilitated research and testing methods, GearLab enables companies to plan, test, and improve the designs of websites, software interfaces, and products. GearLab works on a variety of project types ranging from companies with in-house development teams looking to improve their own projects, government agencies needing to balance a wide range of audiences, to any business looking to improve their website interface through testing and research. Through a partnership with UW Tacoma, access to the lab will also be provided to students for conducting studies. Additionally, GearLab hopes to expand local partnerships for lab rentals to include other organizations and User Experience professionals.

GearLab Director, Chuck Johnston, is part of the Human Centered Design and Engineering Masters program at the University of Washington. As one of the only programs of its kind, graduates come away with a deep focus on creating solutions designed for real people with the things we use everyday. “Putting people first produces the best outcomes not only for technology and products, but also for entire organizations,” says Johnston.

The GearLab facilities include the lab itself for conducting usability tests and research, an observation room for learning and analysis, and a nearly 1,000 square-foot training room for workshops, sketching exercises, and other working sessions. GearLab is housed within SiteCrafting’s recently renovated office space in the Bowstring Building at 2716 A Street in downtown Tacoma.

While the two businesses share office space and collaborate on mutual projects, GearLab has its own client base that operates independent from SiteCrafting. GearLab is available for on-site testing as well as field testing.

GearLab will be open for demos during SiteCrafting’s open house for clients, partners, and the community on June 3, 2015 from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Visit HERE to attend.

Free Cyberbullying Prevention Forum

You are invited to join on Tuesday, June 2 for a FREE Cyberbullying Prevention Forum.

Jo Langford, Author, Therapist, Dynamic Public Speaker and Parent will be giving a keynote presentation on Cyberbullying and will teach hands on skills necessary to create a cybersafe environment for your family.

The Forum is designed to be a family friendly event, with a light dinner and childcare provided at no cost. The forum is being held at Stewart Middle School (5010 Pacific Ave, Tacoma, WA 98408).

Doors will open at 5:00 PM for registration and dinner, the program itself will begin at 6:00 PM and go until 8:00 PM.

This forum is FREE and open to the public. We encourage you to spread the word by forwarding this to friends and family who might be interested in this topic!

RSVP in advance via this link or by calling the Safe Streets office at 253.272.6824.

Spread the word! Please feel free to invite other members of your community to the Forum.

State of Tech Luncheon 2015

Every year, more than 800 of Washington's top leaders in business, tech, research and government gather for the State of Technology Luncheon.

(Click on Image for a Larger View)

Sweet 16 Round for '15 Business Plan Competition

37 student-led start-up teams from colleges and universities across Washington state - including one from UWT - gathered at the University of Washington last week to compete in the 2015 Business Plan Competition (BPC) Investment Round.

For four hours, the teams, initially selected from a pool of 103 entries, pitched their ideas and innovations to 250+ judges—entrepreneurs, attorneys, investors, and other professionals from Seattle’s entrepreneurial community— in the hopes of landing a spot in the next round of the competition. By the end of the afternoon the scores had been tallied and the sixteen top-scoring teams were announced. These teams will move on to the "Sweet Sixteen" round of the 2015 BPC—once step closer to winning the $25,000 Grand Prize. Meet the Sweet Sixteen below, and join the Buerk Center for Entrepreneurship for the Final Four round on May 21 (more information HERE).

The UW Business Plan Competition is presented by the Buerk Center for Entrepreneurship at the Foster School of Business.

Auctora University of Washington Auctora’s automated recruiting tool seamlessly screens, sorts, and schedules candidates so that corporate recruiters can utilize their time more effectively while sourcing job applicants. No dealing with paper resumes; no back-and-forth emails between recruiters and candidates – welcome to recruiting in the 21st century!

Authality University of Washington Authality’s first product, Klide, is the most secure and convenient smart lock, and the only smart lock that meets the demands of Airbnb hosts. Klide pairs a physical lock with a mobile app that allows hosts to distribute revocable “keys” to guests and control access remotely.

Benchmark Environ- mental University of Washington and Washington State University Benchmark Environmental is changing the way we treat storm water. By combining innovative design with new technologies, our treatment solutions are affordable, easy to install, and low maintenance. Benchmark Environmental’s products enable more companies and municipalities to treat storm water runoff effectively–a win-win for customers and the environment.

Bettery University of Washington Tacoma Bettery provides consumers with the most cost effective, convenient, and sustainable portable power solution on the market. Bettery taps a growing demand for sustainable solutions by offering batteries as a low cost subscription service.

Co Optical Washington State University Co Optical specializes in lifestyle management technologies, with a flagship product that revolutionizes diabetes management by continuous and non-invasive monitoring blood glucose. This wearable device, structured as a pair of glasses, improves convenience and enhances the overall user experience allowing seamless integration of lifestyle management strategies into the everyday lives of people with diabetes.

Empreva University of Washington Empreva aims to empower and engage women across the world to take their health into their own hands by providing a safe, convenient, and comfortable method for birth control and STI prevention.Empreva is developing birth control and combination birth control/anti-HIV products to benefit the health of women in high-HIV burden areas of the developing world who lack options for protection. For every purchase of an Empreva birth control product in the U.S., Empreva will donate one combination product to a woman in need in the developing world to help achieve sexual health and empowerment for women everywhere.

Go KEFI Washington State University Go KEFI is an experience-based travel website that helps you plan vacations based off desired experiences and budget. The team won first place at Spokane Start-up Weekend 2014, and has since sparked a movement for a new way to travel.

Hook University of Washington Hook is a home automation hub that offers smart home capability to the price sensitive consumer. Customers are able to convert existing electronics in the home to smart compatible devices, keeping these products up-to-date for years to come. Consumers will enjoy convenience with control via their mobile devices, savings on energy costs, and improved home safety. With an affordable price and remarkable ease of use, Hook aims to make smart home technology accessible to the masses.


JikoPower University of Washington JikoPower makes thermo-electric generators to turn ordinary cook stoves into personal charging stations for off-grid households that have small electronic devices in the developing world. JikoPower POWERS devices, but it EMPOWERS people.

NOVA Technologies Western Washington University and University of Washington NOVA Technologies’ Smart Solar Window uses transparent nanotechnology to create clean, local electricity that can turn skyscrapers into giant solar arrays and reduce HVAC systems costs, an innovative link to a carbon neutral future.

Park A Lot University of Washington Park A Lot is a platform connecting private businesses who have unused parking spaces with customers looking for parking. Lot owners sign up on a hop-on, hop-off platform and their lots become available to the public, generating them revenue. Customers use Park A Lot’s website or app to purchase parking on a lot of their choice from their home or mobile device.

RainCity Heart Lab Seattle University Seventy percent of patients who have suffered a heart attack for the first time were previously classified as low risk for cardiovascular disease based on the current testing methods. RainCity Heart Lab (RCHL) is a specialty diagnostic lab that offers a better diagnostic test called CALLIS. CALLIS (Calibrated Lipoprotein Ion Separation) is a blood test for accurately quantifying intact lipoproteins for improved Cardio Vascular Disease risk assessment.

SmartyPants University of Washington SmartyPants reinvents toilet training and mitigates adult incontinence issues to prevent millions of diapers from ending up as a biohazard in landfills. It predicts impending bowel events and alerts users to get to a toilet. The company’s innovative, first-of-its-kind, technology creates value for the consumers by saving on diaper purchases and the environment by reducing waste and biohazard from disposable diapers.

vHAB University of Washington vHAB is a virtual rehabilitation platform that helps patients regain fine motor skills to lead autonomous lives again. vHAB enables occupational therapists to customize patient treatment and accurately monitor progress through engaging and dynamic video games. System portability and precision metrics pose a competitive advantage for rehabilitation facilities, allowing delivery of quality treatment to patients – anywhere, anytime. vHAB saves rehabilitation facilities time and money. Most importantly, vHAB empowers patients to reclaim their independence.

Vie Diagnostics University of Washington A significant portion of patients attending STD clinics fail to follow up for treatment, even when tests are positive and the risk for transmission and complication is highest. Vie Diagnostics’ disruptive molecular diagnostic technology will reduce the spread and pain of STD infections by allowing patients to be tested and treated in a single clinical visit. Its tests will provide better patient management, lower costs for clinics, and improve overall public health.

Yowgii University of Washington Yowgii has the potential to disrupt the bottled water industry and the water filtration industry. The global bottled water industry is worth over $157 billion a year, but is heavily comprised of plastic bottles with significant environmental footprint and potential for contaminants. Yowgii combines environmentally-friendly water delivery with innovative water purification to deliver the best drinking water to consumer and promises pure water for a better you!

Contact for more info: Ellen Pepin Assistant Director, Buerk Center for Entrepreneurship Foster School of Business University of Washington  (206) 616-3691