Emerging Technology Sectors

Richardson has successfully fostered an entrepreneurial environment for over 50 years. 
Building on foundations established at Texas Instruments and Collins Radio (now Rockwell Collins), and at The University of Texas at Dallas, entrepreneurs and their companies are exploring the emerging technology sectors in:
  • RFID
  • Nanotechnology
  • Wireless telecommunications
  • Medical and dental devices
 
In 1997, Richardson Chamber helped establish STARTech , a business incubator initiative to nurture in a city-owned facility and fund the entrepreneurial talent in new emerging technologies.
Through STARTech's VC-back seed-stage investment funds I & II,  $29.5 million was invested in more than 40 companies, which collectively have gone on to raise over $985 million

 

Selected Richardson-STARTech companies

 

Texas Emerging Technology Fund

REDP rallied support for the $200 million Texas Emerging Technology Fund to assist early stage companies. It was approved by the Texas legislature in 2005 and began award grants in 2006. 

Richardson ranks 4th in the state of Texas in the number of companies receiving grants, behind Houston, Austin and San Antonio, with 8 companies selected.
Richardson recipients of TETF grants through 2011:

Company

Product/Process Description

21st Century Silicon 

Developed a manufacturing processes for high purity silicon for the photovoltaics and solar energy industries which result in significant cost savings.

AgileMeshCommercializing and developing specialized mesh-networking video surveillance technology that provides portable, easily deployable wireless communication networks for on-site video surveillance and security for law enforcement, tactical teams, event surveillance and first-responder units.

DentLight 

Developing dental diagnostic technologies which  integrates LEDs, lasers, optics and digital electronics into its next-generation treatment devices; to improve and advance the care of dental patients and provide a solution to traditional problems in dental treatment and diagnosis.

Device FidelityDeveloping a suite of solutions which allows mobile users to add new functionality to their mobile phones without changing their service provider or their device

Hanson Robotics Inc. 

Groundbreaking biomimetic robotics and development and commercialization of the Rapid Automated Customization (RAC) platform for robotic design and manufacturing.

Net Watch Solutions

Develops “System Asset Management System,” which will enable businesses to mitigate losses due to maintenance-induced software “crashes.”

Photodigm, Inc.

Developing new advanced laser technologies beyond prototype manufacturing to commercial viability.

SNR Labs Inc. 

Developing mobile handset software, Convergence Manager™ which allows wireless devices to work seamlessly between wireless services, including conventional cellular, WiFi and WIMAX networks.

Solarno Developing novel solar cells, which are based on nanostructured materials and nanoarchitectures, which access the power of the full solar spectrum, in contrast to existing silicon-based solar cells that use only small fraction of sunlight.
Texas MicroPowerDesigning and building integrated low cost energy harvesting systems and enabling technology products to serve today's critical need of "green" energy for portable and remote electronics.

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