Three nascent companies based on medical technology and one in information technology have been selected for the spring 2024 cohort of the Regional Accelerator and Mentoring Program, or RAMP.
One of them, Bacchus Therapeutics, already has experience with Verge, the umbrella organization for RAMP and other technology-related organizations. Northern Virginia-based Bacchus was among the winners last year in J&J’s Advancing Oncology InnoVAtion QuickFire Challenge.
The company, looking to target some of cancer’s specific metabolic pathways, has already set up shop at the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center in Blacksburg. Verge was one of the groups that teamed with Johnson & Johnson Innovation to develop the challenge here.
[Disclosure: Verge is one of our donors, but donors have no say in news decisions; see our policy.]
The other three startups are from Roanoke and Blacksburg. They gathered Thursday evening at the Shenandoah Club in Roanoke for a Meet the Cohort event.
Roanoke-based Alice Innovations is working to improve operating room service efficiency via better sterile surgical instrument processing.
Recens Respiratio Inc., also of Roanoke, uses methods that include machine learning to speed hospital discharge for acute respiratory disease patients.
Scanlily LLC of Blacksburg is in IT, employing what it calls a revolutionary QR code-based method to manage assets and equipment.
RAMP, based at Roanoke’s Gill Memorial Building with Verge and the Roanoke-Blacksburg Technology Council, is a regional tech business accelerator with a history going on seven years.
“Bringing together a new cohort is a highlight of our programming,” RAMP Director John Hagy said in a recent news release. “We’re constantly inspired by the tremendous ideas coming out of the region and thrilled to help develop them so they can be brought to market and make an impact.”
The 12-week program includes a $20,000 scholarship for each company, along with mentoring and free office space with high-speed internet at the Gill building. Free memberships for alumni feature two years at Roanoke-Blacksburg Technology Council, one year with Virginia BIO and three years at the Shenandoah Club. RAMP also offers ongoing support through the Exit RAMP program and more.
The Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation supplied $20,000 each to Bacchus, Recens and Scanlily. RAMP provided Alice Innovations with its scholarship, according to the news release.
The spring 2024 cohort will end May 22, when the businesses will present to regional businesses and investors on Demo Day.
