Issue link: https://viewer.e-digitaledition.com/i/859684
Thanks to the new Montgomery County Community College's Karen A. Stout Start-Up Accelerator Fund, several aspiring entrepreneurs are able to launch their business ventures. The Fund, named after MCCC President Emerita Karen Stout and managed by the College's Foundation and Division of Business and Entrepreneurial Initiatives, provides grants of approximately $1,000 to $20,000. Candidates must complete an application form and make a formal presentation before a panel. The following start-up business received funding during the 2016-2017 year: Align Team LLC – a creator of an app that connects entrepreneurs Alpha Bravo Canine – a non-profit organization that provides service dogs to veterans diagnosed with PTSD Cryton – a provider of information technology staffing and recruitment services to organizations Eat to Educate – an MCCC Foundation initiative that raises scholarship money by selling retail food items Game Plan – a creator of a mobile app that helps people make personalized group decisions on where to eat and drink Guide U – a company that enables small businesses to advertise to consumers on Wi-Fi when they offer free hotspots iCareQuality – a start-up firm which develops scalable, open-source technology to advance the science of the healthcare industry NeuroFlow – a software solution company that promises to change the way we look at brain health oLIVE Devices LLC – a manufacturer of "smart eyeglasses" that translate speech to text for the hard of hearing Jennifer Green (on stage, right) and service dog Echo are joined by Christina Finello (on stage, left) to make their pitch for start-up funding for Alpha Bravo Canine to the panel of judges. Photos by Sandi Yanisko Funds awarded to aspiring entrepreneurs B I G D R E A M S S U M M E R 2 0 1 7 33