CONTACT:
Curry W. Smith, The Idea Village
504.304.3287
For Immediate Release: Thursday, September 8, 2016
The Idea Village announces entrepreneurs selected for its 2017 Accelerator Programs
15 Louisiana-based startup ventures selected for DIGITALMEDIAx, ENERGYx, and IDEAx
NEW ORLEANS – Today, The Idea Village announced the 15 new ventures that have been invited to participate in IDEAVILLAGEx, the suite of programs that provide direct service to entrepreneurs. This year, the IDEAVILLAGEx accelerator programs include DIGITALMEDIAx focused on digital content-sharing ventures, ENERGYx focused on ventures in the petroleum industry, and IDEAx designed for all startup ventures regardless of industry. Upon completion of the program in December, these entrepreneurs will be eligible to be nominated for CAPITALx, an accelerator starting in January focused on securing private capital during the 9th annual New Orleans Entrepreneur Week, presented by IBERIABANK and produced by The Idea Village, which will take place on March 19-24, 2017.
“Our team is looking forward to working with this cohort which reflects our dynamic local entrepreneurial community,” said Emily Madero, Acting CEO of The Idea Village. “Upon completion of these programs, these entrepreneurs will join a network of 218 IDEAVILLAGEx alumni who have secured more than $109 million in private capital, created more than 2900 jobs, and earn $168 million in annual revenue. We are excited to have our accelerator companies contribute to the further growth of the entrepreneur ecosystem that is such a critical component of creating a thriving future for our city.”
For the highly competitive accelerator programs, The Idea Village solicits applications from startup companies and chooses a group of applicants to participate in a selection day. There, teams of advisors hear pitches, review business plans and financial models, and conduct interviews with the companies. The advisors then work together to select a diverse portfolio of companies that are committed to growing and scaling their ventures. The new cohort includes companies with innovative ideas in industries such as data, hospitality, manufacturing, oil and gas, sports and recreation, technology, and tourism.
The members of the 2017 IDEAVILLAGEx accelerator programs include the following companies:
DIGITALMEDIAx:
- Dreamster Media Group – Brandon Bulliard
- iDWELL – Anne McQueen
- The Host – Brittney Greene
- Scenehound – Michael Underwood & Matt Maurel
- WannaDoStuff – Chinwe Onyenekwu
ENERGYx:
- Cleargistix – Steven Toups
- Haring Laboratories – Chris Haring & June Haring
- The Offshore Exchange – Brittan Breaux
- L&M Environmental Response – Margo Moss & Lee Lemond
IDEAx:
- craftDIY – Daniel Galvez, Sam Olmsted, & Trevor Gopnik
- Doorman Designs – Alex Geriner
- FollowMyCal – Richard Carthon & Carlos Wilson
- Junction Place Sports – Joshua Tolbert
- NavaTarang – Pradnesh Mohare & Rahul Khopkar
- White Rabbits – Nicole Rock & Kristen Bykowski
More information about each of the companies in the 2017 accelerator programs is included below.
The IDEAVILLAGEx accelerator programs are led by a team of three Entrepreneurs-in-Residence (EIR): Mike Krass with DIGITALMEDIAx, Hank Torbert with ENERGYx, and Doug Walner with IDEAx. With more than 50 years of combined experience in startup ventures, management, and investment, these EIRs provide individualized coaching, intensive business consulting, and experience-based guidance. The IDEAVILLAGEx programs equip entrepreneurs with the resources necessary to accelerate the growth of their ventures and develop the skills required to be entrepreneurial leaders. In addition, founders will have direct access to an influential network of mentors and experts, a variety of peer learning opportunities, and exposure to investors in the local business community.
ABOUT IDEAVILLAGEx
IDEAVILLAGEx is a suite of programs that support the startup, growth, and scale of New Orleans entrepreneurs. IDEAVILLAGEx alumni include: 4D Supplements, Acrew, Advanced Polymer Monitoring Technologies, Audiosocket, Better Day Health, Be Well Nutrition, Big Easy Blends, Bioceptive, Bluebag, Cajun Fire Brewing Company, ChapterSpot, CultureConnect, Dukky, education everytime, eTax Credit Exchange, Huka Entertainment, IMOTO Photo, iSeatz, Jack & Jake’s, Kickboard, KREWE du optic, LifeCity, Lucid, Maritant, MobileQubes, mSchool, Munivestor, Naked Pizza, NOLA Brewing Company, NOLAcajun.com, NOLA Couture, NOvate Medical Technologies, NuMe Health, The Occasional Wife, Retail Goose, Servato, Spectrum Interactive, StaffInsight, Welcome to College, Your Nutrition Delivered, and zlien.
ABOUT THE IDEA VILLAGE:
Founded in 2000, The Idea Village is an independent 501(c)3 nonprofit organization based in New Orleans that provides direct service to high impact entrepreneurs, convenes the ecosystem through New Orleans Entrepreneur Week, and supports initiatives that strengthen our entrepreneurial infrastructure. The Idea Village received a Gold Excellence award from the International Economic Development Council for our Entrepreneur Season model in 2012, and the organization was recognized as a top-three entrepreneur ecosystem developer in 2014 by the Global Innovation Summit.
For more information: www.ideavillage.org
MEET THE 2017 IDEAVILLAGEx CLASS:
DIGITALMEDIAx:
- Dreamster Media Group – Brandon Bulliard
Dreamster Media Group is an online media network and production company currently focused on producing content for the rapidly expanding podcast market.
- iDWELL – Anne McQueen
iDWELL.co is a platform to help connect people who are looking for a furnished or unfurnished rental property to property owners and the businesses that surround them.
- The Host – Brittney Greene
THE HOST is a property and traveler assist platform, connecting individuals remotely with real-time service professionals.
- Scenehound – Michael Underwood, Matt Maurel
scenehound is a mobile application that tells users how busy bars and restaurants are in real-time to help them plan the perfect night out.
- WannaDoStuff – Chinwe Onyenekwu
WannaDoStuff is a mobile app that connects users who are interested in attending events or doing activities but do not want to do them alone, providing a platform where users can find and create events and connect with others to go with them.
ENERGYx:
- Cleargistix – Steven Toups
Cleargistix intelligently connects the field to the office, providing a more efficient digital means for companies still utilizing paper and other outdated technologies to capture revenue, activity, safety, compliance, payroll and other information in the field.
- Haring Laboratories – Chris Haring, June Haring
Haring Laboratories designs and manufactures cutting-edge hydrogen engine efficiency products to make carbon-burning engines highly efficient in the utilization of their fuel, creating better fuel economy, lower emissions, and cleaner-running engines.
- L&M Environmental Response – Margo Moss, Lee Lemond
L&M is an environmental consulting company providing specialized services in regulatory compliance and response management for the oil & gas industry. L&M is developing the LDAR program to address the new 2016 EPA NSPS Methane Regulations in an innovative way.
- The Offshore Exchange – Brittan Breaux
The Offshore Exchange provides a logistics management platform (SaaS) & online marketplace (B2B) to implement shared logistics models and optimize offshore services.
IDEAx:
- craftDIY – Daniel Galvez, Sam Olmsted, Trevor Gopnik
craftDIY sells high-end, prefabricated, do-it-yourself craft kits for consumers to create the perfect craft at home with zero hassle.
- Doorman Designs – Alex Geriner
Doorman Designs crafts unique furniture that evokes a sense of place and tells a story, while giving centuries-old materials a new life. Doorman Designs produces pieces both for residential and commercial projects and can be customized specifically for a client’s space.
- FollowMyCal – Richard Carthon, Carlos Wilson
FollowMyCal has the goal of making the best social and shareable calendar by providing a product that is simple, seamless, and customizable.
- Junction Place Sports – Josh Tolbert
Junction Place Sports is a mobile youth sports company. Our model is based on partnerships with existing schools/youth organizations to provide service for sports/PE needs not met.
- NavaTarang – Pradnesh Mohare, Rahul Khopkar
NavaTarang’s technologies enable ultra-slim, ultra-light, and aesthetically pleasing audio solutions at significantly better price points and levels of quality.
- White Rabbits – Nicole Rock, Kristen Bykowski
White Rabbits, using its custom-built database, Magic Bank, specializes in creating custom gifts, events and experiences for clients seeking something extraordinary. Our research is what sets us apart, focusing on pinpointing the most unique gifts, best venues and service providers, and most specialized experiences globally.
