Grow Utah Ventures Names Elite Eight In Its General Technology “Concept to Company” Innovation Contest

- Eight start-ups include VehiCALL, Focusbuilder Software, 3T Technologies, EnergyWise Systems, Solar Fins, 3D4PS, Danemco Fabric Finder, Test Solutions Corporation and Doug Catton -

SALT LAKE CITY, April 02, 2010 – And then there were eight.  Grow Utah Ventures (www.growutahventures.com) today named the eight finalists who will compete for a chance at $65,000 in cash and consulting services in its general technology “Concept to Company” Innovation Contest (www.concepttocompany.org) on April 9, 2010 in St. George, Utah. 

Grow Utah Ventures, Zions Bank, USTAR, Workman Nydegger, Ballard Spahr, SEED Dixie, and CFO Solutions are sponsors of the contest, which received over 70 applications this year. 

“The response to this general technology contest was outstanding and shows how innovative our local entrepreneurs are,” said T. Craig Bott, president and CEO of Grow Utah Ventures. “We’re anxious to see the presentations these entrepreneurs prepare and are confident that many of these companies will help us achieve our goal of developing businesses that will create new jobs in Utah and strengthen our local economies.”   

The 2010 finalists in the general technology “Concept to Company” Contest include:

·         VehiCALL - aftermarket auto upgrade that will allow the consumer to lock or unlock their vehicle from any phone.

·         Focusbuilder Software, LLC - online project management software for construction companies and contractors, to eliminate unnecessary material waste and downtime.

·         Danemco Fabric Finder - unique textile search engine that can match fabric photos to online stores that carry that product.

·         Doug Catton - innovative rollator/walker design that incorporates built-in seating technology which allows elderly or other persons to sit in their walker when needed and prevents falling.

·         3T Technologies - tripod and laser system that can draw specific points from a blueprint onto the ground to eliminate the need for measuring.

·         3D for Photoshop - online 3D clipart library with 3D images for Photoshop. The versatile 3D images are layered and can thus be easily rotated and customized within Photoshop.

·         Solar Fins - new solar-thermal hot water heating system installed in the attic instead of the roof. It harvests the thermal energy in the attic to make hot water.

·         Test Solutions Corporation - innovative lift system for the semiconductor testing industry that allow operators to move large pieces of electronic equipment for testing motherboards, microchips and more.

“I really believe that each of these eight companies has the potential to be successful, profitable, business”, said Jill Elliss, director of USTAR Southern Region and director of SEED Dixie. “We look forward to working with the winners and know that, through the support and mentorship of the Concept to Company sponsors, they’ll have an incredible opportunity to take their business to the next level and make it a successful company.”

The Concept to Company contests are ongoing innovation contests held in various regions across the state of Utah and were created as a way to encourage entrepreneurism and stimulate business growth in the state. Each competition focuses on a different industry and matches the unique entrepreneurial strengths of that particular region.

Finalists will present their business concepts to a panel of judges on April 9, 2010.  The winners will be announced during an awards ceremony at 3:30 that same day.  The awards ceremony is open to the public and will be held at the Dixie State Taylor Sciences Building (1525 Medical Center Drive, St George). The winning entry will receive up to $35,000, comprised of cash and services to help bring the idea to fruition. Two runner-up winners will also receive up to $17,000 each comprised of cash and services.

For more information on the “Concept to Company” contests, including complete descriptions of each of the seven finalists visit www.ConceptToCompany.org.

Additional Resources:

Twitter: http://twitter.com/growutahventure .

Facebook Fans Page: Grow Utah Ventures.