The Enterprise Awards honors entrepreneurial achievement in the Greater Philadelphia region at its gala on Thursday, May 8. An esteemed panel of judges has selected finalists in 11 competitive categories and one honoree for the 2014 Enterprise Awards from hundreds of nominations. Winners will be announced at the gala at the Valley Forge Casino Resort. Tables are being reserved now.
Legend Award for Lifetime Achievement
Sponsor: The Board of Directors of Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Southeastern Pennsylvania
RoseAnn Rosenthal
President, CEO, Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Southeastern Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA
RoseAnn Rosenthal has dedicated more than forty years of her career to business investment, regional planning, and economic development. Praised by regional leaders as an invaluable resource for the tri-state area, she has earned a strong international reputation with her development of innovative partnerships and extraordinary initiatives.
As President and CEO of Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Southeastern Pennsylvania (BFTP/SEP), Rosenthal has significantly enhanced the organization’s investment, technology commercialization, and business service programs, creating initiatives that have brought the organization national and international recognition. With a current portfolio of more than 130 technology companies, BFTP/SEP continues to build upon its proven track record of seeding hundreds of southeastern Pennsylvania’s technology leaders across all areas of technology. Since 1983, BFTP/SEP has worked with more than 1750 regional technology enterprises, many of which have become leaders in the region’s growing technology sector, and has provided more $165 million in seed capital to companies that went on to raise billions of follow on capital.
Today, BFTP/SEP manages the investment of both public and private funds in emerging and growing technology enterprises. In addition, Rosenthal worked with BFTP partners across the Commonwealth and the Greater Philadelphia Alliance for Capital and Technology to secure passage of Innovate in PA, a new state initiative that will provide $85 million for early-stage investment.
Rosenthal served on the Economic Advisory Council of the Philadelphia Federal Reserve Board and is on the Boards of the Fox Chase Bank, the World Trade Center of Greater Philadelphia, and the Philadelphia Alliance for Capital and Technology. She is on the Advisory Committee of Emerald Stage2 Venture Fund and has served on numerous regional advisory committees focused on technology-based economic growth and entrepreneurship, including the America-Israel Chamber of Commerce, the Mayor’s Sustainability Advisory Board in Philadelphia, the Greater Philadelphia Life Sciences Congress, the Life Sciences Leadership Advisory Council, the Science Center’s Community Development Advisory Committee, and the Philadelphia Chapter of the national Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship. She is active at the national level with the State Science and Technology Institute and the National Venture Capital Association and was a Board member of the National Council for Urban Economic Development (now the International Economic Development Council). Rosenthal is also active in support of women leadership and is a member of Women Corporate Directors, the Pennsylvania Women’s Forum, and the Forum of Executive Women.
Game-Changing Healthcare Company
Sponsor: Independence Blue Cross
Criteria: Company must be providing an innovative solution that has the potential to make a large and positive impact on cost, quality, and/or access in healthcare.
Key Considerations: A demonstrated business model for its solution, the ability to demonstrate return on investment or clinical impact of its solution serving the healthcare industry in Greater Philadelphia and the ability to generate rapid growth.
Endo Health Solutions
Malvern, PA
Endo International plc is a global specialty healthcare company focused on improving patients’ lives while creating shareholder value. Endo develops, manufactures, markets, and distributes quality branded pharmaceutical, generic and device products through its operating companies. The organization’s global headquarters are based in Dublin, Ireland, and operates a US headquarters office in Malvern, PA.
Health Advocate
Plymouth Meeting, PA
Health Advocate is the nation’s largest healthcare advocacy and assistance company, serving more than 8,500 clients and more than 30 million people. The company offers integrated advocacy and complementary solutions, all supported by proprietary technology. Health Advocate help employers, organizations, and individuals and their families save time and money by tackling real work/life relating to a variety of healthcare and insurance issues.
RightCare Solutions
Horsham, PA
RightCare Solutions is a medical technology company that provides the most academic, innovative, and predictive software for risk stratifying any patient at admission. The company’s proprietary technology was developed through a decade of research conducted at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing is the only medical software focused on healthcare transitions using a unique algorithm that enables continuous point-of-care decision support, optimizes workflow, and dramatically improves post-acute care transitions.
Emerging Life Sciences Company Finalists
Sponsor: Fesnak LLP
Criteria: Company must have more than 3 years of operating results. Must have sales, grants, or licensing fees.
Key Considerations: Describe product, including proprietary applications or other advantage. What animal or OUS clinical work has been done to prove the technology? Describe the impact on the clinical problem this technology is trying to solve (e.g. saving a hospital money on a procedure, making a clinician more productive, etc.)
Address strength of management team including ability to raise capital, and profitability or demonstrated ability to achieve profitability (e.g., strategy to achieve break even, ability to realize high gross margins) or decisions that led to corporate collaborations or license deals.
Onconova Therapeutics
Newtown, PA
Onconova Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering and developing novel small molecule drug candidates to treat cancer. Using a proprietary chemistry platform, Onconova has created an extensive library of targeted anti-cancer agents designed to work against specific cellular pathways that are important in cancer cells, while causing minimal damage to normal cells. Its lead candidate is in Phase 3 clinical trials.
Trevena
King of Prussia, PA
Trevena is a clinical stage pharmaceutical company focused on discovering and developing the next generation of G protein coupled receptor (GPCR) targeted medicines. GPCRs are the targets for more than 30% of all currently marketed therapeutics, yet there is significant potential to enhance the therapeutic properties of such molecules. Trevena’s expertise lies in developing “biased ligands” that activate only the beneficial signaling pathways downstream of a GPCR to unlock new biology and avoid drug adverse effects.
UE LifeSciences
Philadelphia, PA
UE LifeSciences (UELS) develops non-radiological and affordable breast cancer detection tools. In developed countries, UELS products are used to complement mammography-led screening in women with dense breasts and women at high risk for breast cancer. In emerging economies, UELS is helping to develop a new model with tools that are operable by health-workers and primary care physicians to enable screening. Currently UELS has two products in its portfolio, NoTouch BreastScan and iBreastExam.
Life Sciences Startup Company Finalists
Sponsor: University City Science Center and University of Pennsylvania
Criteria: Company must have operating results of three years or less.
Key Considerations: Discuss product innovation including market need/assessment and potential for significant growth; discuss management team and its ability and record of achieving success; provide demonstration of success (e.g., significant milestones, raising capital, revenue, etc.). Describe the R&D investment strategy. What did the company do to overcome challenges in financing, development or commercialization?
Aclaris Therapeutics
Malvern, PA
Aclaris Therapeutics is a development-stage specialty pharmaceutical company focused on identifying, developing, and commercializing novel topical dermatological technologies. The lead Aclaris candidate is in Phase 2 clinical trials and is being developed as a topical treatment for Seborrheic Keratoses and other verrucous skin disorders. Aclaris is also evaluating equally promising assets that are in various stages of preclinical and clinical development.
Micro Interventional Devices
Langhorne, PA
Micro Interventional Devices is an emerging medical device company that designs, manufactures, and commercializes disruptive technologies enabling percutaneous and minimally invasive structural heart repair. The company’s proprietary technology is based on a breakthrough in soft- tissue anchoring and tissue approximation that enables off-pump procedures. To the 60 million people suffering from aortic valve disease each year, this device is less invasive, more cost efficient, and provides for a more rapid recovery.
Spark Therapeutics
Philadelphia, PA
Spark Therapeutics is a late-stage gene therapy company developing potentially curative, one-time treatments to transform the lives of patients and re-imagine the treatment of debilitating diseases. Spark’s Phase 3 program to treat RPE65-related inherited retinal dystrophy has the potential to be the first gene therapy approved in the US. The company’s pipeline includes treatments to address other inherited retinal dystrophies, hematologic disorders, and diseases of the central nervous system.
MedTech Leadership
Sponsor: Comcast Business Services
Criteria: Describe individual’s management accomplishments and philosophy, including the communication of a vision and goals as achieved by the company; leadership and impact in industry and/or market; ability to attract and retain talented resources; company milestones including financial accomplishments, and a strategy for continued company success; and community/industry involvement. Extra consideration is given to leaders who have contributed more broadly to the strengthening and promotion of the medical device industry in the region.
Bioconnect Systems
Ambler, PA
Bioconnect Systems is a clinical stage company pioneering new methods for performing small vessel surgical connections (anastomoses). Bioconnect’s lead products are the Optiflow and Optigraft implants that create controlled surgical connections in vessels or synthetic vascular grafts. Results from three clinical studies performed outside the U.S. are highly encouraging. Under CEO Adam Dakins leadership, the company will initiate the US clinical trial required for FDA clearance during 1Q14.
Fibrocell Science
Exton, PA
Fibrocell Science is the scientific leader in autologous fibroblasts, the most common cells in connective tissue. Utilizing its autologous fibroblast cell technology, Fibrocell creates personalized biologics from a patient’s own cells to treat rare skin and connective tissue diseases. Under CEO David Pernock’s leadership, the company is focused on breakthrough regenerative medical applications of azficel-T for restrictive burn and vocal cord scarring, genetically modifying fibroblasts to treat orphan skin diseases, and localized treatment of psoriasis.
Pentec Health
Boothwyn, PA
Pentec Health is the nation’s leading, privately held specialty pharmacy focused on providing innovative and proprietary nutritional therapies for patients suffering from chronic renal failure and highly complex therapies for chronic pain management and spasticity. Under CEO Joseph Cosgrove’s leadership, Pentec’s Proplete has addressed the nutritional needs of 800,000 renal-impaired patients, accounting for 85% of the market share in the end-stage renal disease segment nationwide.
Technology Company of the Year Finalists
Sponsor: Safeguard Scientifics
Criteria: Company with more than $50 million in revenues in the most recently completed fiscal year.
Key Considerations: Leadership and product and/or service innovation in an industry or market; significant company milestones including financial accomplishments; and community and industry involvement.
iPipeline
Exton, PA
iPipeline leads its industry in providing the next-generation suite of software to the insurance carriers, distributors, and producers through its on-demand service. iPipeline’s solutions automate CRM, forms distribution and processing, quotes and illustrations, e-Applications, agency management, data services, policy delivery, and services—enabling the insurance industry to market, sell, and process faster. iPipeline provides the process automation and integration needed to make a sale by aggregating 125 carriers, 1,200 distributors, and their financial professionals.
Qlik
Radnor, PA
Qlik is a leader in Business Discovery—user-driven business intelligence technology—revealing meaning in data so people can act on it. The company’s QlikView platform uses natural analytics to support the way human curiosity naturally searches and processes information, revealing insights and enabling decisions. From small businesses to the largest global enterprises, QlikView gives users the immediate insights they need and IT professionals the enterprise manageability and governance they require.
SevOne
Wilmington, DE
SevOne provides the world’s fastest, most scalable performance monitoring platform to the world’s most connected companies. Delivered as an all-in-one appliance that detects and alerts on performance events before they impact the business, SevOne developed a next-generation technology that incorporates distributed computing to address any scalability concerns. SevOne monitors millions of objects across multiple technologies in a single view, enabling users to quickly pinpoint emerging problems anywhere within their IT infrastructure.
Technology CEO of the Year Finalists
Sponsor: Cozen O’Connor
Criteria: Individual’s background and his or her company’s success to date.
Key Considerations: CEO’s management accomplishments and philosophy, including the communication of a vision and goals as achieved by the company; leadership and impact in the industry and/or market; ability to attract and retain talented resources; company milestones including financial accomplishments and a strategy for continued company success; and community and industry involvement.
Tim Kowalski, Halfpenny Technologies
Blue Bell, PA
Halfpenny was the first company to develop a robust clinical data exchange platform, solving the interoperability challenge not only for labs and providers but also health plans, health information exchanges, clinics, and government entities. In just two years as President and CEO, Tim Kowalski improved the company’s cash position, accelerated its growth, and improved its profitability, positioning the company as today’s market leader.
Eileen Martinson, Sparta Systems
Hamilton, NJ
Sparta Systems is an industry pioneer and leading global provider of enterprise quality management solutions, enabling businesses to safely and efficiently deliver their products to market, preventing costly recalls. Under the leadership of CEO Eileen Martinson, an enterprise software industry veteran, Sparta has launched industry-leading enterprise quality and compliance management solutions in analytics and mobility as well as a revolutionary cloud based supplier quality management system.
William Marvin, InstaMed
Philadelphia, PA
Under the leadership of CEO William Marvin, InstaMed is the leading payments network for the healthcare industry today. With its bank partners, InstaMed moves billions of dollars and information on its single integrated network, connecting thousands of hospitals, practices, and payers and millions of patients for business. InstaMed’s innovative private cloud technology transforms the healthcare payment process by delivering new levels of payment assurance, simplicity, convenience, and cost savings to the healthcare industry.
IT Innovator Award of Excellence Finalists
Sponsor: LiquidHub
Criteria: Identify a technology leader responsible for the business or enterprise stakeholders who have benefitted from applied new or existing technology in a unique or innovative way to solve a business problem or advance business goals.
Key Considerations: Company must demonstrate success in applying and/or integrating new or next-generation technology (e.g. mobile, business intelligence, process automation) in a unique or innovative application. This can include an invention or early adoption of next-generation technology either for internal utilization or commercial application. The nomination should outline key components and most important contributions the information technology has made to the organization, its industry, or the community it serves.
McKesson Health Solutions
King of Prussia, PA
McKesson Health Solutions delivers industry-leading clinical evidence and expert technology to help payers and providers collaborate for better healthcare outcomes at lower costs. The McKesson portfolio includes decision-making solutions, network management and claims management tools, and financial solutions to optimize billing. Today, the company is one of the leading technology companies in the payer market, with solutions if more than four out of five payers in the country.
Mobiquity
Wayne, PA
Mobiquity is a mobile engagement provider creating innovative solutions that drive business value. Because mobile is in the company’s DNA, clients benefit from Mobiquity’s blend of three key disciplines of mobile computing: strategy, user-centered design, and core technology. In just three years, Mobiquity has worked with industry leaders CVS, Fidelity Investments, MetLife, the New York Post, Putnam Investments, The Boston Globe, The Weather Channel, and Weight Watchers.
RevZilla
Philadelphia, PA
RevZilla.com is a global eCommerce retailer providing motorcycle enthusiasts with premium apparel, accessories, and parts for any riding adventure. With an award-winning customer experience powered by a proprietary technology platform, original content, and a community of moto-enthusiasts, RevZilla.com is the premiere online destination for riders worldwide. The company’s seamless technical platform, largely devoid of outside vendors, emphasizes customer-centric, scaled business processes including customer experience, order processing, video commerce, and warehouse fulfillment.
Emerging Technology Company Finalists
Sponsor: ICG
Criteria: Company must have at least four years of operating results. Revenues must be less than $50 million, except in the most recent fiscal year.
Key Considerations: Product or service innovation, including proprietary technology or other advantage; company milestones including strategic decisions made by management that led to growth in revenues and/or earnings; strength of management team including ability to raise capital; and profitability or demonstrated ability to achieve profitability such as strategy to achieve break even and the ability to realize high gross margins.
CenTrak
Newtown, PA
CenTrak develops real-time location systems (RTLSs) and environmental monitoring solutions that are deployed at hundreds of healthcare facilitates around the world. Using a proprietary hybrid technology of active-RFID and second-generation infrared, these solutions are used for asset tracking/management, patient/staff locating, temperature monitoring, hand hygiene compliance monitoring. Having this improved visibility enables the automation of key business processes including nurse call, bed management, nurse rounding, and perioperative workflow.
Greenphire
King of Prussia, PA
Greenphire is the leading provider of payment technologies for clinical trials. Greenphire’s portfolio of advanced web-based payment solutions help customers improve operational efficiency, reduce costs, mitigate regulatory risks, increase subject retention and compliance, and produce quantifiable results that have transformed the clinical payments process for all parties involved. With Greenphire’s system, research participants can receive reimbursements electronically through a branded debit card system and sponsors can automate payments to investigators.
Health Market Science
King of Prussia, PA
Health Market Science (HMS) helps healthcare organizations solve business challenges centered on healthcare provider information using a proprietary big data technology platform. HMS assists clients in complying with evolving federal and state laws, reducing operational costs, and maximizing market opportunities. HMS offers robust solutions based on the most comprehensive provider database, including healthcare providers, healthcare organizations, and their affiliations, coupled with the largest medical claims database in the US.
Technology Startup Company Finalists
Sponsor: Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Southeastern Pennsylvania and Pepper Hamilton
Criteria: Company must have operating results of three years or less.
Key Considerations: Product or service innovation including market need or assessment and potential for significant growth; the management team and its ability and record of achieving success; and a demonstration of success such as significant milestones, raising capital, and revenue.
Clutch
Ambler, PA
Clutch offers a next-generation platform of consumer engagement, providing loyalty, rewards, gifting, and mobile commerce for consumer-focused retailers and brands. Clutch offers a comprehensive set of modular solutions to drive loyalty, increase consumer spend, and reward brand advocacy by unifying the currently fragmented consumer experiences, wherever customers are – in-store, online, and through mobile and social channels. By delivering consistent and relevant experiences across all engagement and buying channels, the company creates brand advocates.
Hoopla
West Chester, PA
Hoopla’s cloud-based software helps sales organizations inspire and motivate team performance. Hoopla’s award-winning platform makes it easy for managers to quickly create sales contests and broadcast performance updates on live leaderboards that can be displayed on any TV, mobile, or computer screen. Using Hoopla, industry leaders like Angie’s List, GM Financial, The Sacramento Kings, Tumblr, and Zillow are building high-performance cultures that deliver dramatic gains in sales productivity and customer satisfaction.
PeopleLinx
Philadelphia, PA
PeopleLinx turns employees into social marketers by transforming LinkedIn from a branding risk to a marketing opportunity. These cloud-based solutions help employees optimize their profiles, build relevant networks, and engage their connections with targeted content. Customers include Fortune 500 leaders in banking, insurance, legal, high-tech, and professional services. The PeopleLinx platform employs gaming dynamics and leader boards to drive employee participation and engagement to better utilize social media on an enterprise scale.
CleanTech Company of the Year Finalists
Sponsor: Morgan Lewis & Bockius
Criteria: Companies must have a Clean Tech focus, for example: solar, wind, geothermal, biofuels, nuclear, energy storage, pollution abatement, recycling, clean coal, water technologies, etc.
Key Considerations: Describe company’s concept, innovative features of new products or services, describe positive impact on environment /sustainability.
Sanosil International
New Castle, DE
Sanosil International is a manufacturer of innovative, environmentally preferred micro-biocides for broad spectrum disinfection and microbiological control. Sanosil’s portfolio is based on a patented and unique combination of hydrogen peroxide and ionic silver that remove the barriers of high cost and complexity to deliver simple, effective, and safe disinfecting solutions. Applications include drinking water, wastewater, and water treatment and for environmental surface disinfection treatment in the healthcare, life sciences, and mold remediation markets.
Solar Grid Storage
Philadelphia, PA
Solar Grid Storage is the leading pioneer in solar storage deployment. This groundbreaking business model enables batteries to be added to commercial solar photovoltaic (PV) installations while lowering costs. The company’s systems replace standard inverters with dual-use inverters. This lowers costs and delivers new benefits, including emergency power, enhancing PV system value with no additional cost to host customer and ultimately resulting in a more resilient grid.
Versify Solutions
Glen Mills, PA
Versify Solutions develops leading software and services for power industry professionals who demand a constant flow of data to efficiently navigate an increasingly dynamic sector. Versify products offer energy traders and generators better information, empowering them to perform at the highest levels. Utilized by some of the world’s largest energy companies and trading desks, Versify’s unique portfolio of analytical applications and services provide key insights into Smart Grid, generation performance, NERC compliance, and trading market opportunities.
Investment Deal of the Year
Sponsor: Grant Thornton and Broadpath
Criteria: Events that qualify for this category include the following: Exit transactions, Capital Raising transactions, Merger & Acquisition transactions, (Buy-side or Sell-side), New Business Development agreements, and New Strategic Alliance agreements.
Key Considerations: Entries must include: Brief history/background to deal, financial breakdown/deal mechanics, Reason for submitting. Discuss value to sponsor’s shareholders and/or commercial strategy, innovation and contribution to market development.
Return on Intelligence
Philadelphia, PA
Return on Intelligence delivers innovative consulting, systems integration, and commercial software engineering solutions. In June, Return on Intelligence merged with Exigen Services, a 1300-person IT services firm in San Francisco with offices in Russia, Lithuania, Latvia, and China. Exigen’s investors approved the transaction because after a decade of tepid growth, the team from Return on Intelligence brought a strategy and history of execution that would give them the best chance to capitalize on their investment.
Safeguard Scientifics
Wayne, PA
Safeguard has a distinguished record of building market leaders by providing capital and operational support to entrepreneurs across an evolving and innovative spectrum of industries. Safeguard partner company, ThingWorx, offering the first platform designed to efficiently build and run the applications of today’s connected world, was acquired by PTC Inc. in December for $112 million. This exit represents a potential 4.7x cash-on-cash return to Safeguard.
Zonoff
Malvern, PA
Zonoff provides comprehensive wireless technology and commerce solutions to channel partners who deliver connected-home products and services to the consumer mass market. Zonoff’s modular, cross-technology approach delivers best-of-breed home automation, remote control, energy management, and safety monitoring. In April 2013, Zonoff raised $3.8 million, which will be used to scale the Zonoff technical team and infrastructure to support ongoing customer growth with retailers, including Staples, as well as with service providers and device makers.