The Arizona Commerce Authority (ACA) announced its 10 finalists in the Fall 2013 Arizona Innovation Challenge (AIC), a bi-annual business plan competition that awards the most money in the country for a technology commercialization challenge.
The ACA awards $3 million annually — $1.5 million in the spring and $1.5 million in the fall — to the most qualified, innovative startups and early stage companies. Recipients receive up to $250,000 in capital to grow their businesses, advancing innovation and technology commercialization opportunities in Arizona.
The 10 Fall 2013 Arizona Innovation Challenge finalists include:
Arbsource, Tempe – specializes in renewable energy
Beckon Call, Scottsdale – a professional medical message and answering service for physicians
Clear Demand, Scottsdale – the first omni-channel retail pricing solution, architected on big data, to support all retail sectors.
Contatta, Scottsdale – a digital platform that help workers simplify and streamline the influx of communication that works across any device and focuses on relationship-based messaging and contextual collaboration.
Deliver It, Phoenix
Park Genius, Tucson – A mobile application that allows you to pay for your parking meter through your phone using your credit card.
Photon Medical Communications, Phoenix – Through push-notification technology Photon™ allows the on-call physician to access this critical information immediately and conveniently, providing a more accurate and responsive consult—right over their mobile device.
Pollen-Tech, Scottsdale – Provides artificial pollination to growers who want more control over pollination and yields.
Recoleta Digital Media, Tucson – a personal grocery circular
Yolia Health, Peoria – a bio-medical device company committed to help people restore and enhance vision though non-invasive forms of treatment.
In November, a total of 25 semifinalists were named and will be considered for participation in Venture Ready, the ACA’s mentor program that connects early stage companies with high-level CEOs to further refine business plans and investor pitches.
The ACA will name its Fall 2013 Arizona Innovation Challenge winning companies later this month.
Want to know who won last time? Check out the winners at AZ Tech Beat.
