Propeller Accelerator at DCU Ryan Academy is mentoring six start-ups that are operating in clean tech, online gaming, Facebook e-commerce, informatics, mobile applications and social media areas.
The start-ups – Associate Mobile, Fantom, GreenEgg Technologies, HealthComms, Simple LifeForms and Vendorshop – are the first group of companies to be funded and supported under the three-month mentor-led accelerator programme at DCU Ryan Academy. The six start-ups will pitch to a group of investors on 6 May 2011.
Start-ups on Propeller programme:
Associate Mobile is developing cloud-based mobile platforms for enterprise and consumer markets. MobileMinder, a parental supervision platform for mobiles, is the company’s first commercial output.
Fantom is aiming to be the premier provider of social media software for fan-based websites. It operates in social media for politics and hopes to use the Propeller opportunity to pivot into other domains.
The EcoBike, developed by GreenEgg Technologies
GreenEgg Technologies is a research and development company focused on technological solutions for the clean-tech and environmental sectors. It develops innovative, eco-friendly products for a range of applications and its research focuses on the development of products that enable the smart and efficient operation of technology.
GreenEgg launched the EcoBike in December 2010.
HealthComms is aspiring to become a leading specialist in providing health and security solutions to the equine Industry. It has developed Equinewatch, which provides continuous monitoring of location and telemetry of animals. Its highly visual-based systems provide a means for alerting owners when unusual events, such as isolation, agitation or temperature variation, occur.
Simple Lifeforms is an online games development, publishing and consultancy firm that develops games for the platforms, such as Facebook, iPhone and iPad.
VendorShop enables businesses to sell products on Facebook via their social shopping cart application. VendorShop is free to install and takes just minutes to set up. It currently powers 15,000 stores worldwide.
Support, mentoring and funding
Alan O’Dea, CEO, Simple Lifeforms, says the company is “honoured” to be accepted on the Propeller programme.
“With their support, mentorship and funding we are making games for friends to play in the places they already love.
“Simple Landforms is a team of expert game designers, publishers and technologists and have made games on all modern formats from mobile, handheld, console and social networks. Our most recent game, Soccer Hero, is available on Facebook and the iPhone.”
Fantom founder Paul Healy says iCitizen.ie provides access to the social media of politicians, blogs, YouTube videos and Tweets.
“It also allow citizens ask questions of their elected politicians. The product is live in Belgium as Place Publique, and will be launched this week to cover the Nigerian elections in April, as www.icitizen.com.ng.”
On Propeller, Healy says: “We are leveraging this experience through Propeller to pivot the concept into a wider fan-based concept in sports, music, film and fashion.”
Forty mentors over next three months
“We had over 70 applications from across Ireland, the UK and Europe and even included the US and Brazil,” says Gordon McConnell, director of the Propeller Accelerator and deputy CEO of DCU Ryan Academy.
“We are delighted to have such an exciting group of start-up companies working in the Propeller Space, and a group of over 40 mentors to work with them over the next three months.”
The Propeller Accelerator was recently announced as a charter member of the TechStars Network at the White House in February. It has also agreed partnerships with the Halo Business Angel Network (HBAN) and the Irish Technology Leadership Group (ITLG) in recent weeks.
Irish-based companies have also signed-up to support Propeller Accelerator, including software company Sage Ireland, legal company Arthur Cox, marketing and sales company Publicis D and legal intellectual property company Tomkins IP.
ISME and Enterprise Ireland are also partners. Propeller is also linked to the Venture Catalyst at Arizona State University.
For further information, check out the Ryan Academy technology blog.
