Happy Valley LaunchBox graduated six startups from its business startup accelerator program April 26 at its space in downtown State College. The graduates join 20 other companies that have gone through the accelerator since Happy Valley LaunchBox opened in February 2016.
“LaunchBox had an incredible impact on my life. It provided me the fundamental tools that I needed to drive my vision,” said Neil Vohra, of startup KinderMinder.
Completing the 10-week program were:
■ Class Gotcha
An online scheduling and communications platform, designed for college students, that integrates academic and personal schedules, streamlines communications with peers and builds customized study plans based on assignments and personal study preferences.
■ DigitalFSBO
A program that provides homeowners with automated tools, best practices and marketing tools to sell their homes without the service of a real estate agent.
■ KinderMinder
A mobile application that utilizes a customizable avatar and a reward system, in the form of gamification, helps children with asthma. It also helps parents keep up with pediatric asthma medication regimens.
■ OGOVO PairSense
A system of networked sensors that collects and analyzes foot traffic in urban communities and hosts third-party location-based software to more cost effectively manage services such as keeping streets clean, repairing sidewalks, collecting waste and optimizing routes for first responders.
■ TrophyTracks
A software application that leverages predictive analytics to help hunters by increasing their chances of having a successful hunt.
■ Unoia Beauty
Prepared by women engineers, this line of long-lasting color-saturated cosmetics can be customized to purchasers and prepared while they wait.
“LaunchBox was just what I needed. I’ve had the idea in my head for a few years now, but I needed that push and direction to turn that idea into something real,’ said Dan Hensel, of TrophyTracks. ‘The 10-week boot camp was exhilarating and challenging at the same time. My goal is to hire some app developers this summer and have the app rolled out by the start of hunting season in early fall.”
Qiyuan Li, of Class Gotcha, noted how important LaunchBox’s networking opportunities were.
“It is great making connections, such as with SBDC and the legal clinic. We will always keep in mind what we learned from LaunchBox — learn faster than competitors,” he said.
The event also highlighted two post-accelerator projects that are gaining traction. Green Design Guru is an app that provides green home strategies for people planning to build or renovate their homes, and Mod Zero is a product-based company that changes the way sighting systems are used with firearms.
“Our startup had already been through an accelerator program previously, so the staff at LaunchBox took the time to tailor their services for us,’ said Shiva Punathambekar, founder and CEO of Green Design Guru. ‘We were offered advanced business skills training, dedicated office space and access to financing and professional networks.
‘The key thing LaunchBox has helped us understand is the importance for startups to ‘sell before you build,’ and we are currently doing that by developing brand awareness on social media and running ads to build our early adopter contact lists.”
Happy Valley LaunchBox was created to provide no-cost services to area entrepreneurs. It is a signature program of Invent Penn State, a statewide initiative to spur economic development, job creation and student career success.
For more information, visit www.launchbox.psu.edu or www.invent.psu.edu.
