ATLANTA (April 22, 2011) - The Georgia Research Alliance (GRA) and Technology Association of Georgia (TAG) are today announcing the finalists for the GRA/TAG Business Launch 2011. The judges for the semifinal round have selected four companies to compete for $50,000 in cash and over $400,000 in services. "Every year we are astounded by the number of innovative and game changing businesses that enter our GRA/TAG Business Launch Competition," said Tino Mantella, president and CEO of TAG. "This year is no exception and our judges have faced very difficult decisions during each round of the competition. We applaud our four finalist companies and look forward to their presentations at the final competition."
The finalists for this year's competition are:
• AuditMyBooks, specializing in accounting software for small and medium size businesses to detect errors and possible fraud.
• Soket, a company that is focuses on online promotions that offer local organizations a place to manage, monitor and make sense of promotional efforts on the web.
• Pindrop Security (formerly Telineage), providing a reliable and robust Caller-ID alternative to secure phone transactions.
• ViscidTech, which markets a revolutionary pressure sensitive touch technology that solves key pains for manufacturers in the $4 billion market for touch technology.
GRA/TAG Business Launch supports Georgia's burgeoning start-up community by helping local entrepreneurs launch their businesses. Since it was founded in 2006, it has become one of largest competitions of its kind in the United States, providing $450,000 in cash and over $1,000,000 in donated services, and has helped more than 130 young entrepreneurs connect with successful entrepreneurs and investors in mentoring relationships. "The competition continues to foster growth of Georgia start-up companies, and we are excited about the companies who made it to the finals. These companies will help grow Georgia jobs and further our local economy," said Sid Elliott, Business Development Director for the Georgia Research Alliance.
The Finalists will be judged by an all-star panel of venture capitalists and investors from across the nation, including Bob Bozeman, General Partner, Angel Investors, LP - San Francisco, CA; John Glushik, Investment Team, Intersouth Partners - Durham, NC; Wayne Hunter, Managing Partner, Harbert Management Corporation - Birmingham, AL; Allen Moseley, Partner, Noro-Moseley Partners - Atlanta, GA; Tripp Rackley, Senior Vice President, Qualcomm - Atlanta, GA; Ron Verni, former CEO of Sage Software.
The Business Launch Competition culminates on May 24, 2011, with a finals competition at the IBM Hillside Facility on Northside Parkway, from 7:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Attendance is open to the public for a nominal entry fee with lunch provided. For more information visit http://www.tagonline.org/businesslaunch.php.
About The Georgia Research Alliance (GRA)
The Georgia Research Alliance is a private, non-profit organization that brings together the state's academic, industry and government leaders to grow Georgia's economy through scientific discovery. Key programs are recruitment of top scientific talent (GRA Eminent Scholars), development of centers of research excellence, and commercialization of university R&D (GRA VentureLab). GRA has helped to generate more than 200 new technology companies from university research.
About The Technology Association of Georgia (TAG)
TAG is a leading technology industry association dedicated to the promotion and economic advancement of the state's technology industry. TAG provides leadership in driving initiatives in the areas of policy, capital, education and giving, and also brings the technology community together through events, initiative programs and networking opportunities. TAG serves as an umbrella organization for30 special interest groups, or societies, including Women in Technology (WIT). Additionally, TAG's charitable arm, the TAG Education Collaborative, is focused on helping science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education initiatives thrive. For more information visit the TAG website at www.tagonline.org or TAG's community website at www.TAGthink.com.
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