FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 14, 2011
For more information please contact: SCRA Micki Howard 843.760.3329 office 843.697.9226 mobile micki.howard@scra.org
Two SC Launch Companies Honored at InnoVision Technology Awards CareCam Innovations and SensorTech Both Recognized
Columbia, SC - December 14, 2011 - SCRA announced today that two SC Launch companies were honored with awards at the recent InnoVision Technology Awards event in Greenville, South Carolina. CareCam Innovations received the Innovator of the Year Award and SensorTech tied for top honors in the Technology Development Award category.
The InnoVision Technology Awards program, founded in 1999 and presented by McNair Law Firm, P.A., recognizes and honors Upstate businesses, individuals and organizations that have demonstrated significant advancements in the areas of innovation and technological progress. Since 2006, six SC Launch companies have been recognized during this awards event.
Receiving the Innovator of the Year Award was CareCam Innovations. The company's first product, the CareCam "Enhance," is a patented, patient issued video documentation system designed to enhance existing electronic health records of hospitals, surgery centers, physician offices and clinical research sites. Carecam's proprietary video tagging solution is fully integrated into its suite of flexible database management tools which provide a more accurate, less costly method of documentation focused on improving the quality of patient care and reducing fraud.
"We are deeply honored to receive this recognition," said CareCam Innovations Inventor and President, Shannon Pierce. "CareCam Innovations is proud to be an SC Launch company and thankful for all of the support we have received. This recent award signifies that we are making great progress in our mission to improve the quality of patient care utilizing video to enhance documentation anywhere a person becomes a patient or participates in a clinical study."
Also receiving recognition in the Technology Development Award category was SC Launch company SensorTech. SensorTech is an advanced materials company commercializing Smart Polymer™ materials that add functionality to other products and processes. This patented conductive polymer technology, discovered by Clemson research, can be used as force sensors, pressure calibrated switches, temperature sensors and variably conductive thin films. Smart Polymer™ materials used as sensors enable force measurements on 3D surfaces and in compact areas with durability, high speed response time, a wide measurement range, and low energy usage. SensorTech's current products include ZEBRA™ Systems, and SensorSpot™, SensorMat™, SensorDot™, and SensorDonut™ sensors.
"Both SC Launch and SCRA have been invaluable partners to us as we have grown from a technology start-up to a revenue generating company scaling to meet demand," said SensorTech CEO David Myers. "We are delighted to have won our second InnoVision Award in the past 3 years and believe this demonstrates we are one of the region's examples of successful university-to-market success." "The SC Launch program supports promising technology companies and advances the Knowledge Economy of South Carolina," said SCRA Executive Vice President and SC Launch Executive Director Dave McNamara. "We are proud of these companies and congratulate them on this much-deserved recognition."
It is the mission of SC Launch to support the development of emerging technology-based companies and develop the Knowledge Economy of South Carolina. Since its inception by SCRA in 2006, SC Launch has supported and funded hundreds of companies, helped draw 12 landing parties to the state, provided business services to 230 early stage companies in SC through a powerful Resource Network and helped position emerging South Carolina start-ups to secure more than $167 million in follow-on funding from angel, venture and other private capital sources. SC Launch has been recognized regionally, nationally and internationally for leadership in entrepreneurial support and technology-based economic development with awards from the Southern Growth Policies Board, State Science and Technology Institute, International Economic Development Council, Forbes magazine, and most recently led SCRA to be selected as the National Non-Profit of the Year by the American Business Awards.
"Over the years, SC Launch companies have brought significant technologies, developed at in-state universities and hospitals, to market," said SCRA CEO Bill Mahoney. "The recognition of CareCam Innovations and SensorTech by InnoVision reinforces the quality of companies that are growing here in South Carolina and the important technologies that they are commercializing. We look forward to the continued success of these companies as they help lead the development of South Carolina's Knowledge Economy."
About SCRA http://www.scra.org
SCRA is an applied research company with over 28 years of experience in delivering technology solutions with high returns on investment to federal and corporate clients. Our Applied R&D affiliate manages over 100 national and international programs worth over $1.5B in contract value, and our technology-based economic development affiliate helps early-stage companies to commercialize innovations and create jobs. In support of our mission, SCRA builds and manages research facilities that include wet labs, secure rooms for sensitive work and advanced high-tech manufacturing shops.