Autonomous Vehicle Based Accelerator Program Announces Inaugural Cohort
INDIANAPOLIS — Nationally ranked startup accelerator gener8tor is proud to kick off its first gBETA Autonomous Vehicles/Future of Roads cohort. This newest addition to gener8tor’s partnership with the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) is a first-of-its-kind program focusing on early-stage startups in the autonomous mobility space but also featuring national recruitment to bring companies from outside to the Hoosier state.
gBETA is a seven-week program that provides startups with intensive concierge coaching and access to its national network of mentors, customers, corporate partners, and investors. The programs are designed to set a path for startups to participate in other equity-based accelerator programs and investment opportunities. The Autonomous Vehicles/Future of Roads program is sponsored by the IEDC and HG Ventures, which are providing a home for the program at The Center.
“I am thrilled to have the creative and driven founder energy from the gBETA program at The Center. It is a great opportunity to have a small part in shaping and directing this effort towards Autonomous Vehicles and the Future of Roads,” states Nida Ansari, Managing Director of The Heritage Group Accelerator
Through programming like the gBETA Autonomous Vehicles/Future of Roads, the IEDC and state of Indiana show continued support for autonomous mobility technology, bringing the Hoosier state one step closer to the economy of the future. Indiana has already attracted global talent to the state through the Indy Autonomous Challenge, a global prize competition among 21 universities from nine countries that formed nine teams which competed in a first-of-its kind high-speed autonomous racecar competition on October 23, 2021 at the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway. gBETA will attract additional talent bringing five companies together for this inaugural cohort.
“Autonomous mobility is moving us toward the economy of the future,” said Julie Heath, vice president of entrepreneurial ecosystems for the IEDC. “Supporting accelerators with partners like HG Ventures provides opportunities for Indiana’s early-stage startups to scale operations and thrive here.”
At the end of this gBETA program, cohort participants will pitch to investors, community partners, and the public. This program will have a pitch night on Tuesday, March 1, at The Heritage Group in Indianapolis. You can RSVP for the gBETA Autonomous Vehicles/Future of Roads on the Pitch Night website.
Startups interested in learning more about gBETA’s programming and resources, or applying to a future program are encouraged to sign up for office hours or visit the gBETA website.
Autonomous Vehicles/Future of Roads
Winter 2022 Cohort Summaries
This inaugural cohort is unique in their diverse backgrounds in academia and industry, but also in the products they are building, including autonomous robots, pedestrian safety devices, driver’s safety data, automotive lighting, and unmanned towing systems.
On It Solutions LLC PEDCan, a pre-revenue product owned by On It Solutions LLC, is poised to make a significant impact on pedestrian safety. PEDCan’s simple, pedestrian-focused approach addresses rapidly increasing pedestrian crashes with a low-cost solution that can be installed on a traffic signal framework. The LED lighting system can beam light directly down onto the crosswalk and help drivers detect pedestrians more clearly and prevent or decrease the severity of pedestrian crashes.
Founder: Laura Rampersad Email: lrampersad.onit2020@gmail.com
OneOQ LLC focuses on using photonics, optics, lasers, and IoT to bring innovative and environmentally friendly products into automotive, mobility and smart cities markets. Currently, a novel compact lidar system and a nanoillumination lighting device are under development.
Founder: Hossein Alisafaee Email: ceo@oneoq.com
Awayr A.I analyzes the actual touch and voice interaction between the driver, the car and road, and driver visual attention. They use video and sensor data and are focused specifically on the driver, how they use the controls inside the vehicle, and how they respond to vehicle interface output and road conditions.
Founder: Adam Beal Email: beal@getawayr.com
Futunomous Inc. with vision and classification, autonomous navigation, and weed control spraying capability, the lawn weed control robot will periodically travel over the owner’s lawn, identify weeds in the lawn by using machine learning and computer vision, and apply weed control applications locally over the weed
Founder: Mohammad Hasan Email: alhasan@iupui.edu
UnTowed LLC is dedicated to the development of a TOAD (Towable Autonomous Dray) in which light-duty commercial vehicles, especially with smaller powertrains, can be used for towing purposes. This is planned to be achieved by making the TOAD semi-autonomous thus eliminating the need for a physical connection with the lead vehicle.
Founder: Niv Sharma Email: niv.sharma@lhpes.com
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About gener8tor
gener8tor’s turnkey platform for the creative economy connects startup founders, investors, corporations, universities, job seekers, musicians, and artists. The gener8tor platform includes accelerators, upskilling, corporate programming, and conferences with content on community growth, impact investing, diversity, equity and inclusion, and innovation across education, agriculture, insurance, healthcare, and more. Recently, gener8tor was named one of Fast Company’s Best Workplaces for Innovators. For more information, visit gener8tor.com.
About gBETA
gBETA accelerates the growth of early-stage companies through its network-driven program. gBETA supports five teams per cohort and requires no fees and no equity. Since launching in 2015, gBETA program alumni have raised $311+ in capital and created 2,800+ jobs across the U.S. and Canada. For more gBETA statistics, visit gbetastartups.com/statistics.
About IEDC
The Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) is charged with growing the State economy, driving economic development, helping businesses launch, grow and locate in the state. Led by Secretary of Commerce Brad Chambers, @SecChambersIN, and governed by a 15-member board chaired by Governor Eric J. Holcomb, @GovHolcomb, the IEDC manages many initiatives, including performance-based tax credits, workforce training grants, innovation and entrepreneurship resources, public infrastructure assistance, and talent attraction and retention efforts. For more information about the IEDC, visit iedc.in.gov.
About HG Ventures
HG Ventures is the corporate venture arm of The Heritage Group, headquartered in Indianapolis, Ind. HG Ventures supports innovation and growth across The Heritage Group by investing and partnering with innovative, high-growth companies to support a sustainable future.
We leverage the world-class expertise of The Heritage Group operating companies and research center to offer a unique value proposition to our portfolio company partners.
www.hgventures.com.
About The Heritage Group
Founded in 1930, The Heritage Group (THG) is a fourth-generation, family-owned business managing a diverse portfolio of companies specializing in heavy construction and materials, environmental services, and specialty chemicals. Companies within the THG portfolio include Heritage Environmental Services, Heritage Construction + Materials, and Monument Chemical. With more than 5,000 employees and 30 operating companies worldwide, THG aims to build a safer, more enriching, and sustainable world by harnessing the power of family.
