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 help rising applied sciences focusing on the power sector. To create a tech economic system that turns into foundational to the way forward for the sustainable power trade, and competes on the world stage, they're marrying the experience and trade 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 gasoline chief means we all know how one can construct issues, and we all know how one can 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 sturdy company, educational, and workforce assets within the fingers of modern, early-stage startups creating the next-generation options which might be fixing urgent power trade issues and opening up new markets.
"We're constructing the following era of huge power corporations that deal with world challenges in a manner that's genuine to Tulsa's native experience, and never one which feels extra extractive to it," she provides. "
RRB has already accelerated 33 corporations, initiated 22 energetic pilots with trade companions, and secured 11 buyer contracts, leading to over $50 million in funding raised by its member corporations.
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 trade companions: Williams, ONEOK, Devon Power, and Helmerich and Payne. These companions establish white area issues they're aiming to resolve — this 12 months, low carbon pure gasoline options — and RRB finds the startups that may clear up them.
From a aggressive pool of greater than 50 functions, fourteen corporations are chosen to pitch for pilot alternatives and potential funding from main Oklahoma power corporations. Whereas most pitch competitions are seen as pathways to enterprise capital, the RRB mannequin is designed to speed up commercialization; as a substitute of vying for funding alone, these corporations are competing for the prospect to place their know-how into apply, Hankins explains.
"What units the winners aside is the way in which they're fixing large challenges with game-changing concepts within the power area," Hankins says. "However above and past only a nice concept, it must be an concept that’s industrial. We are able to say that our corporations have already demonstrated the know-how. 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 help providers and pilot alternatives by trade companions, equipping them with each the assets and real-world expertise wanted for long-term market integration — and a stable foothold in Tulsa.
This 12 months's cohort is comprised of corporations which might be driving innovation in low carbon pure gasoline by applied sciences that improve operations, management and cut back emissions, and switch waste from power manufacturing into worthwhile 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 Choose, Kinitics Automation
Lukera Power
Changing wastewater and stranded gasoline into clear methanol
Brian Worfolk, Lukera Power
Pike Robotics
Making hazardous, high-risk environments safer with robotic inspection platforms.
Connor Crawford, Pike Robotics
Embedding world innovation within the Tulsa market
"We discuss quite a bit about stickiness," Hankins says. "Tulsa Innovation Labs, along with the Rose Rock Bridge initiative, is de facto centered on creating that supportive ecosystem within the area."
For instance, making certain these corporations have lab area if essential, 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 govt in residence supply in-depth mentoring as properly.
"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 way in which, all of the help that will help you operationalize your organization and your concept quicker. We’re going to discover a manner that you just’ll depart our program extra able to get to market, whether or not that be by a few of these auxiliary helps, or we’re going to be sure that direct connection to the client occurs."
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