FAU Tech Runway picks venture class

The university’s business accelerator seeks to foster technology start-ups

Florida Atlantic University’s TechRunway, a business accelerator, announced its fifth entrepreneurial “Venture” class thisweek.

The four companies selected include: a video services company, smart-device technology for gated communities; a security system aimed at hackers; and software designed to find cures for chronic diseases.

The winning companies will receive a $25,000 grant, participate in a 16-week boot camp, have a five-person business mentoring team available to them, and will be providedwork space at FAU Tech Runway for one year. FAU Tech Runway is located on the campus of Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton.

The new FAU companies are:

Videopura, a Delray Beach videocompany with technologies designed to reduce bandwidth necessary for video services;

Tap2Open, a Boca Raton company that enables gated-communities to open gates via smartphones and devices;

Ridgeback Network Defense, now in Boca Raton, that is developing an enterprise security system to counter-engage hackers with the goal of eliminating them; and, Tech Runway

Hubspring Health, a Miami software company founded by physicians aimed at helping find cures for chronic health problems.

“Arecord number of companies entered the 2017 FAU Tech Runway Launch Competition,” said Rhys L. Williams, managing director of FAUTech Runway.

Williams said because there were somany qualified applicants, another 16 companies will be selected to participate in the program, minus the grant.

Tech Runway is a public-private partnership that began in late 2014. The program is under the purview of the FAU Division of Research. For information, visit techrunway.fau.edu.

mpounds@sunsentinel.com, 561-243-6650 or Twitter @marciabiz