Sponsors of the 2019 Rhode Island Business Competition

The Rhode Island Business Competition thanks the following who make it possible to award prizes in the 2019 Competition.

Pillars

Bryant University

Bryant University
Bryant University has a 144-year tradition of excellence in higher education. The depth and breadth of the academic programs in the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Business offer students the flexibility to explore courses that pique their individual interests. Bryant’s unique integration of the business and the liberal arts prepares students to apply their knowledge and skills upon graduation. Outstanding faculty, state-of-the-art facilities and technology, and a focus on the development of the individual transform and empower students. The goal is to help students to realize their personal best in life and their chosen professions.

Cox Business

Cox Business is proud to be a Pillar sponsor of the Rhode Island Business Plan Competition. Cox Business is a local provider of voice, data, video, and security solutions for businesses of all sizes. In addition to these services, we're especially excited to support the Rhode Island entrepreneurial community with our annual pitch competition, Get Started Rhode Island. For more information, please go to GetStartedRI.com, as well as our business resource site, CoxBlue.com

Everhope Foundation

Sponsor of the 2017 Competition and presenting sponsor of the May 16 Awards Ceremony.

Leaders

Envision Technology Advisors

Envision Technology Advisors
Envision Technology Advisors has been providing business and technology consulting and implementation services to the New England market for more than a decade. With offices in the Providence and Greater Boston markets, Envision knows that technology solutions need to start with people - your people, our people, and the people your business serves. With specialties that include desktop and data center virtualization, cloud solutions, SQL infrastructure assessments and remediation, IT managed services, network and wireless consulting, website design and development, and more, Envision is proud to help clients make the most out of the technologies they use in their organization.

Hinckley Allen

Hinckley Allen
Hinckley Allen is a full-service law firm with 150 lawyers and offices in Providence, Rhode Island; Boston, Massachusetts; Hartford, Connecticut; and Concord, New Hampshire. Since 1906, the firm has been providing expert legal counsel to corporations, organizations, and individuals, and has earned a reputation for legal excellence delivered with a personal touch. The firm provides legal services to individuals and businesses, including many of the region's publicly held corporations and emerging business. Hinckley, Allen & Snyder LLP's practice is organized into the following principal practice areas: construction, corporate and business, employee benefits, environmental, health, intellectual property, litigation, real estate, labor and employment, personal financial planning, securities, and technology.

Integrated Media Group

Integrated Media Group (IMG) is a full-service digital marketing agency, with offices in Johnston, RI and Boston, MA. Our focus is on helping your business create engaging online content that captivates your target audience, increases brand awareness and drives sales. We do this by leveraging popular social media platforms, executing email marketing campaigns, increasing online search visibility, optimizing your web presence and implementing marketing automation strategies. IMG is also the publishing company of the Rhode Island Small Business Journal.

KLR

KLR
KLR is one of New England's premier accounting and business consulting firms. With 160 team members and offices in Providence, Boston, Waltham, and Newport, KLR provides a wide range of services to both individuals and businesses. Ranked one of the largest firms in New England, KLR’s growth and commitment to client service is unparalleled in the industry. Communication, cost saving strategies, relationships, and excellence are the core of our commitment to our clients. KLR has been awarded three Practice Innovation Awards and named one of the Best Places to Work (four years in a row). Our award-winning firm helps ensure our ability to retain the most talented professionals to support your business.

Sprout Coworking

Sprout Coworking
Sprout is a coworking community that offers a variety of flexible and dedicated work and meeting spaces to individuals and organizations. Members include entrepreneurs, freelancers, established businesses and new businesses. Any person or team that needs a work or meeting space can find one at Sprout. Membership benefits include a business mailing address and participation in a diverse and supportive community. Meeting facilities are available to anyone. Our location at 166 Valley Street, Providence, has many amenities including ample free parking. We also operate an art gallery and are part of Gallery Night Providence. Come for a tour!

Pace Setters

Barlow, Josephs & Holmes, Ltd.

Barlow, Josephs & Holmes, Ltd.
Established in 1857, Barlow, Josephs & Holmes, Ltd. is one of the oldest intellectual property law firms in the United States. The firm specializes in all facets of patent, trademark, copyright and trade secret law including patent, trademark and copyright protection, related litigation and enforcement. Barlow, Josephs & Holmes is a small firm which is well-suited to providing personalized and speedy legal services, at reasonable cost, to small individual clients and large corporate clients alike.

Brown University Jonathan M. Nelson Center for Entrepreneurship

Brown University, founded in 1764, has a rich history of entrepreneurship and support of the local economy. Brown students, faculty and alumni take advantage of a growing array of undergraduate, graduate and continuing education courses, programs and events related to entrepreneurship and innovation. New ventures are a vibrant mix of for-profit and social mission companies that include bio-tech, green-tech, web, consumer, education, service, and healthcare. The Nelson Center, launched in 2016, provides an interdisciplinary approach to entrepreneurship learning and research that is unique in higher education.

Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce

Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce
The Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce working with the Innovation Providence (IP) Committee distributed US Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration funding to support local economic opportunities like the RI Business Plan Competition, which focuses on growing the state’s Knowledge Economy. The Chamber is a membership organization that fosters the development of a positive and productive business climate. The IP Committee oversees strategy and investment surrounding the development of Rhode Island’s Knowledge Economy.

Trail Blazers

Bank of America

Bank of America
Bank of America is one of the world's largest financial institutions, serving individuals, small and medium-sized businesses and large corporations with a full range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk management products and services. The company began serving Rhode Island more than 220 years ago, when a group of local merchants, mariners and civic leaders founded Providence Bank. Bank of America maintains a large statewide presence, with 35 banking centers, 110 ATMs and thousands of employees.

Center for Women & Enterprise

Center for Women & Enterprise
Established in 1995, the Center for Women & Enterprise (CWE) is a non-profit rganization dedicated to helping women start and grow their own businesses. As New England’s leading organization for women entrepreneurs, we work hard to ensure that all women, regardless of their economic status, are provided access to our programs and services. CWE offers scholarships to disadvantaged clients while fostering influential relationships for successful businesses women at the other end of the financial spectrum. CWE provides education, training, resources and connections to women (and men) in Boston, Worcester, and Providence. CWE is the New England affiliate for Women’s Business Enterprise National Council, serving as its certification arm for women-owned businesses.

Hatch Entrepreneurial Center

Hatch Entrepreneurial Center
The Hatch Entrepreneurial Center is a collaborative workspace for early-stage businesses and entrepreneurs, located at 244 Weybosset Street in Providence. It provides 6,000 square feet of office space to its associates and typical workplace amenities such as phone and internet access, fax, scanner, and copier machines, conference rooms, and meeting spaces. Most importantly, it enables entrepreneurs to meet and review business plans, discuss operational issues with other start-ups, and connect with mentors in the areas of accounting, finance, international business, law, marketing, and management.

Luminous

Taking a no-nonsense approach to branding, web, design, and video, our team offers innovative ideas and unconventional strategies that get results. We’re talented, ambitious storytellers who are never afraid to come up with something that’s outside the box. As Rhode Island natives, we understand the local market but have the ability to make a lasting impression nationally. Never shying away from hard work, we take the time to listen carefully to your mission and objectives.

RevUp Capital

RevUp Capital
RevUp Capital is a non-equity investment fund for companies moving fast up a revenue-driven growth curve. The RevUp platform pairs cash investment with a science-driven process to turbo charge revenue growth, while our in-house digital marketing growth platform gives our companies the tools and the human capital to get it done

Social Enterprise Greenhouse - Former Competitor!

Social Enterprise Greenhouse - Former Competitor!
Social Enterprise Greenhouse -- an Entrepreneur Track finalist in the 2012 Rhode Island Business Plan Competition -- creates positive social and economic impacts by supporting social entrepreneurs and enterprises with the tools and networks they need to thrive. We are a network of business and community leaders who contribute time, expertise and money to create jobs and support positive change through social enterprise.

TD Bank

TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank, is one of the 10 largest banks in the U.S., providing more than 9 million customers with a full range of retail, small business and commercial banking products and services at more than 1,200 convenient locations throughout the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Metro D.C., the Carolinas and Florida. In addition, TD Bank and its subsidiaries offer customized private banking and wealth management services through TD Wealth^®, and vehicle financing and dealer commercial services through TD Auto Finance. TD Bank is headquartered in Cherry Hill, N.J. To learn more, visit www.tdbank.com. Find TD Bank on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TDBank and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/TDBank_US.

TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank, is a member of TD Bank Group and a subsidiary of The Toronto-Dominion Bank of Toronto, Canada, a top 10 financial services company in North America. The Toronto-Dominion Bank trades on the New York and Toronto stock exchanges under the ticker symbol "TD". To learn more, visit www.td.com.

Tech Collective

Tech Collective
Tech Collective is Rhode Island’s Bioscience and Information Technology Industry Association. Uniting industry, government, and academic stakeholders, our mission is to inspire, engage, educate, and employ a high-skill, high-wage Knowledge Economy in Rhode Island. Since its transition from the Rhode Island Technology Council (RITEC) in 2004, Tech Collective has received more than $8M in federal, state, and private grant funding to foster industry and workforce awareness, collaboration, and development through forums and initiatives including: Tech10, GRRL Tech, Women in Technology, Bio-Ed, and STEM-based education and training programs for K-16 students as well as incumbent and transitioning workers.

Pioneers

Bank Rhode Island

Bank Rhode Island
Bank Rhode Island is a full-service, FDIC-insured commercial bank based in Providence. The bank’s capital strength gives it the capacity to serve businesses of all sizes – from sole proprietorships to large corporations. Its local focus and consistent approach to business lending has made it the #1 SBA Lender in Rhode Island for the past two years. The bank operates 17 branches and over 60 ATM’s across the state.

Beacon Mutual Insurance Company

Beacon Mutual Insurance Company
The Beacon Mutual Insurance Company is the premier writer of workers' compensation insurance in the State of Rhode Island. Chartered by the state in 1990, we are a mutual workers' compensation insurance carrier with over 12,000 policyholders and 60% of the workers' compensation market - serving both the competitive and residual markets. We are financially secure, with approximately $400 million in admitted assets and we return excess surplus to our policyholders in the form of lower premiums and/or dividends.

Business Development Company

Business Development Company
The Business Development Company is a non-bank lender, regulated by the state of Rhode Island, which provides gap and direct funding, in the form of debt or equity, to help promising but often undercapitalized companies in Rhode Island and nearby Connecticut and Massachusetts grow and expand employment. Since our founding in 1953, we have assisted hundreds of companies to become stronger competitors while helping to retain and create thousands of jobs in Rhode Island, as well as jobs in Massachusetts and Connecticut.

Delta Dental of Rhode Island

Delta Dental of Rhode Island
Delta Dental of Rhode Island is the state’s leading dental insurer, administering dental benefits for nearly 587,000 members. Headquartered in Providence, we remain a symbol of strength and stability in the local dental insurance arena. For more than 50 years, Delta Dental has provided affordable dental insurance to employers, individuals and families across the country. As the nation’s largest, most experienced dental benefits carrier, Delta Dental protects more than one-third of the estimated 166 million Americans with dental insurance, covering more than 59.5 million people in over 97,900 groups nationwide.

Dimeo Construction Company

Dimeo Construction Company
Dimeo Construction Company is an industry leader in providing innovative planning and construction solutions to clients in the educational, institutional, healthcare, life sciences, commercial and corporate sectors throughout New England. Ranked by ENR among the Top 100 construction managers in the United States, Dimeo’s 225 professionals value strong team collaboration and working from a “Builder Mindset” in assuring our clients a successful project outcome.

Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses at CCRI

Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses at CCRI
Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses at CCRI is a 12-week business education program that helps Rhode Island small businesses grow and create jobs. Through the program, designed by Babson College - the top entrepreneurial school in the nation - small business owners gain practical skills in topics such as negotiation, marketing and employee management that can immediately be put into action. In addition, business owners receive the tools and professional support to develop a strategic and customized five-year growth plan. Every accepted applicant receives a full scholarship. Review eligibility requirements and apply at 10ksbapply.com.

Idea Turbine

Idea Turbine
Dave Lubelczyk | The Idea Turbine is a one-man think-tank who converts obstacles into jet-propelled actions. He specializes in helping entrepreneurs, management teams, and business owners get unstuck. By extracting solid timely action items out of the conceptual chaos and options that swirl around in the heads of entrepreneurs, Dave steers the business toward success and growth.

Navigant Credit Union

Navigant Credit Union
Navigant Credit Union, Rhode Island's first credit union established in 1915, possesses a rich history of providing financial services to individuals and families throughout Rhode Island. At the end of its first year in operation in 1915, the Credit Union recorded assets of $22,000. Today, with more than one billion dollars in assets Navigant Credit Union is among the largest credit unions in Rhode Island and one of the strongest in the country and takes pride in offering all the same products and services as a "big" bank while maintaining a personal touch.

Pawtucket Credit Union

Pawtucket Credit Union
The smarter way to bank is an endeavor that sets Pawtucket Credit Union apart from other banking institutions through our commitment to providing the best in products, services, and rates. As an organization founded by, and run for, the benefit of its members, this philosophy is woven throughout all our business and civic activities. As the banking landscape continues to evolve, PCU remains steadfast in our commitment to delivering The Smarter Way to Bank and assisting our members in achieving a bright financial future.

Teknor Apex

Teknor Apex
Teknor Apex was established in 1924 and is privately-held with global headquarters in Pawtucket, RI. We manufacture in 9 plants in the U.S. as well as plants in England, Belgium, Singapore and China. We are an international custom compounder of advanced polymer materials with a focus on vinyls, thermoplastic elastomers, nylons, bioplastics and colorants. We serve key markets including automotive, building and construction, appliance, toys and recreation, industrial, medical and wire and cable. We are also the largest manufacturer of garden hose in the U.S.

Washington Trust Company

Washington Trust Company
The Washington Trust Company is a subsidiary of Washington Trust Bancorp, Inc., a $3.1 billion corporation headquartered in Westerly, Rhode Island. Founded in 1800, Washington Trust is the oldest community bank in the nation and is the largest independent bank headquartered in Rhode Island. A state-chartered bank, Washington Trust offers a full range of financial services, including business banking, personal banking, and wealth management and trust services through its offices located in Rhode Island, Connecticut and Massachusetts. The Corporation's common stock trades on The NASDAQ Global Select® Stock Market under the symbol WASH.

Innovators

BankNewport

BankNewport
Founded in 1819 and currently holding $1.1 billion in assets, BankNewport is an FDIC-insured savings bank and is a subsidiary of the Mutual Holding Company, OceanPoint Financial Partners, MHC. Along with its financial partner, OceanPoint Insurance Agency, Inc., BankNewport is proud to serve the financial needs of customers from banking and insurance offices located throughout southeastern New England. BankNewport is headquartered in Middletown, Rhode Island, and has 12 branch locations throughout Newport County, Bristol County, East Greenwich, North Kingstown and Narragansett, Rhode Island.

Bristol County Savings Bank

Bristol County Savings Bank
Bristol County Savings Bank, founded in 1846, is a full-service financial institution offering commercial lending, personal and business banking, and mortgage services. The Bank’s Bristol Wealth Group, which enjoys an affiliation agreement with one of the leading brokerage firms in North America, Raymond James Financial Services (Raymond James), provides businesses, municipalities, non-profits and individuals with a wide range of investment solutions. In addition, the Bank also offers quality property and casualty insurance options for its customers through its majority-owned insurance partner, FBinsure. The Bank’s steady growth and expansion has resulted in $2 billion in assets and over 400 employees in southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island. The key words at Bristol County Savings Bank are: "Commitment, Stability, and Community," values that are combined with state-of-the-art technology to meet the needs of its customers. A dedicated local community bank for over 170 years, Bristol County Savings Bank is actively involved in giving back to all the communities it serves both through financial support and the volunteerism of its people.

Cherrystone Angel Group

Cherrystone Angel Group
Cherrystone Angel Group, founded in 2004, is Rhode Island’s first organized angel investment group and today includes approximately 50 members. All members are experienced and qualified investors who have either built their own companies or have extensive experience launching new business ventures. Many have done both. Their backgrounds include creating or working with manufacturing, distribution, technology, and service companies. Many have been serial entrepreneurs. To help ensure the success of our investments, Cherrystone Angel Group actively works with the entrepreneurs in which it invests.

EpiVax

EpiVax
EpiVax, Inc. is a biotechnology company focused on the development and implementation of computational immunology methods. EpiVax applies proprietary computational tools to harness immunity in three major areas: immunomodulation, biotherapeutic immunogenicity risk management, and vaccine development. Immunotherapies, bio-betters, and vaccine candidates under development at EpiVax promise to improve the health outcomes of millions of people affected by devastating immune-related disease.

Fidelity Investments

Fidelity Investments
Fidelity Investments is one of the world’s largest providers of financial services, with assets under administration of $3.2 trillion, including managed assets of more than $1.4 trillion, as of September 30, 2011. Founded in 1946, the firm is a leading provider of investment management, retirement planning, portfolio guidance, brokerage, benefits outsourcing and many other financial products and services to more than 20 million individuals and institutions, as well as through 5,000 financial intermediary firms.

Hayes & Sherry Real Estate Services

Hayes & Sherry Real Estate Services
Hayes & Sherry Real Estate Services, a Cushman & Wakefield Alliance Member, is a full service commercial real estate brokerage company. Established in 1990, the firm provides leasing, investment sales, tenant representation, retail and consulting services to clients throughout New England. In addition, brokers at Hayes & Sherry Real Estate Services are members of the Society of Industrial and Office Realtors (SIOR) and the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC), which links clients to the premier international industrial and office real estate network with 2,800 professionals in 800 offices in more than 450 cities nationwide.

InsureMyTrip

InsureMyTrip
Established in 2000, InsureMyTrip is the leading, consumer-oriented online travel insurance aggregator worldwide. Featuring insurance comparisons from the top industry providers, InsureMyTrip is a unique, one-stop resource designed to meet consumers’ comprehensive travel insurance needs all in a secure environment. InsureMyTrip also specializes in providing integrated technology solutions for the travel insurance industry, with over 2,000 private-labeled and co-branded travel-related websites around the globe. InsureMyTrip is headquartered in Warwick, RI, with additional offices and data centers in Connecticut and Oregon.

Johnson & Wales University

Johnson & Wales University
Johnson & Wales University, based in Providence, is a world class university where students have an opportunity to pursue a career education in business, hospitality, culinary arts, or technology. Scores of majors and degree programs are offered at the undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral levels to empower its diverse student body to succeed in today's dynamic world by integrating general education, professional skills, and career-focused education.

Morgan Stanley – Richard G. Carriere

Richard G. Carriere, CFP®, CAP®
Senior Vice President and Financial Advisor, Morgan Stanley

Newport Biodiesel - Former Competitor!

Newport Biodiesel - Former Competitor!
In service to thousands of kitchens across Southern New England, Newport Biodiesel converts used cooking oil into millions of gallons of clean burning biodiesel each year. Newport Biodiesel is proud to be a part of a clean energy future. We are excited to support the Rhode Island Business Plan Competition. Together we can Fuel a Greener New England.™ Newport Biodiesel was the Green Award winner in the 2010 Rhode Island Business Plan Competition.

StormTree - Former Competitor!

StormTree - Former Competitor!
StormTree, a national company based in Rhode Island, and Entrepreneur Track finalist in the 2014 Rhode Island Business Plan Competition, designs and markets tree filter systems that integrate street trees with stormwater collection to naturally cleanse infiltrating water of pollutants in urban and suburban streets. StormTree was founded in 2014 based on belief that a better way existed to provide sustainable stormwater pollutant control in land used development and urban streetscapes. By harnessing the ever working natural processes within the plant/soil community to include biological and chemical interactions, stormwater remediation of pollutants can be effectively achieved.

Virgin Pulse -- Former Competitor

Virgin Pulse -- Former Competitor
Virgin Pulse, the leading global provider of technology solutions that promote employee engagement and wellbeing, and part of Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Group, helps employers create workforces that are happier, healthier and ultimately more productive. More than 3,000 global organizations representing many of the Fortune 500 and Best Places to Work, have selected Virgin Pulse’s solutions to engage their workforces and drive their businesses forward. ShapeUp, the Student Track winner in the 2007 Rhode Island Business Plan Competition, was acquired by Virgin Pulse in 2016.