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Two business startups with Auburn connections won a combined $75,000 at the Alabama Launchpad Cycle Two finals on Thursday night.
The two winners— Croux and Vivoshere— beat out nine other businesses for the top spots in this startup incubator competition. Cycle Two’s finals were held at the Auburn Research and Innovation Center.
Croux (pronounces Crew) won $50,000 in the concept stage category on Thursday night. Vivosphere won $25,000 in the seed stage category.
“It’s incredible. It’s such a shot of hope for entrepreneurship in Alabama,” said Croux CEO Jennifer Ryan after her win. “We’re grateful to be here and we feel so darn lucky to be part of this community.”
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Croux is an app that allows restaurant workers the flexibility to work where they want when they need to. Workers who use the app can pick up shifts at any restaurant that also uses the app. The concept is similar to rideshare apps like Uber.
While Croux started in Birmingham, the company concept originated partially in Auburn. Business co-founder Brett Ables worked in several Auburn restaurants while attending school at Southern Union. Croux expanded its app from Birmingham into the Auburn area last summer.
“This is huge for us, its validating for us,” Ables said. “To do it here in Auburn is really special to me because I started as a 17-year old in the hospitality industry in Auburn. To come back here, have it come full circle and be a part of what’s about to help launch us of throughout the state of Alabama, we’re super excited.”
Stewart Price, Lindsey Noto and Kenny Kung are also Croux co-founders.
Ryan said Croux plans to use their winnings to invest in increasing benefits and financial solutions for their workers. They also plan to expand Croux into other markets across the state. They recently launched in both Tuscaloosa and Huntsville.
Aside from the money, Ryan said the mentorship they have gained through Alabama Launchpad has been invaluable.
“We learned so much from people who are smarter, wiser, and more experienced than us,” she said. “We were just gifted so much knowledge and acumen and intentional support.”
Croux is also a former Alabama Launchpad concept stage winner. They won $25,000 in April 2022.
Vivosphere was founded right here on the plains in 2022. Auburn Ph.D. grad Yuan Tien and Auburn chemical engineering professor Elizabeth Lipke co-founded the company through the university’s New Venture Accelerator program.
Regarding their $25,000 win, Tian indicated he was surprised the judges picked Vivosphere.
“I was shocked because there was a lot of very good competitors,” Tian said. “I’m still trying to digest this. It’s awesome.”
Tian and Lipke created 3-D modeling technology that allows them to grow human tissue outside of the human body. It allows them to put cells, for instance cancer cells or induced stem cells, into the tissue and study the effects. It differs from the traditional 2-D models normally used to study cells.
“There were in our category five excellent companies. We are incredible honored to have been selected,” Lipke said regarding their win. “It really is absolutely instrumental in taking those next steps and moving things forward so we can have this available for companies to use to improve patient care.”
Tian said he felt very fortunate to be declared the night’s seed stage winner. However, he felt the money was secondary to the mentorship that Alabama Launchpad provides its participants. He said they will use the business expertise they learned as well as the cash prize to help grow Vivosphere.
Croux was just one of six companies competing in this cycle’s early seed stage category. The other businesses included Autonoma, BluTapp, CharIT, Health OpX and NIXA.
Autonoma, created by Auburn grad Will Bryan, is also based here on the plains. Bryan’s business uses simulators to help automated vehicles learn to drive safer.
Vivosphere was one of five companies competing in the early concept stage category. The other businesses included CheckMySpot, NanoPrintek, SwiftTrax, and The Gathering Lab.
NanoPrintek was created by Auburn electrical engineering assistant professor Masoud Mahjouri-Samani. Like Vivosphere, Mahjouri-Samani developed his business through the university’s New Venture Accelerator program.
He has created a dry print process that uses nanoparticles to create electrical components such as metals, ceramics, semiconductors, insulators, and composites.
Alabama Launchpad is the state’s longest running business plan and pitch competition. It holds four competitions— what they call cycles— each year. They hold each cycle’s finals in different cities around the state. This was Auburn’s fifth time hosting the competition.
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