EDA Connects 30+ Emerging Technology Companies with Investors during Fifth New Jersey Founders & Funders Event
Seamless Development's Mathew Keister and Erin Marchon meet with Milestone Venture Partners' Luke Page during NJ Founders and Funders.
TRENTON (May 4, 2016) – Continuing its mission of fostering innovation and bolstering the State’s technology ecosystem, the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (EDA) today provided more than 30 emerging companies with access to angel and venture capital investors during its latest NJ Founders and Funders event.
Held at the EDA’s Commercialization Center for Innovative Technologies (CCIT) in North Brunswick, the event enabled early-stage businesses to meet with potential investors in 10-minute, one-on-one “speed dating” sessions to discuss strategy, business models and funding opportunities.
“Through five NJ Founders & Funders events to date, more than 150 developing companies have now had the opportunity to meet one-on-one with investors,” EDA Chief Executive Officer Melissa Orsen said. “Collaboration is the key to a successful technology ecosystem and we are fortunate to have passionate investors who understand the value of cultivating the next generation of entrepreneurs.”
Today’s event attracted more than 20 venture and angel investors from around New Jersey and neighboring states. Investors participating in today’s NJ Founders & Funders event included NJIT Highlanders Angel Network, JumpStart NJ Angel Network, and IDT Ventures. They met with a variety of New Jersey-based technology and biotechnology companies, including:
- Asbury Park-based NuSkool, a TechLaunch accelerator program graduate that creates an entertainment-learning platform that helps users find the hidden lessons in all aspects of entertainment;
- Seamless Development, located in Cherry Hill, which provides e-commerce businesses with the technology they need to compete in a web-based world by utilizing state-of-the-art technology and real-world expertise;
- T3 Interactive, a Maplewood-based company that uses sensor technology to enhance non-verbal communication skills by reading a user’s body language and verbal cues, and providing real-time, quantitative feedback ; and
- CCIT Tenant Ascendia Pharmaceuticals, which develops specialty pharmaceutical products and novel formulations for poorly water soluble molecules.
The EDA hosts NJ Founders & Funders events semi-annually. The next event is scheduled for the fall of 2016 and registration can be accessed via https://application.njeda.com/tls/.
Currently home to nearly two dozen seed-stage life sciences companies, CCIT offers tenants affordable lab and office space, plus a wealth of resources. These include assistance with identifying funding sources, including state incentives, help making matches to private sector support, and access to small business development resources and administrative support. CCIT also offers discounted rent for the first year for university spinouts.
The EDA is part of the State’s results-driven Partnership for Action. Created by Governor Chris Christie and led by Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno, the Partnership is the hub for all economic development activity in New Jersey and is comprised of four interconnected and highly focused organizational elements: Choose New Jersey, the Business Action Center, the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education and the EDA.
To learn about the various programs available to support the technology industry, visit https://www.njeda.gov/tls and follow @NJEDATech on Twitter and LinkedIn.
To learn about opportunities for business growth throughout New Jersey, visit the state’s business portal at www.NewJerseyBusiness.gov or call 1-866-534-7789.
