Congratulations to the 2014 UW Business Plan Competition Sweet 16

On April 29, 36 student-led startups from colleges and universities across Washington state gathered at the University of Washington to compete in the Investment Round of the annual UW Business Plan Competition.

This years’ teams, selected from a pool of 92 applicants, demonstrated innovation and inspiration across sectors—solar energy, wearable technology, public health and safety, even sauerkraut! After four hours of pitching to 300+ judges—entrepreneurs, lawyers, investors, and other top professionals—the sixteen top-scoring teams were announced. These teams will move on to the next round of the 2014 BPC, and a chance to win the $25,000 Grand Prize! Stay tuned.

Top Teams:

ChooseVets.com (University of Washington – Tacoma)
Outsource your life and empower a veteran. ChooseVets is a web based, peer-to-peer market through which customers can hire local military veterans to complete common or specialized tasks, jobs or errands. ChooseVets will charge a brokerage fee for connecting its customers with its military veteran independent contractors. ChooseVets' contractors can perform a diverse range of personal services and labor, ranging from landscaping to remodeling houses. Through ChooseVets, businesses and individuals can not only find reliable, skilled people to get needed tasks accomplished, they can show their support for America’s veterans and help them reintegrate back into their local communities.

Aurora Plasmonics (University of Washington)
Aurora Plasmonics has developed a new, non-invasive theranostic agent that allows for a new blood declotting procedure with simultaneous imaging capabilities.

FastBar (University of Washington - Bothell)
FastBar increases bar revenue and improves the attendee experience with a cashless RFID payment system designed for pop-up events.

FDCARES (University of Washington)
FDCARES, LLC is an evidence-based training, safety and quality assurance company dedicated to transforming and improving fire department services for non-emergency patient care. FDCARES supplies fire departments with products and services that optimize their medical response system for non-emergency 911 callers and high-volume users of Emergency Medical Services and Emergency Department care. The results are better care, fewer costs, and safer communities.

Flu Finder (University of Washington)
Current flu diagnostic tests are unable to achieve effective early diagnosis for most flu-¬infected individuals. Flu Finder has created a flu test that is accurate, inexpensive, and can be administered by anyone, anywhere, with results in less than 20 minutes.

Innovii (University of Washington)
The Innovii Challenge is a competition where teams of 3 to 5 high school students are given a twenty dollar bill and ten days to create, develop, and execute a profitable micro-venture. 

IonoMetal Technologies (University of Washington)
With its revolutionary patented technology and demonstrated tool, Ionometals will not only make the earth a better place to live by reducing landfill of semiconductor waste, but also help save approximately $0.5MM for every semiconductor testing company.

Korvata (University of Washington)
Korvata Inc. creates cutting edge alternative chemistry products that enable companies to mitigate their environmental impact. Korvata, a Delaware Corporation, received the top award at the 2014 UW Environmental Innovation Challenge (EIC). Its patent-pending technology enables customers in the food & beverage and CPG industries to significantly reduce their carbon footprints.

Loopool (Bainbridge Graduate Institute)
Loopool is both a technology and a philosophy for the management of a sustainable textile and apparel supply chain ecosystem.  It is a process used to reclaim textile and apparel waste and convert it into high quality bio-based fiber for the creation of new textiles and apparel. Loopool is a holistic closed-loop garment recycling system and a business model representative of the new era circular economy.

Mobile Foam (Washington State University)
Mobile Foam provides companies with the necessary chemicals and portable molds to manufacture polyurethane blocks, allowing for organizations to bypass shipping costs of individual blocks by manufacturing their own building materials on the site of construction. This method will allow organizations to construct houses in a faster, more cost effective manner, allowing for increased housing production rates while creating long lasting quality homes.

NOVA Technologies (Western Washington University)
As the thirst for energy increases, the world’s superpowers are becoming dangerously covetous. In desperation to stave the inevitable, the most pristine natural wonders are sacrificed in the name of progress. Pipelines, mines, fracking sites, nuclear deposits, and coal dust risk the stability of a delicate environment; yet we continue. Imagine if the entire surface area of a skyscraper could function as a solar system. Thousands of square feet of solar windows, entire buildings, entire cities generating localized power. NOVA Technologies is proud to present the very first fully transparent photovoltaic solar window: the NOVA Solar Window.

OlyKraut (Bainbridge Graduate Institute)
OlyKraut combines local produce, the magic of fermentation, and delicious original recipes to create sauerkraut that's more than a condiment--it's a health tonic, a kick in the tastebuds, and an investment in the local food system.

OpsMagic (University of Washington)
OpsMagic combines off-the-shelf cameras and advanced computer vision to automate observational studies, empowering businesses to tune operations to consumer demand.  By building software intelligence and analytics on top of everyday video infrastructure, we solve the pain of a person using a stopwatch and some paper to measure business processes.  Instead, we enable businesses to quickly understand customer demand, rapidly iterate on continuous improvements, and immediately see cause and effect.  OpsMagic solves a major hassle in business operations measurement by tapping into new source of big data in video.

Projected Talent (University of Washington)
Projected Talent is revolutionizing the way that businesses hire student interns. It's online platform allows businesses to "audition" multiple candidates on short-term projects, avoiding the commitment of a long-term hire until they find the right fit. It also provides students with the opportunity to gain experience in a variety of fields by working on projects for a number of different companies.

Spectral DNA (University of Washington)
Spectral DNA's goal is to deliver a conformable solar fabric that can be fully integrated into a multi-use model for ubiquitous power generation. We aim to micro-design these 3D conformable fabrics into clothing, and other needed uses and applications for ubiquitous power. This can be used as a mobile power generation house without connecting to wires.

Trestle (University of Washington)
Trestle is the answer to the question "what would it look like if Nest built a router?" - our passion is simplifying the complicated process of setting up a wireless router and increasing network speeds by up to 10x, and our goal is delighting our customers with the most user friendly technological experience they've ever had. Trestle is hassle-free software to set up, secure and optimize your wireless network so easy that even your grandma can do it.

Alternates:
vHab (University of Washington)
vHab is a rehabilitation technology platform that allows clinicians to follow a stroke patient's recovery throughout the entire course of their treatment and adds a gamified patient environment that will improve recovery outcomes. Designed to be mobile and integrative, vHab aims to use advances in motion capture, electromyography, and virtual reality to engage the patient in a dynamic, gamified therapy environment while recording precision metrics and seamlessly reporting to their clinician.

Legato (University of Washington)
Legato is a convenient mobile application that provides an interactive speech therapy solution for children.

Want to know more?
•    Follow the progress of the 2014 BPC on Twitter: #UWBPC2014
•    Join in for the Final Round on Thursday, May 22, 1-4:30pm in Dempsey Hall. 

SOPA and IP Protection

The Tacoma-Pierce Co. Chamber has not yet taken a policy position on SOPA, although the Chamber has supported protection for IP.  Nonetheless, as an outreach to increase the comprehensive dialogue, their information is presented for your consideration:

"The United States Chamber of Commerce, along with other Chambers, guilds, studios, and networks are supporters of Creative America, a grassroots coalition created to allow your individual voice to be heard in the fight against one of the biggest threats we as an industry face: content theft. The entertainment industry has already lost tens of thousands of jobs, and there are numerous other damaging effects as a result of content theft. 

"What Google and Wikipedia are fighting against is ANY regulation over the Internet. The bills debated in Congress are very narrow, carefully tailored pieces of legislation that will address the worst of the worst online thieves. With rogue websites receiving up to 59 billion visits per year (9 visits for every single person on Earth) something must be done to stop online theft.

"Talk of censorship and loss of Internet freedom has nothing to do with the actual substance of the bills."

And more in the interests of information exchange, today's press statement by Congressman Adam Smith:

“I am committed to finding ways to more effectively protect American innovation that helps drive our economy, but I do not support the Stop Online Piracy Act as it currently stands. Intellectual property theft and piracy undermines our competitive advantage within the global economy, negatively impacts multiple sectors within Washington State and the national economy, and costs individuals and U.S. - based businesses of all sizes billions of dollars each year. 

“It is vitally important that we protect the intellectual property of content providers in the United States from serious threats posed by online piracy, but it is also important to ensure innovators have the ability to continue creating, producing and sharing new ideas. SOPA, as it stands, would significantly prevent that from happening.

“Though intellectual property protection is critical, the policies proposed by the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and the PROTECT IP Act (PIPA) are troubling. There is great concern among technology professionals and Internet users that these measures, if enacted, would place unacceptable limitations on the accessibility of online information and content, impose undue burdens on small and innovative websites and applications, and would not be the most effective way to curtail overseas illegal piracy and theft of intellectual property.

“I appreciate the attention this issue has received and the focus on finding better ways to protect American innovation and creativity without impeding the historic strengths and benefits of the Internet.  I look forward to working with my colleagues to balance these important priorities in future legislation.”

Angels Fight! II

The Puget Sound region played a leadership role in the passage of the Financial Reform Bill, as it was amended.

Our Sen. Cantwell, as an identified principal co-sponsor, joined by others (including Sen. Murray and Sen. Begich-AK) in sponsoring what became an adopted amendment addressing critical changes to the bill much to the delight of the Angel Capital Association.

Sen. Cantwell was on the Senate floor speaking to the subsequent Dodd Bill when visited by the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber's delegation on its 25th Washington-to-Washington, D.C. visit.

Angels Fight!

As blogged yesterday, the Angel Capital Association has been working hard to address the issues in the Senate financial reform bill that affect angel investors and entrepreneurs. You can keep track of the issues, overall activity and our progress on ACA's Web site, ACA has posted a WSJ editorial that certainly caught many people's attention.

ACA's Executive Director Marianne Hudson said, I want to let you know that we have made some good progress in Washington, DC including working with the bill's author, Sen. Christopher Dodd - who plans to promote two amendments on the Senate floor to greatly improve the bill. ACA has published its statement of support for these amendments on their Web site for more information.

We greatly appreciate the work many of you have done to contact your Senators and policy makers about these issues. You have made a huge difference!

It is important, though, that angels continue the fight! You can link to our Senators here.

Dodd Needs an Angel

Lost in the national press’s attention to the Dodd financial reform bill has been any attention to what it does to angel investing. Angels are building the kinds of companies that represent the majority of net new jobs in the United States and this is exactly the wrong time to hinder that in any way.

For those of you who have not yet had the opportunity to review the related materials, look to the ACA Web site. Essentially the bill's current language recommends significantly increasing the thresholds for accredited investors.

Two issues would affect angels and entrepreneurs seeking angel financing:
1. A 120-day waiting rule before money can be put into a small business—good luck surviving,
2. Doubling of the investor requirements to $449,000 income and $2,250,000 net worth, increased for inflation every 5 years.

ACA has been the lead advocate for angels and the entrepreneurs who are REALLY the audience that would be affected and have been very involved in negotiations to improve the provisions of the bill with the Senate Banking Committee.

ACA is cautiously optimistic that the bill will include much improved provisions. Democrats plan to call for a vote to try to block a Republican filibuster that could prevent formal debate from starting on the bill, under development for months now. Sixty votes are needed to invoke "cloture," blocking a filibuster.

Democrats control 59 Senate votes and would need at least one Republican vote for cloture to proceed. It does not currently appear they have the 60 votes for cloture to avoid a Republican filibuster.

BioScience Business Roundtable Update

BioScience Business Roundtable

BioTech Gaining Coordination for Advocacy

Early Days, but look for an upcoming event focused on the biotech industry in the Puget Sound region.

But, mark your calendars for a half-day event with two expert panel sessions addressing how government and business can work together to create a positive climate that will maximize the contributions of the bioscience industries on a state and federal level. The experts will also address the importance of innovation, the regulatory landscape and other issues that can impact the industry.

December 2, 2009, 1 – 5 pm
Seattle, venue to be set
no cost to attendees

This program is being developed by a unified voice of leaders representing the biotechnology, life sciences, and biomedical research industries —collectively known as the bioscience community.

Their mission is to promote public policies that on a local, state, and federal level safeguard and sustain America’s place as the world leader in bioscience. Their three tenets are to promote access, prevention and encourage innovation by building bridges of understanding between government leaders, the business community and academia on key issues facing Washington’s and the United States' dynamic bioscience community.

Sponsoring this program in coordination with the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) are:

• the National Venture Capital Association (NVCA)
• the Pharmaceutical Research & Manufacturers of America (PhRMA)

and local organizations like:

• the Association of Washington Business (AWB)
• the Washington Biotechnology and Biomedical Association (WBBA)
• the University of Washington (UW)
• US Chamber of Commerce
• Pacific Technology Alliance
• Puget Sound Regional Council
• East King County Chambers of Commerce Legislative Coalition
• NW Association of Biomedical Research
• Technology Alliance
• Cancer Society
• Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber

Mandate or a Market

The CQ Today Midday Update reports that the Senate has joined the House in action to bolster Net Neutrality.

Net Neutrality is a policy of preventing broadband service providers from blocking certain traffic or establishing a tiered pathway for Internet content. The FCC's proposed mandates prohibit selectively blocking or slowing content and applications. For the first time, these provisions would also apply to wireless providers.

Supporters contend it would level the playing field for content providers. Opponents say it would hamper online innovation. Wireless providers are concerned they could not block voice calling services.

The Senate proposal is from Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-So. Dakota) and Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) is expected to cosponsor. The House effort is lead by Cong. Edward Markey (D-Mass.).

Smith's Tech Town Hall

Cong. Adam Smith today faced a baker's dozen of tech industry entrepreneurs and advocates for one of his back-home town hall meetings sited at the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber offices.

Smith, always and continuing as both a knowledgeable tech supporter and a consistent tech supporter, was able to speak directly to tech issues both in his initial remarks and in response to the queries from attendees.

Here, as seemingly everywhere, health care reform entered the conversation. But, tech issues predominated the discussion. When asked about his insights from serving in the House intelligence oversight and forthcoming opportunities, Smith replied that both "yes" there are opportunities and "no" he couldn't tell us what they are. But, he did give a serious response in that he identified two areas of special opportunity and funding availability: energy and medical. Attendees were referred to DARPA and Battelle/Pacific NW National Lab for research that is available for commercialization.

Another topic of special interest was the question of funding availability in the tech industry. Others noted that Washington does well in attracting VC, but there is a growing area of concern about angel investing. With the wealth reduction that has occurred with the Great Recession, where many individuals have also seen their portfolio value decline dramatically, the willingness of angel investors to invest - and the ability of ventures to attract angel funds has suffered.

Reorganizing CTED for Tech

The Technology Alliance, composed of tech associations in Washington State, is proactive in the new reorganization of the Washington State Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development. Their submitted comments, along with the supportive tech associates, is presented below.

TA dah! It's all about Education