DCTOP20 Accepted into TechBUZZ17

18 Start-ups Announced for TechBUZZ – Fall Edition

Data Analytics, HealthIT, FinTech, Cyber/Security, Mobility, and IoT Sectors Among Top Industry Sectors Represented

WASHINGTON, DC, October 4, 2017 — As part of MAVA’s ongoing commitment to foster seed and early-stage company growth, the latest group of startup companies has been selected from a range of industry sectors to be showcased on stage at the third installment of MAVA’s year-long TechBUZZ program for 2017. Since the program was launched in 2011, TechBUZZ presenting companies have received more than $705M in aggregate disclosed funding, with many more investments and acquisitions made under undisclosed terms.

The TechBUZZ Fall program will provide an unparalleled opportunity for these 18 selected companies to share their company launch and fund-raising pitch, in a four-minute format, along with their demo to an in-person audience of hundreds of business leaders, fellow innovators, experienced company-builders, corporate strategic partners, potential acquirers and active investors. The event will be held on October 19th at the Jack Morton Auditorium at the George Washington University in Washington, DC.

By consistently presenting promising, fundable and market-ready business start-ups, TechBUZZ provides a uniquely independent platform and one of the most recognized of its kind in the country, attracting both innovative tech and tech-enabled companies, along with investors and collaborators from across the country and beyond who track new trends and up and coming companies. The TechBUZZ platform provides a best-in-class platform focused solely on advancing viable market-ready companies and connecting them with critical resources.

“Competitively reviewed by a team of active investors and industry professionals, each selected company has earned one of the coveted spots on the program to present at TechBUZZ,” said Julia Spicer, Executive Director, MAVA. “We are particularly proud of the fact that more than 60% of all TechBUZZ companies to date have secured some form of financing, totalling in aggregate more than $705M in reported funding after TechBUZZ, which speaks to the quality of who present on the TechBUZZ stage.”

Providing Solutions to Business, Consumer and Health Industry Problems

“The Fall line-up of presenting companies represents a variety of sectors including Saas, Mobility, Data Analytics and FinTech,” continued Spicer, “These innovative solutions offer wide-ranging, problem-solving technology or tech-enabled solutions to real-world problems. In addition to hitting the radars of potential investors, selected companies benefit from increased visibility and industry interest which helps to secure new customers, hire talent and garner important market mind-share.”

Featured TechBUZZ presenting companies were selected because of their innovative technology, approach to a commerce or enterprise problem, or perhaps a new twist to a market maker’s approach, making TechBUZZ a nationally watched platform by industry and investors, with seed to later stage interests. Collectively the presenting companies provide a representative showing of industry start-ups and businesses being launched across a broad range of sectors including Data Analytics, HealthIT, FinTech, IoT, Cyber/Security, Mobility, and many others.

Each of the startups chosen for the 18 formal presentation slots will take the stage for four minutes to describe their respective company, business vision, and product or service. Presenting companies were selected from a highly competitive pool of diverse startups by a review committee of more than 20 MAVA member investors and business advisors. The Review and Selection Committee for the TechBUZZ Fall edition was co-chaired by Jen O’Daniel, Investment Director, CIT GAP Funds and Cameron Salem, Senior Associate, Updata Partners.

Ranging in development from nascent to seed stage, the startup companies presenting at TechBUZZ Fall reflect the strength of the East Coast as a birthplace of game-changing innovations. The 18 companies on stage for this edition of TechBUZZ represent startup communities from California, Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia, and Washington, DC.

TechBUZZ is a uniquely independent platform followed regularly by industry and investors across the US and abroad and is recognized by business leaders across the country as one of the premier venues for credible early companies coming to market. Having showcased more than 335 competitively-selected companies since the program’s founding years, the TechBUZZ program surfaces some of the latest industry trends to watch.

What Recent Presenting Companies Have to Say

“MAVA’s TechBUZZ is an excellent way to get on the radar of some of the east coast’s most coveted private and institutional investors.” Andrew Pohle, COO Real Time Cases (Spring 2015 Presenter)

“MAVA and the TechBUZZ experience set us on a distinct trajectory in our capital raise. We are better prepared for conversations and pitching. The network is authentic and committed to success.”  Kimberly Moore, CEO and Co-founder, Go Together (Spring 2017 Presenter)

“MAVA’s TechBUZZ is the most robust investor pitch forum for hot early-stage technology companies in the Mid-Atlantic Region, and, as its name implies, it is the most advanced at generating marketing buzz through all of its media outlets.”  Neil Kleinberg Founder & CEO, DiliVer (Summer 2017 Presenter)

The TechBUZZ Fall Presenting Companies Are:

Company Headquarters Industry Description
Allstacks, Inc Raleigh, NC

allstacks.com

Software, Business Intelligence Allstacks is a predictive analytics platform that aggregates data from all product development related data sources to give program and engineering management meaningful metrics that allow them to report and forecast project progress, health, and productivity.
Ardent Security Ellicott City, MD

ardentsec.com

Security / Cyber Ardent Security is an Enterprise Data Security startup offering Data Elimination Platform to securely delete data from Enterprise servers.
Blueswipe Richmond, VA

goblueswipe.com

FinTech Blueswipe takes the complexity and excessive fees out of credit card processing for small businesses with an on-demand software solution that requires no specific device, but instead integrates with the majority of major point-of-sale devices on the market.
DCTOP20 Washington, DC

dctop20.com

Digital Media/ Music & Technology DCTOP20 serves creatives in the areas of music, fashion, comedy, performing arts and sports. We have built a scalable digital brand + platform and online community that includes a 24/7 interactive live streaming + monetization/ digital ad network.
Debx Bethesda, MD

debx.co

FinTech Debx is a personal finance app that leverages patent pending and proprietary automated assisted technology to help consumers earn more credit card rewards and pay responsibly like debit or cash.
Dezignwall Orange County, CA

dezignwall.com

Software / SaaS
Commercial Design
Dezignwall provides digital catalogs for commercial design with built in sourcing and collaboration tools for commercial designers browsing said catalogs.
Hatch Washington, DC

hatchapps.com

Mobility/ Software Hatch is the Squarespace of apps. Small and medium sized businesses can build a functional app on web, iOS, and Android without coding.
Insightin Health Gaithersburg, MD

insightinhealth.com

Healthcare Technology Insightin Health’s data driven decision making platform helps health plans address each customer’s need via personalization.
Mazey Washington, DC

mazey.co

Software / SaaS Mazey is a collaboration platform for the deskless world. It combines the best features of Slack, Pinterest Dropbox and Wunderlist in a single, intuitive tool designed for non-technical users that works seamlessly across smartphones, web browsers and desktop.
MediMergent, LLC Rockville, MD

nmsoap.com

HealthIT MediMergent is a data collection and analytics company focusing on Real World Evidence and the Voice of the Patient.
 Mesur.io Bethesda, MD

mesur.io

 Internet of Things (IoT) Mesur.io combines real-time environmental measurements, with advanced analytics and relevant external data, mesur.io enables growers (agriculture, golf, turf) to accurately water, fertilize and seed. Improved soil moisture analysis, graphically displayed in combination with temperature and light, provides real-time status.
Open Data Nation Washington, DC

opendatanation.com

Data / Analytics Open Data Nation (ODN) capitalizes on the tremendous potential of administrative public records to save lives, reduce business risk, and improve financial efficiency.
Pixspan, Inc. Rockville, MD

pixspan.com

Software / SaaS Software for Imaging Pixspan is software that perfectly preserves the quality of full-resolution video and images in a compact and lossless form for the media market.
TRAXyL, Inc Warrenton, VA

traxyl.com

Telecommunications TRAXyL is making optical connections safer, faster, and less expensive then other traditional installation methods by placing tiny optical fiber strands on the surface of the road and encasing them in protective coatings.
VTIER Systems, Inc. Ashburn, VA

 vtiersys.com

Data / Analytics
Data Storage
VTIER Systems is a data management and storage solution innovator focused on bringing unique storage technology to market by exploiting tier-based storage technologies along with intelligent caching algorithms to automate dynamic data management and enable storage to adapt to business needs in real time often providing storage saving up to 75%.
WellGauge, Inc. Baltimore, MD

wellgauge.com

Internet of Things (IoT) WellGauge was formed to develop cost-effective, reliable products for the well-owner and is provided by the well professional.
X-Mode Social, Inc. Sterling, VA

Xmode.io

Data / Analytics X-Mode Social helps solve for “x” by using real-time location solutions to power our partners in advertising, trading, market research, college safety, and nightlife.
Yombu, Inc. McLean, VA

yombu.com

FinTech Yombu has developed a way for customers to pay at point of sale (POS) by fingerprint – no wallet, purse, or phone required to pay using fingerprint payment terminals at merchants.

Piloted in Baltimore in 2010, TechBUZZ has become a year-long program providing a continuous platform for early stage companies by showcasing 16-20 companies at three events per year. Today TechBUZZ is one of MAVA’s annual flagship programs and routinely attracts between 300-400 attendees to each pitch event hosted at a variety of venues. TechBUZZ shines a well-deserved light on the visionary innovators and company-builders who are actively pursuing a path toward market entry, and can exhibit customer validation.

About MAVA: The Mid-Atlantic Venture Association (MAVA) brings together company-builders from across the country and at every stage of development, providing a trusted public showcase to promote these enterprises, from promising startups to publicly-traded success stories. TechBUZZ in particular offers a public platform for community partners and their companies and helps shape a supportive ecosystem for the earliest of start-ups.

For 30 years, MAVA has served the full community of innovators, companies, corporate partners, private capital, and key advisors needed to build successful businesses from start-up to exit. From venture to private equity, angel to growth equity, and family office to strategic corporates, MAVA brings together the full spectrum of capital and key resources necessary to accelerate the growth of companies across industry sectors and stages of development. MAVA provides a wide range of programs designed to stimulate revenue and company growth, create efficiencies for conducting business, facilitate quality deal flow, encourage collaboration and foster relationships among entrepreneurs, corporate decision makers, investors, strategic partners and customers.

  • To join us as a partner, or to learn more about MAVA, MAVA’s members and the services and programs the association provides, visit www.mava.org

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source: https://mava.org/programs/techbuzz/fall-2017/pr/