Uptech graduates second class at Demo Day this week

UpTech, the Northern Kentucky accelerator affiliated with Northern Kentucky University and several economic development agencies, will graduate its second class at its upcoming Demo Day 2014 event on Thursday, March 6. Seven companies will showcase their product or service through interactive presentations held at the NKU Digitorium from 6-8 p.m. and will be streaming live on the internet as well.
 
UpTech was launched in 2012 as a way to connect talent, funding and ideas to spur the economy by helping to launch informatics-related businesses in the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky area. Companies accepted into UpTech have access to a unique set of resources.
 
“Each company is provided access to intensive, weekly education and interaction with national and regional experts,” says Amanda Greenwell, program manager of UpTech. “Additionally, UpTech provides each startup with a dedicated team of business professionals and mentors that have an area of expertise relevant to their line of business; we have a list of 200 volunteers who are willing to give their time, and make connections for our companies.”
 
The seven companies presenting at Demo Day are 3DLT, New Home Marketing Services, Bearhug Technologies, Tixers, Inteo, Touritz and Liquid. They range from dealing with health care to tourism to data collection to 3D print design. These companies will present to a room of investors, venture capitalists and entrepreneurs alike.
 
“Demo day provides an opportunity to remind UpTech’s current supporters the value of their investment in addition to attracting new investors into the UpTech ecosystem,” Greenwell says.
 
The UpTech ecosystem has continued to expand and invest into the Northern Kentucky community. In November 2013, UpTech made a $1.5 million investment by moving into its new headquarters in Covington.
 
“The space validates our program’s mission—create an informatics cluster in Northern Kentucky—and it enables the change we are trying to make in our community,” Greenwell says.  “We will continue to embolden the angel investor community in Northern Kentucky, make investing fun by offering opportunities to engage and mentor our startups, and ultimately provide a return on investment for UpTech investors and the region at large.”
 
To attend UpTech’s Demo Day 2014, RSVP here or request a link for the live stream here.

By Mike Sarason