ORLANDO, Fla. (December 16, 2013) – This week, representatives from Space Florida and the University of Central Florida (UCF) Office of Research and Commercialization (ORC) announced 20 finalists for the “CAT5 Awards,” an event that will match financing sources with small, Florida-based, high-tech businesses.
The “CAT5 Awards,” (which stands for “Capital for the Acceleration of Technologies in early stage companies) will enable the 20 selected companies to present their business models to venture capitalists, angel investors and strategic corporate investors that may have interest in supporting their businesses. In addition, the top 10 finalists will compete to receive one of two monetary awards totaling $150,000 – through Space Florida sponsorship.
The Top 10 finalists include:
*CyberFactors (New Smyrna Beach, FL) – cyber risk analytics
*Helicon Chemical Company (Orlando, FL) – advanced fuels and propellants
*HySense Technologies (Rockledge, FL) – detection of flammable/gas leaks
*NanoPhotonica (Orlando, FL) – materials for flat panel displays/lighting applications
*Plasmonics (Orlando, FL) – next-generation infrared systems
*ReliOx Corporation (Gainesville, FL) – antimicrobial and disinfectant products
*RINI Technologies (Oviedo, FL) – meso- and microscale thermal management
*SeaTorque Control Systems (Stuart, FL) – hybrid, electric propulsion systems
*Sensory Integrated Solutions (Gainesville, FL) – pneumonia-related sensor systems
*TrueVitals, Inc. (Gainesville, FL) – non-invasive medical vital signs monitoring system
All selected finalists will present at the Innovation Concourse of the Southeast (ICSE) Manufacturing and Safety event on June 3, 2014. Prior to their presentations, the University of Central Florida’s Venture Accelerator will match finalists with expert mentors that will provide business strategy coaching leading up to the event.
“These types of events really promote the growth of Florida-based, high-tech businesses by enabling possible funding sources to hear their innovative business models,” said Space Florida President Frank DiBello. “We believe Space Florida’s additional financial award will provide the top two forward-thinking companies a little extra support as they grow their businesses.”
The additional 10 finalists, who will have an opportunity to present to funding sources (but not compete for the additional financial awards) include: Advanced Technologies and Testing Lab (Tampa, FL); Elebev (Miami, FL); Fitness Medical Systems (Titusville, FL); General Capacitor (Tallahassee, FL); hEar Gear Inc. (Melbourne, FL); Innovatech Engineering (Tallahassee, FL); Paracosm (Gainesville, FL); Statim Technologies (Clearwater, FL); Vapster-Diesel (Delray Beach, FL); and World Housing Solutions (Edgewater, FL) – rapidly deployable and thermally efficient shelters for military, oil and gas, and remote lab industries.
All CAT5 applicants were required to pursue business models in one of Space Florida’s strategic target markets, to include: Space Transportation and Advanced Aerospace Platforms; Satellite Systems and Science Payloads; Ground and Operations Support Systems; Agriculture, Climate/Environmental Monitoring; Civil Protection and Emergency Management; ISS and Human Life Sciences (including medical research); Communications, Cyber Security and Robotics; Adventure Tourism; Clean/Alternative Energy Applications and Advanced Materials and New Products.
For more information, visit http://www.innovationconcourse.com/concourse/cat5-awards.
