We have a mission at i2E to invest in entrepreneurs and help them build successful high growth companies right here in Oklahoma.
Our popular e3 mini-accelerator is a great fit for that mission as we help participating entrepreneurs determine market acceptance for their product and gain insight into the concept. We say that e3 evaluates opportunities, equips entrepreneurs with the tools they need to launch and empowers them to create successful high growth ventures.
Our most recent cohort of entrepreneurs brought their innovative ideas across diverse areas of software development, biotechnology and agriculture to the program.
Here are short bios of each venture and what the entrepreneurs had to say about their e3 experience:
CONCIERGETECH – Residents of senior housing centers benefit from the innovative software-as-as-service technology developed by ConciergeTech. The technology enhances convenience, connectivity and safety for residents 65+ years old while keeping costs affordable for senior housing operators.
e3 helped Tulsa-based ConciergeTech build both credibility and momentum for the concept, said founder C.J. Swanson.
“We are glad i2E is collaborating with ConciergeTech as we become the alchemists of the senior housing industry,” Swanson said. “My team – Ed Bogle, Tammy Torklson, E’lena Ashley and Miles Dotson — is grateful for their support.”
CRISALIS, LLC – Founded in 2006, Oklahoma City-based CRISALIS – an acronym for Custom Research Information Systems and Logistically Integrated Solutions — developed specialized research database applications for research institutions, government agencies and non-profits across diverse fields.
The CRISALIS product lineup that includes a unique technology for the identification of biomarkers in lupus, has generated significant interest among lupus researchers. The company offers basic software systems such as state-of-the-art clinical trial software and has experience with different types of programming technologies.
e3 introduced the CRISALIS team to new concepts and client discovery processes that allowed them to identify risks and determine solutions to mitigate those risks.
“Even though we are not a new business, there were many techniques we learned that are helping us perform better market analysis and to create commercial opportunities for our business,” said Alberto Aguirre, chief operating officer. “The e3 curriculum is very professionally designed and allowed us the opportunity to interact in almost every session. We greatly recommend this program to Oklahoma companies who are starting or are already established.”
https://www.crisalisllc.com/
PLANT SEADS – Tulsa-based Plant Seads – an acronym for Sustainable Ecology, Adaptive Design – has a mission to create long-term sustainable vertical gardening solutions to benefit the environment.
Its first product is a planter that fits into chain-link fencing and is made from 100 percent recycled plastic. These planters, called “Seads”, empower people to grow their own vertical gardens in places previously unused.
Plant Seads founder and CEO Bryan Meador said e3 allowed him to gather data that has been instrumental in the company’s marketing.
“i2E’s e3 program is perfect for early-stage startups looking to refine their mission and better understand their customer,” Meador said. “I’m amazed at how much hard data I gathered using their customer discovery methodology.” https://www.plantseads.com/
PURMA BIOLOGICS, LLC – Based in Oklahoma City, PurMa Biologics is a pioneering biotech company that has generated more than 1,800 reagent solutions in five categories, including a patented fast, efficient and low-cost production of monoclonal antibodies.
Among its capabilities are cell and tissue culture reagents, bacterial reagents, biochemical reagents, molecular biology reagents and mycoplasma detection and elimination reagents.
The e3 showed participating entrepreneurs how to anticipate problems that often confront startups, Seif Azadi, CEO and chief scientific officer said.
“I strongly recommend startup companies attend e3 as it provides a collaborative environment in which they can think about and find solutions to challenges most new entrepreneurs will encounter,” Azadi said.
For PurMA Biologics, Azadi commented, he would have done things differently seven years ago when they started the company if they had gone through e3 and had our professional staff to guide them.
“Our achievements and success could have been bigger and quicker,” he said. https://purmabiologics.com
