$170K awarded to 2015 Jones + Foster Accelerator teams

Since 2010, the Jones + Foster Accelerator has been providing early stage ventures with a six-month runway to accelerated growth. By connecting teams with powerful mentorship and measurable milestones, they quickly move toward accomplishing their startup goals.

Out of the 46 companies admitted into the program, 34 companies have completed the Jones + Foster Accelerator program since it began in 2010. Twenty-nine of them are still in business today, raising millions in funding, becoming household names, forming partnerships with celebrity foundations, and winning prestigious awards. Since the Accelerator program began, $745,000 has been awarded.

Ten organizations were accepted into the 2015 Accelerator and eight completed the program, each receiving up to $25,000 in funding at the end of the program. A total of $170,000 was awarded in follow-up funding to the 2015 teams.

 

2015 Jones + Foster Accelerator teams

Eldergrow

Orla Concannon (Seattle University Executive MBA in Healthcare Leadership ’15), Ponni Anandakumar (Seattle University Executive MBA in Healthcare Leadership ’15)

Eldergrow provides a therapeutic connection to nature through innovative, indoor gardening products and a wellness program that improve the quality of life for our growing community of elders living in residential and nursing care. During the Accelerator program, Eldergrow’s pilots quickly transitioned to customers with national senior care companies on board.

Hook
Rahil Jain (PhD Electrical Engineering ’17), Robert Moehle (TMMBA ’15), Maxwell Wheeler (Northern Arizona University, BSE Mechanical Engineering ’11)

Hook has leveraged the Jones + Foster Accelerator to achieve its vision of “Making Dumb Devices Smart” in people’s homes, allowing improved convenience, environmental stewardship, and home safety. Hook’s first product enables Smart Home on a Budget, and the company plans follow-on products that also transform connected homes. Through the Accelerator, Hook has been able to begin shipping products to early customers and define strategies to accelerate growth moving forward.

Maple Leaf Photonics
Shon Schmidt (PhD Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering, ’16), Jonas Flueckiger (UBC PhD Engineering)

Maple Leaf Photonics is changing the way silicon photonic devices are tested. Their automated probe station allows designers to spend less time in the lab characterizing their circuits and more time analyzing data and improving their designs. Most importantly, their modular platform leverages existing equipment and accommodates growing needs with minimal investment.

miPS Labs
Alex Jiao (PhD Bioengineering ’16), Jenna Strully (Executive MBA ’15), Ned Whalen (BA Finance ’16), Rob Thomas (MBA ’15)

miPS Labs is now fully operational. They have secured lab space, bought initial equipment and reagents, and validated their prototype using the founders’ cells. miPS Labs has launched a closed beta to interested individuals in the Seattle area and is slowly ramping up processing. miPS Labs will be inviting more and more closed beta participants as they become more efficient at isolating and processing the cells. They are especially proud of the press and interest they have received – they have been featured in a GeekWire piece here and a KOMO News TV spot here. From these two pieces they have received over 400 closed beta applicants and have a backlog of interested customers.

JikoPower
Ryan Ahearn (BS Mechanical Engineering ’16), Aaron Owen (BS Mechanical Engineering ’15), Daniel Parish (BS Mechanical Engineering ’16), Michael Jooste (BA Business Administration and Entrepreneurship ’16), Marene Wiley (Political Science: Political Economy and Entrepreneurship ’16)

Globally, there are over 1.5 billion people who don’t have access to electricity and over a billion more who rely on dangerous Kerosene to light their homes. JikoPower is working to provide safe and sustainable energy through affordable and clean off-grid solutions for people living in remote areas around the world. The team is working to refine generators and is collaborating with manufacturers to ready our product for scaled-production. Later this year, JikoPower will launch a pilot program in Kenya to test the product to better understand how the JikoPower generator can fit seamlessly into people’s everyday lives.

Scholarship Junkies
David Coven (BS Mechanical Engineering ’17)

“Students helping students achieve scholarship success.” Scholarship Junkies provides students with an insider’s guide to the scholarship process from the perspective of students who’ve been there.

 

vHAB (now MultiModal Health)
Lars Crawford (BS Neurobiology and Neurosciences ’14), Brian Mogen (PhD Bioengineering ’15), Dimitrios C. Gklezakos (PhD Computer Science ’18), Tyler Libey (PhD Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering ’16)

The vHAB project has come a long way since the start of the Jones + Foster Accelerator – the team has successfully licensed the technology from the university and started their company, MultiModal Health, Inc. Currently, MultiModal Health is in the process of broadening its go to market strategy by including a direct to consumer branch via online sales as they continue to transition our current pilot sites into paying customers and foster budding strategic partnerships with established assistive care technology companies. MultiModal Health is now looking forward to a series of conferences, first sales and revenue, and fundraising.

Benchmark Environmental
Tony Enslow (MS Mechnical Engineering, ’14), Collette Arechavelata (MBA, ’16), Joe Dennis (MBA ’16), Katie Enslow (WSU BA Accounting and Business Administration ’15), Krunal Patel (MS Mechanical Engineering ’15)

Benchmark Environmental is developing an affordable, easy to install, and low maintenance stormwater treatment system. The Benchmark ECR will enable more companies and municipalities to effectively treat every pollutant present in stormwater runoff.