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2 ASU student companies selected as 'most promising' in global Startup Open


October 24, 2011

Two ASU student-run spin-out companies, Ellens Technology and reNature, have been selected as finalists in the Global Entrepreneurship Week Startup Open competition.

Startup Open is a global competition that identifies and recognizes the top 50 startup companies founded in the last year. These global “GEW 50” are deemed as the most promising ventures from around the world. They were selected using a range of criteria including strength of concept, growth projections and knowledge of the market. Those 50 companies will then compete for a handful of prizes. Winners will be announced during Global Entrepreneurship Week, Nov. 14-20.

“We were very excited to find out we were included in the GEW 50,” said Jeremy Ellens, founder and CEO of Ellens Technology. “Being a part of this elite group of international entrepreneurs provides a great opportunity for us to begin showcasing our company and our product in the international market space.”

Ellens Technologies, LLC has developed the Veterinary Diagnostic Tree, a diagnostic reference tool and mobile application for iOS and Android. This app helps veterinarians, technicians and students reduce diagnostic time and potential human error.

The founder and CTO of reNature, Dustin Short, also was pleased to find out his venture had been selected as one of the “GEW 50.”

“Getting recognition from the Startup Open independently validates the reNature concept, proving that our vision for a sustainable future is aligned with the international community,” he said.

The company capitalizes on industrializing the natural process of waste management to produce sustainable alternatives for petrochemical products by creating a closed-loop waste stream management system at the institutional and municipal levels.

Both companies currently are in the ASU Edson student entrepreneur accelerator, based in ASU SkySong, the Innovation Center in Scottsdale. Ellens stated that ASU’s Edson program has been instrumental in helping his company advance to where it is now. 

“We are very grateful to the Edson program for helping us get to this stage,” Ellens said.