UpTech Announces Judges for Start-Ups in Business Accelerator Contest

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–
UpTech, a super business accelerator committed to funding 50 of the best and brightest early-stage informatics companies from the United States and abroad, announced today that it has selected the Judges who will decide which companies will be accepted into the program.
UpTech will invest up to $100,000 into each winning startup company and provide six months of business development and applied intellectual property (IP) research support, free premium office space, and professional mentoring.
The judges who will review the applications from the start-up companies are informatics, technology, business, and investment experts from CBS, Cisco, Dell, Procter & Gamble, Queen City Angels, Scripps, SUMMUS, and the North Carolina Biotechnology Center. The judges are:
• Frank Muehlman, Vice President and General Manager of the Public Business Group of Dell, Inc., for the North American region. He is responsible for all sales, marketing, and customer service in this region.
• Jim Fortner, Vice President of Information Technology Architecture, Development, and Operations for the Global Business Services division of Procter & Gamble. He manages key relationships with IT vendors at P&G.
• Marc LeShay, Vice President of Enterprise Architecture for the CBS Corporation. He has lectured around the world on topics ranging from penetrating the U.S. market, early-stage financing, IT strategy, and building strategic organizations.
• Robin Davis, Vice President for Strategic Planning and Development for The E.W. Scripps Company. She previously served as Vice President of Finance and Administration for the newspaper division of the company.
• Russ Smoak, Director and General Manager of Security Research and Operations at Cisco Systems. He is responsible for multiple security programs focused on product vulnerability disclosure, intrusion prevention, and security vulnerability.
• Wai Wong, President and Chief Executive Officer of SUMMUS Software, a global provider of IT solutions. Before founding SUMMUS, Wong served in management positions at Amdocs, BEA Systems, and Computer Associates (CA Technologies).
• Dr. Leslie Alexandre, a healthcare and biosciences consultant and former president and CEO of the North Carolina Biotechnology Center. She is an internationally respected leader in biotechnology economic development.
• Tony Shipley, is Chairman of Queen City Angels, a Cincinnati based group of angel investors, and Chairman of Transactiv, an Internet company supported by Queen City Angels.
“The quality of the judging panel clearly indicates the level of excitement that is being generated by UpTech,” said Adam Caswell, an UpTech co-founder. “These judges – like many others interested in this business accelerator — are drawn to the big idea of linking equity investment to new information-driven businesses, which are supported by the applied research capabilities of NKU’s College of Informatics and the local business community.”
The judges will examine seed-level ideas that support five sectors of informatics: health information technology, cloud computing virtualization, business analytics, digital media, and cyber security. UpTech has been accepting applications for participation in the program since Feb. 2 and it will close this first round of applications on March 9, 2012. The screening and judging process will be completed during the month of March and the winners will be announced on March 30, 2012.
UpTech is one of the most robust business accelerators in the world. In addition to an equity investment of up to $100,000, each winning business will also receive six months of free, premium riverfront office on the Ohio River with a view of downtown Cincinnati skyline and support from financial, law, accounting, and marketing/public relations firms. The winners also will receive applied IP research support from faculty, staff and graduate assistants and two student interns from Northern Kentucky University’s College of Informatics for each company along with on-campus informatics labs and facilities for collaboration, events, and seminars.
More information about UpTech can be found at http://www.uptechideas.org.
About UpTech
A partnership of Vision 2015, Campbell County Economic Progress Authority (CCEPA), Tri-County Economic Development Corporation (Tri-ED), and Northern Kentucky University, UpTech, LLC, is a super business accelerator program designed to attract startup companies to the area to support regional growth. The goal of the program is to attract and support 50 national and international early-stage informatics companies and provide them with financial and developmental assistance. UpTech, LLC is funded by independent investors. For more information, please visit http://www.uptechideas.org.
Follow UpTech on social media at:
Facebook at UpTech – Accelerate Big Ideas
Twitter at @UpTechIdeas

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