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‘Plug and Play Topeka’ Selects Round Two of Ag-tech, Animal-Health Startups for Accelerator Program

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Topeka and Shawnee County are located in the heart of the “KC Animal Health Corridor,” the world’s largest concentration of the animal-health and related industries. Image courtesy of GO Topeka.

“It’s exciting to see what this next startup batch will bring to Topeka, and how it will impact our innovation ecosystem,” said Katrin Bridges, senior vice president of innovation at GO Topeka.


Topeka, Kansas (PRWEB)

GO Topeka announced today that Plug and Play, a global innovation platform that creates industry-specific accelerator programs, has selected its second batch of startup companies for its animal-health and ag-tech program in Topeka. Ten early- and mid-stage startups from the United States, Canada and Singapore were selected after a pitch competition.

The startups represent a broad range of new innovations focused on areas including packaging, food safety, pet and livestock health, and energy. Entrepreneurs will benefit from a three-month accelerator program in Topeka aimed at launching their businesses as well as providing mentorship, financial resources and office space.

More information about the 10 startups selected for the program can be found here:

  • Aegis Packaging – More than a packaging-film manufacturer, Aegis will become a global leader in manufacturing regenerative high-barrier coating for flexible packaging.

  • Birdstop – Using drones and ground nodes, Birdstop inspects remote infrastructure with zero humans in the field.

  • ISO Thrive – Through microfood that nourishes gut bacteria, ISO Thrive curates the microbiome supportive to human and animal health.

  • Kenzen – Kenzen is a biometric platform monitored through a smart wearable patch that keeps workforces safe from heat, fatigue and overexertion on the job.

  • Lumin – Lumin has changed the fundamental element of a building’s electrical distribution system, the circuit breaker panel, by making ordinary circuits smart, responsive and efficient.

  • Maven – Maven provides off-grid communication technology that doesn’t require data service costs from telecom providers.

  • Nanox– Nanox is a natural antimicrobial product line derived from nanotechnology that contains silver as an active ingredient.

  • Pepperi – A B2B commerce platform, Pepperi serves the sales force and customers of manufacturers and wholesale distributors.

  • Sniffypet – A mobile-first veterinary telemedicine platform enabling visits via text chat and video consultations to pet owners.

  • Tarot Analytics – Tarot Analytics provides last-kilometer route optimization and a delivery management SaaS platform for enterprise.

“It’s exciting to see what this next startup batch will bring to Topeka, and how it will impact our innovation ecosystem,” said Katrin Bridges, senior vice president of innovation at GO Topeka. “GO Topeka is excited to work with the Plug and Play Topeka team to introduce these businesses to our community. Their expertise, along with our recently announced innovation campus and the commitment to startup success in our community, will make this region a sought-after environment for future business to grow.”

“Each selected startup is based on our partner’s needs, so we are able to include incredible companies in a variety of areas such as B2B sales, sustainable packaging, and mobility to our Animal health vertical” says Lindsay Lebahn, program manager for the Plug and Play Topeka animal-health accelerator. “It also gives each startup the exposure and opportunity to break into new industries…an overall benefit to everyone involved.”

“We are so excited to have 10 startups join the second batch of our animal-health program in Topeka,” said Stephen Fay, director of corporate partnerships at Plug and Play. “These are some of the most innovative startups we have seen in the region, and we are confident that they will bring some of the brightest ideas to the industry.”

Topeka and Shawnee County are located in the heart of the “KC Animal-Health Corridor,” the world’s largest concentration of the animal-health and related industries. More than 300 animal-health companies located between Manhattan, Kansas, and Columbia, Missouri—including four of the top 10 animal-health companies in the world—generate 67% of the total animal-health, diagnostics and pet food sold globally, totaling $21.5 billion in annual sales.

About Plug and Play

Plug and Play is the leading innovation platform, connecting startups, corporations, venture capital firms, universities and government agencies. Headquartered in Silicon Valley, we’re present in 35+ locations across five continents. We offer corporate innovation programs and help our corporate partners in every stage of their innovation journey, from education to execution. We also organize startup acceleration programs and have built an in-house venture capital to drive innovation across multiple industries where we’ve invested in hundreds of successful companies including Dropbox, Guardant Health, Honey, Lending Club, N26, PayPal and Rappi. For more information visit https://www.plugandplaytechcenter.com/

About GO Topeka

GO Topeka creates opportunities for economic growth that provide a thriving business climate and fulfilling lifestyle for Topeka and Shawnee County. The Greater Topeka area in Shawnee County represents a community of 178,915 people, located in the Greater Kansas City region. As the state capital of Kansas, Topeka is home to a dynamic employer base with headquartered companies, including Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Advisors Excel, Security Benefit, Capitol Federal and Evergy. Topeka is located less than 40 minutes from suburban Kansas City’s shops and restaurant districts, less than one hour to downtown Kansas City, including the KC Crossroads District, the River Market and the Country Club Plaza, and an hour from Kansas City International Airport. Topeka is proud to be a part of the #KCHeartland. For more information, visit http://www.gotopeka.com

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