TECH Fort Worth presents local technology awards

Three emerging companies with prospects of new technology that could better the world were winners at the fifth annual TECH Fort Worth IMPACT awards announced May 15. The awards – designed to increase awareness about entrepreneurial activity in North Texas – were presented at a luncheon on the campus of Texas Christian University. The awards are granted to early-stage businesses commercializing innovative products or services that will have a significant impact on the environment, health care and on the community. The IMPACT Awards also raises funds to support business incubation programs for technology-based entrepreneurs. “I am always amazed at the ingenuity and courage of entrepreneurs like those who apply for the IMPACT Awards,” said TECH Fort Worth Executive Director Darlene Ryan. “It is a special privilege to work with these company founders, helping them to hone their messages to the world.” Keynote speaker for the awards luncheon was Jasper Welch, the new chief executive officer and president of the National Business Incubation Association, who spoke about the importance of entrepreneurs and startup enterprises. Welch told the crowd of about 350 that “company creation equals job creation. And company creation means innovation creation.” “Entrepreneurs can be (somewhat crazy). But those crazy people come up with successful ideas,” he said. He added that the success rate of incubation graduates three years later is 87 percent. “Some of them are doing amazing things,” he said. “Go meet some of them and invest in their companies.” Pulsar Energy won in the energy/environment category for its technology to harness the power of the sun. Its systems provide a modular and scalable solution for any size distributed power generation. Pulsar’s patented Concentrated Solar Power technology can reach an estimated 4.5 cents/kWh without incentives, a cost typical of fossil fuel-based systems. The other finalists were AutoEvolve and iLumi. Student Success Academy won in the community category. SSA is an elite, virtual success-consulting agency that pairs high school students with top-tier college students for guidance in college, career and life. High school students gain confidence in their future, recognize their passions, identify college and career options, hone important skills and develop a personalized plan focused on their aspirations. The other finalists were Create Labs and Inception Lighting. Applied Regenerative Technologies, which focuses on restoring nerve function after trauma, tumor resection or neurological disease, won in the health category. Its products are bio-engineered to control the regeneration of nerves and were developed by a coordinated effort between physicians and scientists to improve the clinical outcomes for hundreds of thousands of patients per year around the world. The other finalists were eMist and MedHab. The finalists were selected by three panels of judges from the 24 presenters during “Pitch Days” hosted March 26-April 4. Pitch Day hosts were Sabre Holdings, University of Texas at Arlington Research Institute and University of North Texas Health Science Center.