Fall Startup Showcase 2023 Recap

Oct. 24, 2023 – The days might be getting shorter, but the fun is just beginning at FORGE. We recently threw our second startup showcase of the year. The Fall Startup Showcase displayed some of the best physical products in our local innovation ecosystem.

More than 130 people filled the Dassault Systemes 3DExperience Lab in Waltham, MA for the showcase. Startups joined local suppliers and manufacturers, investors, and startup ecosystem organizations to connect, demonstrate their products, and compete for funding prizes.

The evening began with networking, tabletop product demos from 18 startups, and light refreshments. A lively and curious crowd enjoyed watching the startups’ innovative products in action.

The 18 startups were:

1. Agvios, whose MultiNutrient probe enables easy, reliable, and real-time analysis of nutrients in hydroponic systems, increasing crop productivity. 
2. All Sustained, which makes its organic whole food vitamin D2 product with just mushrooms and vegan capsules.
3. Barn Owl Technologies, which provides a real-time online pest monitoring and prediction system to mitigate pest pressure, global warming and endangered species. 
4. BioSens8, which is engineering novel biosensors beyond the glucose monitor to enable personalized health monitoring. 
5. Cellsbin, which is creating VEGA, the Next Generation Cell Analysis Technology™, a breakthrough photonics and AI integration for high-precision mapping of cell structure and function. 
6. Cleo Robotics, whose Dronut is the world’s first drone designed for safe operation indoors, in confined spaces and GPS-denied environments. 
7. Cooked Up Ideas, whose No-Flip Clip unleashes the freedom of a tangle-free flag with an innovative weighed clip made in the USA. 
8. Dialysis-X, whose needle-free implant provides a safer, easier-to-use alternative for dialysis treatment. 
9. eSki Pro, which is bringing the first electric powered personal watercraft to the market. 
10. Fascia, which is making a sleep mask which collects all the data for a level 2 sleep exam in a small, wireless package. 
11. FreezeNit, which has created a revolutionary solution to combat head lice using CO2 gas, for faster, safer, more effective lice removal. 
12. Greenwave Power Systems, which is making high efficiency patented magnetic drives for rotating and linear machinery to enable companies and consumers to generate power using less input energy by incorporating magnetism as a power source amplifier. 
13. Harmony Desalting, which is bringing Batch Reverse Osmosis (RO) to market. Its patented Batch RO process is the most energy-efficient RO configuration. 
14. Loggerhead Instruments, whose new product Haikubox automatically identifies birds through their songs, chirps and peeps.  
15. Matcha Electric, which makes a turn-key electric vehicle charging solution perfect for multi-tenant properties, pleasing tenants and property owners. 
16. Orthokinetic Track, which creates an AI-driven wearable device for tracking joint kinematics and muscle activity of patients with joint disorders. 
17. Tatum Robotics, whose tactile signing robotic arm gives DeafBlind people access to the abled world’s resources through communication. 
18. TriStar AI, which analyzes human behaviors and using a combination of camera footage and AI-based software to deliver actionable information to manufacturers.

Sixteen FORGE sponsors attended the event. Thank you to all of our sponsors, especially Dassault Systèmes, who hosted the event in their Waltham 3DEXPERIENCE Lab.

Paul Butler, FORGE’s director of partnerships, and Laura Teicher, FORGE’s executive director, kicked off the pitch competition. 

Startups had three minutes to explain and promote their products in a pitch, then four minutes to answer the judges’ questions. 

We heard amazing pitches from BioSens8, Cleo, Dialysis-X, Fascia, FreezeNit, and Nuvio Mobility. Nuvio Mobility, which did not table, makes a next-generation walker re-engineered for better support of balance, agile maneuverability, safe reach during daily tasks, and best-in-class stand assist. Aloft Systems, whose product uses direct wind propulsion to reduce emissions and save fuel on existing vessels, was also scheduled to table. 

Throughout the evening, participants voted for their favorite startup. Meanwhile, our judges deliberated, ranking the startups on their feasibility, presentation, problem/solution, development and regional supply chain potential. The Fall Startup Showcase judges were:

• Ony Obiocha, executive director of CTNext 
• Frank Gerratana, a member attorney at Mintz Law 
• Lina González, co-founder of SpadXTech 
• Bill Goldstucker, business development advisor at MassMEP

The winners were: 

• 1st place, $10,000 non-dilutive Product Development Grant: Fascia 
• 2nd place, $2,000 non-dilutive Product Development Grant: Cleo Robotics 
• Audience Choice, non-dilutive $1,000 Product Development Grant: Dialysis-X

We had a great time, and it seemed like everyone who came did too. We love making connections in our local innovation ecosystem and seeing all the amazing products, services and community support they have to offer! 

If you’re a startup, manufacturer, innovation ecosystem organization, or potential sponsor interested in learning more about or getting involved with FORGE, contact us today.