New Windsor, N.Y. – April 3, 2013 – Orange County Executive Edward A. Diana and Orange County Industrial Development Agency (IDA) Chairman Bob Armistead are thrilled to announce the winners of the Orange County Business Accelerator (OCBA) Challenge.
The OCBA Challenge was created to attract innovative entrepreneurs to Orange County and to assist them in growing their business. Due to the outstanding applications, OCBA and its corporate sponsors expanded the scope of the challenge and designated additional winners. The goals of the Challenge were not only to attract high quality companies and jobs but also to engage the Hudson Valley business community by providing professional support to the winners. This was accomplished with generous sponsorship by Hudson River Ventures, LLC, Advance Testing Company, Inc. and Jacobowitz & Gubits, LLP.
The three OCBA Challenge Gold winners will receive one-year leases for a special reduced rate of $1 at the Accelerator. The three runners-up Silver winners will be awarded 50 percent discounts on a one-year residency while six Bronze winners earned 50 percent discounts on non-resident client services. All winners will also be awarded a complimentary 1-year membership to the Orange County Chamber of Commerce and Orange County Partnership for Economic Development. Gold and Silver winners will receive a complimentary one-hour legal consultation with Jacobowitz & Gubits.
All three Gold winners are homegrown in New York’s Hudson Valley: Free Thought Designs, Air Chex Corp., and Sabila. Free Thought Designs, of Woodbury, is a 3D printing manufacturer. Air Chex, of Nyack, produces bus, truck, tractor, and trailer tire air pressure monitoring systems with goals of international expansion. Started out of a Pine Island garage in 2009, Sabila produces a variety of aloe drinks distributed across the region with plans to expand its distribution network with help from the Hudson Valley Food & Beverage Alliance.
Here is a complete list of winners:
GOLD: Free Thought Designs, Air Chex Corp., Sabila
SILVER: Kudokit Inc., Media Buyback
BRONZE: Bronx Pop, Beyond Barre, Capacity Consulting Inc., Connected Contractors, Innovative Safety, Itelligent, Round The Mark Marketing and True Light Inc.
County Executive Diana said, “The Accelerator has been a talent magnet and economic development epicenter of the Hudson Valley since its inception in 2009. I am especially proud of our existing business community’s participation and partnership in the Challenge. Sean Eldridge and Hudson River Ventures bring extensive business enterprise and investment capital to the Hudson Valley; Jim Smith and Advance Testing has been a staple in our community and brings small business development skills to the table; and Gerry Jacobowitz and the team at Jacobowitz & Gubits understand the complex legal world that business works in and brings those mentoring abilities to the Accelerator. Congrats to all OCBA Challenge winners!”
In November, the OCBA Challenge put small businesses throughout the Hudson Valley on notice: Present your outstanding business summary and compete for a chance to win one year at the Accelerator for just one dollar. After a thorough application process, the winners – a mix of marketing, food and beverage, education, manufacturing and e-commerce firms – were chosen by OCBA officials and honored at a luncheon on Wednesday, April 3, at the Accelerator.
The Accelerator, funded by the Orange County Industrial Development Agency (IDA) and managed by Hudson Valley Economic Development Corporation (HVEDC), offers Class-A office space in a strategic location near Stewart International Airport, a 35-person video conference room and WiFi, access to capital and exceptional business mentoring, support and guidance. With help from the Accelerator’s aggressive three-year program, Continental Organics, an aquaponics farm, recently opened its 70,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility in New Windsor, and is one of the fastest-growing such operations in the Northeast.
Bob Armistead, Chairman of the IDA, said, “The Accelerator has proven time and time again to be one of the best investments this IDA has made. We congratulate the winners of the OCBA Challenge and welcome them to the best business development center in Orange County and the Hudson Valley.”
James O’Donnell, Executive Director of the IDA, added, “The Accelerator has made great strides in promoting small business growth and entrepreneurship since opening in 2009. Orange County is committed to strengthening the business community here and the OCBA Challenge has helped us identify companies who are dedicated to doing the same.”
Laurence P. Gottlieb, President & CEO of Hudson Valley Economic Development Corporation and Managing Director at OCBA, said, “It is with great excitement that we welcome these innovators to the Accelerator and provide them with the knowledge and tools for economic growth and prosperity. The Accelerator is truly a natural hub for entrepreneurial activity in the Hudson Valley.”
Sean Eldridge, founder and president of Hudson River Ventures, said, “The Orange County Business Accelerator Challenge is a tremendous resource for start-up companies that helps reduce overhead when small businesses need it most. We’re proud to sponsor the Challenge and are looking forward to working with the Accelerator and their newest clients in the months and years to come.”
James P. Smith, owner of Advance Testing, said, “I started my business out of a station wagon for a year before I could afford rent. Programs like the Accelerator have given today’s start-ups a head-start I wish I had. The OCBA Challenge is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Congrats to the winners and welcome to Orange County!”
Gerald Jacobowitz, founding partner of Jacobowitz & Gubits, said, “We are very pleased to see winners of the OCBA Challenge in the food and technology industries. These are thriving business clusters in the Hudson Valley and we’re sure the Accelerator will assist them in achieving job growth and economic wealth well into the future. Good luck to all!”
Dr. John A. D’Ambrosio, President of the Orange County Chamber, said, “Orange County has an incredibly vital business community with a ton of great talent. Thanks to the OCBA Challenge, there’s now more. Congrats to all of the winners and we look forward to helping them grow and prosper here in Orange County, because that’s what the Orange County Chamber does best!”
About the Orange County Business Accelerator
OCBA, located at 4 Crotty Lane in New Windsor, N.Y., at New York International Plaza at Stewart Airport, is a business incubator program launched by the Orange County Industrial Development Agency (IDA) in partnership with Orange County Government. The incubator, 10,000 square feet of Class-A high-tech research and development space, is designed to attract new entrepreneurial investment by providing businesses with below market occupancy costs, a menu of mentoring programs and a high-tech plug-and-play office environment.
About Hudson Valley Economic Development Corp. (HVEDC)
HVEDC represents seven counties in Hudson Valley. This public-private partnership markets the region as a prime business location to corporate executives, site selection consultants and real estate brokers. HVEDC also helped start the branding and promotional effort for NY BioHud Valley. For more information on Hudson Valley Economic Development Corporation or to review available business sites, visit www.hvedc.com or call CEO Laurence P. Gottlieb at 845-220-2244.
About Hudson River Ventures
Hudson River Ventures, LLC is a small business investment fund focused on the Hudson Valley. Founded by Sean Eldridge in 2011, Hudson River Ventures works to empower entrepreneurs and build thriving businesses throughout the Hudson Valley. Hudson River Ventures is making strategic investments ranging from $50,000 to $500,000 in our target industry sectors.
About Advance Testing Co.
Advance Testing Co. is a consulting construction materials testing laboratory provides both field inspection and laboratory analysis of all construction materials for commercial, private, and public organizations. Advance Testing currently manages its work out of three primary offices located in New York, New Hampshire and Massachusetts.
About Jacobowitz & Gubits
The law firm of Jacobowitz & Gubits, LLP, was founded in 1963 to provide sophisticated legal representation to businesses and individuals throughout the Mid-Hudson Valley and the state of New York. Established by Gerald N. Jacobowitz in 1963, the firm has grown into a practice with nearly 30 attorneys and a full staff of paralegals and legal assistants.
