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Entrepreneurs’ Center Tech Start-ups Secure $1.4M in Grant Funding

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https://ecinnovates.com/entrepreneurs-center-tech-start-ups-secure-1-4m-in-grant-funding/

October 22, 2024 –

Entrepreneurs’ Center (EC) technology clients Bowerbags, Dayton Photonics, Ignyte, BrandRank.AI, DEB Technologies, Astute Signals, and Galvanix secured $1.4M in grant funding from the Ohio Third Frontier Commission. The seven competitively awarded Technology Validation and Start-up Fund (TVSF) grants will help accelerate these Ohio-based companies in the development and commercialization of innovative products that hold the potential to transform industries and improve lives.

“We are grateful to the Ohio Third Frontier Commission and the Ohio Department of Development for awarding these grants to seven remarkable companies,” said Scott Koorndyk, President of the EC. “There is no better place to build a business than the Dayton Region, and we are proud to support each of these companies on their path to success.”

Bowerbags secured $200,000 to develop its innovative Modular Quick Release System (MQRS) for military and first responder tactical gear. The MQRS reduces setup time for gear like flak vests from 1 hour to 1 minute, increasing mobility, saving money, and minimizing injury by allowing on-the-fly adjustments without sacrificing stability. It also works seamlessly with vehicle attachments, backpacks, and medical gear.

“The EC’s TVSF preparation programs, proposal feedback, and guidance were crucial for our success with TVSF,” said Jamie Bowerman, Founder. “Their input helped us navigate our proposal and emphasized the importance of solutions for the reviewers by helping to codify our value proposition and product development roadmap.”

Dayton Photonics secured $200,000 to advance its B-Link free space optical communication system, revolutionizing communication in the most challenging environments. By moving beyond the limits of wired and radio frequency communication, Dayton Photonics is pioneering fiber-less optical technology to meet the growing demand for bandwidth and speed. This innovation marks the next era of communication, making fiber optic technology wireless.

“This TVSF award is enabling Dayton Photonics to extend the range of our wireless optical communication system, which is critical for applications in broadband internet delivery,” said Dr. Emily Fehrman Cory, CEO. “Extended range will make B-Link a viable alternative communication technology in truly the most challenging places on the planet, where the terrain makes it impossible to use fiber optics and high bandwidth RF technologies.”

Ignyte secured $200,000 to advance its mission of simplifying cybersecurity and compliance for sectors like Defense, Healthcare, and Financial Services. By automating risk management processes, Ignyte helps organizations meet regulatory standards such as CMMC and ISO 27001, while reducing costs and streamlining audits. Trusted by enterprises and government agencies, Ignyte strengthens security frameworks and promotes operational efficiency.

“We are incredibly honored to receive this grant, which will be pivotal in advancing our mission to drive innovative solutions in cybersecurity leveraging artificial intelligence. This funding enables us to further expand the Ignyte Assurance Platform, empowering more organizations to streamline complex security frameworks such as CMMC, FDA 510K Processes, and FedRAMP processes to enhance organizational resilience against evolving threats,” said Max Aulakh, Managing Director. “We are also deeply grateful for the continued support from our partners at EC, whose collaboration has been instrumental in reaching this important milestone.”

BrandRank.AI secured $200,000 to develop AI technology that monitors and strengthens brand presence across all major and emerging generative AI answer engines. By identifying critical vulnerabilities and delivering actionable insights, BrandRank.AI empowers brands to optimize key interactions that drive consumer purchasing decisions and shape their reputation.

“Securing the $200,000 TVSF grant has been a tremendous milestone for BrandRank.AI. The Entrepreneurs’ Center provided invaluable support throughout the entire process, from refining our proposal to framing the commercial potential of our generative AI anti-hallucination technology,” said Hank Hudepohl, Co-Founder of BrandRank.AI. “With this funding, we will advance our goal to address the risk of AI hallucinations and make generative AI safer for companies and consumers alike.”

DEB Technologies secured $200,000 to advance its life-altering product development. Backed by Waterston Capital, an investment and incubator firm focused on accelerating the commercialization of medical technologies, DEB Technologies was formed to take an invention from the Department of Veterans Affairs—a medical device that supports patients with limited leg strength. The invention addresses a variety of conditions that impact proper gait, muscle weakness, stroke, neurological deficits and sensory impairments, helping to reduce the risks of fall during physical therapy and everyday activities.

“As stewards of healthcare inventions, we are committed to creating the optimal conditions to help them grow from idea to execution,” said Jason Meyer, COO at Waterston Capital. “This award from OTF with support from EC will enable us to advance our product development and build our internal team, both of which will allow us to get our life-saving technologies to market more quickly and seamlessly”

Astute Signals secured $200,000 to revolutionize behavioral health through its AI-driven sentiment detection platform. A spinoff from University Hospitals of Cleveland, Astute Signals uses video and audio analysis to assess and triage conditions like depression and anxiety by detecting 32 distinct sentiments from vocal patterns and facial expressions. This cutting-edge technology aims to enhance mental health care with more accurate and efficient diagnostics.

“The TVSF funding will be used to further advance Astute Signals’ mission of providing cutting-edge video and audio-based sentiment detection technology to its partners and clients. The investment will allow for the enhancement and commercialization of our AI-driven platforms, enabling businesses and health systems to gain deeper insights into customer emotions and behavior in real-time to drive critical actions and interventions,” said Prakash Vemulapalli, MD, CEO of Astute Signals. “We greatly appreciate the support of UH Ventures and EC in achieving this important milestone.”

Galvanix secured $200,000 to help develop a pilot of its novel metallization technology, taking metals as they occur in nature and sustainably converting them to their useful metallic forms. Galvanix is initially prioritizing the production of neodymium metal which is critical to permanent magnets used in windmills, electric vehicles, and a wide range of other essential technologies. The incumbent process for producing the metal generates CO2 and perfluorocarbons (potent greenhouse gases with >7,000x the global warming potential of CO2 alone), while the Galvanix process is entirely carbon-free.

“The guidance and support we received from The EC was an enormous difference maker in our TVSF application. Paul was instrumental in helping us shape and clarify our narrative and direction in a way that resonates with a broader audience,” said Alan Long, CEO of Galvanix.  “We’re excited to continue to work alongside The EC team as we deploy the TVSF capital toward commercialization of our important technology.”

Bowerbags, Dayton Photonics, Ignyte, BrandRank.AI, DEB Technologies, Astute Signals, and Galvanix are engaged with the EC, which provides strategic assistance to technology startup and early-stage companies throughout the region to accelerate their growth and help them achieve significant success, which in turn stimulates the local economy.

“With today’s awards, we’ve now aided a total of 18 companies this year to successfully access the TVSF program,” said Paul Jackson, EC’s VP of Strategic Programs. “That translates to $3.6M focused on advancing these companies and getting their lab-developed technologies into the hands of customers.”

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