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Student startup companies selected for ASU accelerator program


student working on a computer
October 06, 2014

The Edson Student Entrepreneurship Initiative, Arizona State University’s student startup accelerator program, is entering its 10th year this fall with an exciting new cohort of startup companies.

The startups receive grants ranging from $3,000 to $20,000 in seed funding, as well as office space at ASU SkySong, mentorship and exclusive training opportunities. The companies were selected in a competitive process that included submitting a business proposal and pitching to a panel of judges. This year, more than 300 startups applied, representing almost every academic discipline at ASU.

The Edson initiative aims to support ASU’s student entrepreneurs as they develop their innovative ideas and launch viable startup companies. Made possible by an investment from the J. Orin Edson Foundation to the ASU Foundation for A New American University, the program has provided approximately $1.6 million in seed funding to more than 140 student ventures over the past nine years.

This year’s Edson companies are tackling challenges in fields from medicine and education to journalism and the arts. The startups include a clean-energy company that converts CO2 into natural gas, a venture that uses waste materials from Arizona’s mining industry to produce ceramic coatings, and a company that makes a mouth guard for athletes that helps diagnose head injuries. (See below for a complete list of companies.)

“The diverse group of startups in this year’s Edson program is a true reflection of ASU’s commitment to valuing entrepreneurship,” said Mitzi Montoya, ASU’s vice president and university dean for entrepreneurship and innovation. “The Edson program is one of many entrepreneurship initiatives at ASU, and a major reason why ASU was recently named one of the top 50 colleges in the U.S. for aspiring entrepreneurs.”

As the Edson Student Entrepreneur Initiative prepares to celebrate its 10th anniversary, the program continues to evolve and grow in response to the needs of students.

“In collaboration with Changemaker Central on each of the ASU campuses, the Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation supports student ideas at any stage of development," said Garrett Westlake, associate dean for student entrepreneurship. "ASU is committed to helping students make their ideas happen.”

Edson Student Entrepreneur Initiative 2014-2015 Cohort

Arizona Ceramic Coatings
Geoff Coppola, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Board Blazers
Greg Rudolph, W. P. Carey School of Business

Bosse Tools
Aaron Gagleard, W. P. Carey School of Business
Jordan Medl, W. P. Carey School of Business
Stephen Walden

Dynamy
Matthew Hartenbower, Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering
Bharathiraja Nagappan, Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering
Santiago Trevino, Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering

Ebook Glue
Shantanu Bala, Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering

EndoVantage
Haithem Babiker, Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering
Justin Ryan, Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering

Epifinder
Neel B. Krishan, College of Health Solutions
Krishan Sharma, Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering
Robert Yao, College of Health Solutions

Force Impact Technologies
Anthony Gonzales, W. P. Carey School of Business
Bob Merriman, W. P. Carey School of Business

Neolight Technologies
Chase Garrett, Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law
Vivek Kopparthi, Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering
Deepakshyam Krishnaraju, Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering
Sivakumar Palaniswamy, Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering

NextPotential
John P. “Jack” Blanchette, W. P. Carey School of Business
William Danyluk, W. P. Carey School of Business
Jason Fritsch, W. P. Carey School of Business
Duncan Hoffman
Hart Larew, Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts

NoteBowl
Rizwan Munir Ahmad, Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering
Andrew Chaifetz
Nina Iarkova, Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering
Aaron Ogata, Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering
Stephen Pluta, Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering
Alex Slaughter
Alec Stapp
Logan Stoneman
Keith Taylor, Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering

Onvard
Keith Ryu, W. P. Carey School of Business

PACE Development Group
David (Last name withheld due to sensitive nature of company's work), Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication

PetSitnStay
Paige Corbett, W. P. Carey School of Business
Aaron Grove, W. P. Carey School of Business

Philyra Paper Co.
David Anaya, Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering
Sam Johnson, Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering

Rankine Solutions
Ryan O’Halloran, Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering

Simple Stop
Bryn Prinsloo, Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering
Logan Roberts, W. P. Carey School of Business
Nathan Zerkle, Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering

SureHand
Samuel Blake, Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law
Tucker Terhufen, Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law
Jack Vrablik, Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law

TableTop
Ryan Maloney, Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering
Kyle Underseth, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

UP: The Elevating Wheelchair
Rachel Bone, Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts
Peter Georgiou, W. P. Carey School of Business
Andrew Lai, Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts
Christopher Miranda, Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering