Arizona Archives - Serious Startups

CES 2013 Preview: zoomStand To Launch Giving Your Device More Positions Than Karma Sutra

Laptop and Tablet stands are great. They can keep your laptop or tablet propped up for movie viewing, set at a good angle for typing, or they can sit your tablet upright for displaying. A Phoenix startup called zoomStand is about to rock the stand world that allows you to set your tablet or laptop in more positions than the Karma Sutra.

The zoomStand is extremely flexible because of its unique build and telescoping legs. It’s height adjustable guaranteeing your workspace, no matter what it is, is what you need.

“zoomStand is the first modular and portable laptop and tablet stand that doesn’t sacrifice ergonomics or comfort in the name of simplicity. zoomStand fills the need for a singular accessory that can hold any device, in nearly any position and is easily portable. Coupled with the dire need to be able to get out of a chair and still be able to comfortably use a mobile device is where zoomStand fills the void. A single zoomStand can be used as a desktop riser for a laptop, as a standalone desk or as a theatrical holder for your favorite tablet while lying in bed or on the couch while watching a movie. The possibilities are nearly endless. ” co-founde Chris Piper told launch.it

Piper and his team are set to debut the first manufactured prototypes at Eureka Park the startup zone at the 2013 International CES. They plan to finish manufacturing in time for a spring 2013 release.

Arizona State Startup G3Box, Finalist In Dyson Competition

An Arizona State University startup in the colleges Edison student entrepreneur initiative, has been selected as a finalist in the global James Dyson Awards Competition.

The startup, called G3Box, has done something amazing for healthcare in rural areas. G3Box is converting freight shipping containers into small medical clinics. G3Box provides engineering design and manufacturing towards the conversion of steel shipping containers into durable, semi-mobile, stand-alone facilities that are ideal for remote environments.

“G3Box is honored to have been selected as one of the 10 U.S. finalists in the Dyson awards. From the start, G3Box has been about solving problems specifically in healthcare provision,” said Susanna Young, Co-founder and CEO of G3Box. “The Dyson awards are, at the core, about solving problems with new and creative ideas. We do that with a commitment to integrity, humility, and collaboration.”

Of course the Dyson Awards competition is held annually by Jes Dyson’s charitable trust. Dyson being the inventor and founder of the vacuum cleaner company with his same name.

The James Dyson Award is open to product design, industrial design and engineering university-level students or recent graduates who have studied in countries including the USA, Australia, Canada, Germany, Japan, and the UK. The James Dyson Award supports students not only with monetary prizes, but also by promoting and recognizing good quality entries. The US winner will be announced later this year.

Linkage:

Find out more about G3box Here

Find out more about the James Dyson Award here

Nibletz is the voice of startups everywhere else, here are more startup stories from “everywhere else”

Phoenix Arizona Has New Angels

Phoenix, Scottsdale and surrounding areas have a new group of angels in town ready to invest in the latest and greatest tech startups in the region. The Biltmore Angels was founded by a local group of Arizona State University Alumni. The group plans on investing in high potential startups and early stage companies in the immediate Phoenix area as well as the rest of the state. The Biltmore Angels will also work closely with ASU to provide investment opportunities to ASU spinouts and select companies for the Venture Catalyst program.

“Lack of access to early stage capital has been an age-old problem in Arizona for most of our home-grown start-ups”, said Charlie Lewis, founding principal of Biltmore Angels. “We look forward to providing a new venue for our State’s most promising companies to showcase their wares in front of active Arizona investors”.

The partners in The Biltmore Angels have a wide range of business experience in the areas of investment, finance, business development and law. Tom Connelly is President and Chief Investment Officer for Versant Capital Management. Charlie Lewis is Vice President of Venture Development for Arizona Technology Enterprises. The third member, Michael Hool is the Managing Partner at the Hool Law Group.

Nibletz spoke with Biltmore Angel Michael Hool who told us that they are offering mentorship through their partnership with TiE Arizona and Venture Catalyst and that they are looking to offer mentorship as part of the Biltmore Angels in the coming months.

“We look forward to engaging investors who have not previously been involved in organized angel investing processes.” said Hool in a release. “The idea of the Biltmore Angels is to provide another forum to connect not-previously engaged investors with each other and to the other state and regional angel groups for collaborative investments”.

“The formation of the Biltmore Angels is an incredible opportunity for startups in Arizona,” said Gordon McConnell, Executive Director of ASU Venture Catalyst, an early partner of the Biltmore Angels group. “Every client that the Venture Catalyst team works with needs assistance with finding and accessing funding and by partnering with the Biltmore Angels we will be able to provide those needed angel investment opportunities for our startups. That is an incredible value-add to the startup scene in Arizona.”

Arizona was recently named one of the fastest growing states in the country for startups.