Offered by Tulsa Innovation Labs
Tulsa was as soon as referred to as "the oil capital of the world,” and since its launch in 2022, Rose Rock Bridge (RRB), a Tulsa-based non-profit startup incubator led by Tulsa Innovation Labs, has been capitalizing on this heritage, aiming to supply and assist rising applied sciences focusing on the power sector. To create a tech financial system that turns into foundational to the way forward for the sustainable power business, and competes on the world stage, they're marrying the experience and business that already exists in Tulsa with promising entrepreneurial expertise.
"Locations like Tulsa, we’re tailored for tech excellence," says Jennifer Hankins, managing director, Tulsa Innovation Labs. "Our legacy as an oil and fuel chief means we all know the way to construct issues, and we all know the way to seize large industries, and we're positioned to be a frontrunner in power innovation."
RRB, in partnership with main stakeholders, helps put the area's robust company, educational, and workforce sources within the arms of modern, early-stage startups growing the next-generation options which can be fixing urgent power business issues and opening up new markets.
"We're constructing the following technology of huge power firms that sort out international challenges in a method that's genuine to Tulsa's native experience, and never one which feels extra extractive to it," she provides. "
RRB has already accelerated 33 firms, initiated 22 energetic pilots with business companions, and secured 11 buyer contracts, leading to over $50 million in funding raised by its member firms.
What units the Rose Rock Bridge Showcase aside
RRB's Rose Rock Bridge Showcase is a showcase and pitch competitors offered in partnership with 4 native power business companions: Williams, ONEOK, Devon Vitality, and Helmerich and Payne. These companions determine white house issues they're aiming to unravel — this yr, low carbon pure fuel options — and RRB finds the startups that may clear up them.
From a aggressive pool of greater than 50 purposes, fourteen firms are chosen to pitch for pilot alternatives and potential funding from main Oklahoma power firms. Whereas most pitch competitions are seen as pathways to enterprise capital, the RRB mannequin is designed to speed up commercialization; as an alternative of vying for funding alone, these firms are competing for the possibility to place their expertise into observe, Hankins explains.
"What units the winners aside is the best way they're fixing large challenges with game-changing concepts within the power house," Hankins says. "However above and past only a nice thought, it must be an concept that’s industrial. We will say that our firms have already demonstrated the expertise. They’ve already validated it. They’ve secured an enormous buyer, gained traction, are on the trail to safe follow-on funding. These are issues that maintain again most startups, and our program brings all of these three issues collectively to speed up commercialization."
Every startup receives $100,000 in non-dilutive funding to develop their enterprise in Tulsa, together with assist providers and pilot alternatives by means of business companions, equipping them with each the sources and real-world expertise wanted for long-term market integration — and a strong foothold in Tulsa.
This yr's cohort is comprised of firms which can be driving innovation in low carbon pure fuel by means of applied sciences that improve operations, management and scale back emissions, and switch waste from power manufacturing into helpful supplies:
Eigen Management
Growing synthetic intelligence/machine learning-assisted Raman Spectroscopy for real-time chemical evaluation, which helps power suppliers course of their product extra effectively.
Erdin Guma, Eigen Management
Kinitics Automation
Growing the reliability of kit whereas decreasing methane emissions with spring-loaded electrical valve actuators
Dean Decide, Kinitics Automation
Lukera Vitality
Changing wastewater and stranded fuel into clear methanol
Brian Worfolk, Lukera Vitality
Pike Robotics
Making hazardous, high-risk environments safer with robotic inspection platforms.
Connor Crawford, Pike Robotics
Embedding international innovation within the Tulsa market
"We speak loads about stickiness," Hankins says. "Tulsa Innovation Labs, along with the Rose Rock Bridge initiative, is admittedly centered on creating that supportive ecosystem within the area."
For instance, guaranteeing these firms have lab house if mandatory, connecting them to college companions to sharpen analysis and improvement, and serving to them set up relationships and follow-on funding with different energy-related funds, and embedding them into the Tulsa power tech panorama. The RRB entrepreneur in residence and government in residence provide in-depth mentoring as nicely.
"I name it sprucing the startups," Hankins explains. "You undergo our program, get a pilot, get perception from the company perspective. That’s most likely the very best worth. However alongside the best way, all of the assist that can assist you operationalize your organization and your thought quicker. We’re going to discover a method that you simply’ll go away our program extra able to get to market, whether or not that be by means of a few of these auxiliary helps, or we’re going to guarantee that direct connection to the shopper occurs."
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