EntreFEST 2021 started off strong on Wednesday night with Iowa Startup Accelerator (ISA) Launch Night. The 6 businesses going through this spring’s ISA Foundation Accelerator gave their final pitches live on the Chrome Horse patio stage in Cedar Rapids.
The Iowa Startup Accelerator is an intensive 14-week program that matches Iowa-based startups with seed funding, mentors, and product development expertise to accelerate their businesses.
Here are the six businesses that gave presentations on Wednesday night.
Steel Therapeutics
Steel Therapeutics is a startup biotech company focused on getting FDA approval for pharmaceutical therapies in the pharmacy compounding sector. Specifically, the initial product is a unique and convenient delivery solution for a pharmaceutical compound to treat a common medical condition, improve compliance, and increase efficacy.
The company plans to finalize prototype development for testing by Q3 2021 and to initiate contact with FDA for device testing in Q4 2021.
Presaj
Presaj is a risk assessment software system that identifies key areas of risk for individual patients in different care settings. Presaj identifies the specific steps with risk at each point-of-care in order to help doctors, nurses, and other healthcare personnel focus on what’s most for the individual patient.
“We can’t expect doctors and nurses to keep track of 138 things that can go wrong. But we can provide them with a software system that cuts out the noise and focuses attention on what’s important,” said Dr. Jim Levett, CEO of Presaj. “The reason Presaj works is that we’re using proven systems engineering principles to assess risk.”
Lotus Razors
Lotus Razors has developed a completely reinvented razor that improves the consumers’ shaving experience. This ergonomic circular design allows the product to move in any direction, eliminates cuts, reduces irritation, and lasts longer than conventional razors.
The company recently completed its second prototype and plan to do a soft launch in Q3 of this year.
Stagerie
Stagerie is an online marketplace connecting homeowners and realtors with home stagers to provide specific staging recommendations that improve home appearance and marketability, to increase listing performance and sales price.
“Sellers can earn 10% more on their sales price if they properly stage their home for sale before they list it on the market,” said Nora Croswaithe, founder of Stagerie.
Stagerie now has stagers in five states and recently became the first and only home staging company that is RE/MAX approved supplier.
Curbicus
Curbicus is a patent-pending, lightweight, easy-to-use vacuum device that “picks up” and disposes of dog waste in a clean, hands-free and environmentally safe way with self-closing compostable capsules.
“Current methods of collecting and disposing of dog waste are broken. There’s a huge gross factor of sticking your hand in a plastic bag and walking down the street holding it. Plastic and biodegradable bags can sit in landfills for hundreds of years before they even being to decompose,” said Anna Gannon, CEO of Curbicus. “We solved this problem with a clean, convenient device, environmentally friendly compostable capsules, and a hygienic disposal method.”
Sevelyn
Sevelyn is an online marketplace for Teletherapy services for Latinos in the U.S. Through its platform Sevelyn connects Latino patients to licensed, board-certified Therapists and Psychologists in Latin America who understand the Latino culture, language, beliefs, and daily mental health challenges faced by Latinos in the U.S.
“Latinos face major inequalities when seeking mental health services in the U.S. Many therapists do not speak Spanish, counseling is very expensive, and many Latinos do not have health insurance which limits them when seeking the mental health that they need,” said Carlos Argüello, Sevelyn CEO.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE
Iowa Startup Accelerator’s new expanded programming helps startups at all stages -Feb. 24, 2021
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