Amerine: HomeDx and Picasolar ‘Highly Scalable, Investable’ Deals

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University of Arkansas startups HomeDx and Picasolar represent “highly scalable, investable deals,” according to IA advisor Jeff Amerine. (Despite what some Tri-State judges may think.) Amerine knows something about startup ventures. He provides his take below on the two ventures after HomeDx’s second-place Tri-State finish and Picasolar’s unexpected miss in Las Vegas. Also shut out were Arkansas undergrad representatives Catch-22 from UALR and eScout from Ouachita. [Read more…]

Winners of the 2013 Donald W. Reynolds Tri-State Competition Named

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The Arkansas Economic Acceleration Foundation, an affiliate of The Arkansas Capital Corporation Group, is pleased to announce that R2R Technologies of Oklahoma State University of Stillwater, Okla., and Field Focus of Oklahoma State University of Norman, Okla., are the 2013 winners of the Donald W. Reynolds Tri-State Award in Las Vegas. First place winners took home a $30,000 cash prize, a team trophy and individual plaques. The second place winners received $20,000 prize, a trophy and individual plaques. The teams’ faculty advisors earned a $3,500 check as well. “I am extremely impressed by the sophistication of the business plans this year,” said C. Sam Walls, chief executive officer of the Arkansas Capital Corporation and chairman of The Arkansas Economic Acceleration Foundation. “These students represent Arkansas’s economic future, and the entrepreneurial skills they have gained are invaluable.” [Read more…]

UA Building Successful Startups, This Year Led By Picasolar

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Startups launched from the Walton Business College at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville are earning both accolades at national business-plan competitions and money as viable, high-growth businesses. Picasolar is the latest graduate-level UA startup to fare well on the national business-plan circuit. Since 2008, the UA entrepreneurship program has launched 10 startup ventures that grew to become high-growth businesses. Those firms employ roughly 100 Arkansans and pay above-average salaries, and they’ve raised more than $16 million in private investments, grants and incentives. They are: [Read more…]

5 UA Startups on the Cusp of Big Things

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Picasolar’s 2013 successful run in national business-plan competitions is reminiscent of past University of Arkansas startups. Here’s a look at five teams formed over the past five years in the entrepreneurship program at the UA’s Walton Business College that are becoming viable businesses: Movista, cycleWood Solutions, Boston Mountain Biotech, Silicon Solar Solutions and BiologicsMD. [Read more…]

UA Startup Picasolar Wins MIT Clean Energy Contest

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Picasolar, a University of Arkansas startup that created a way to make solar cells more efficient, won the MIT Clean Energy Prize business-plan contest and $250,000 Monday at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Mass. Picasolar, fresh off its win at the 2013 Donald W. Reynolds Governor’s Cup and appearances at the prestigious Rice University and VLIC competitions, defeated 55 of the nation’s best sustainability startups to win the $150,000  top prize at MIT. In addition, the win earned the team a $100,000 prize from the U.S. Department of Energy. [Read more…]

Arkansas Capital Congratulates Charlott “Chotsie” Adney

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Arkansas Capital Corporation Congratulates Charlott “Chotsie” Adney on Receiving 2013 U.S. Small Business Administration’s Arkansas Small Business Person of the Year Award

Chotsie Adney Arkansas SBA Small Business Person of the Year Award 2013
Arkansas Capital Corporation Congratulates Charlott “Chotsie” Adney on Receiving 2013 U.S. Small Business Administration’s Arkansas Small Business Person of the Year Award.
The Arkansas Capital Corporation congratulates Advanced Aesthetics of Arkansas Owner Charlott “Chotsie” Adney on receiving the 2013 U.S. Small Business Administration’s Arkansas Small Business Person of the Year Award. “We were thrilled to help bring Chotsie’s dreams to reality by helping her get the necessary capital needed to expand her state-of-the-art aesthetics business in Little Rock,” said Al Hodge, senior vice president of Arkansas Capital Corporation. “Chotsie has a top-notch team and is dedicated to operating a first-class operation. She and her team are very deserving of the award.” [Read more…]

Four Ouachita Students Earn Honors at Governor’s Cup Business Plan Competition

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OBU-students
Ouachita students Connor Burke (left) and Jason Cantwell (center) earned second place in the undergraduate category of the recent Donald W. Reynolds Governor’s Cup statewide business plan competition for their plan for eScout. Photo courtesy Ken West Photography
Ouachita Baptist University students recently competed in the Donald W. Reynolds Governor’s Cup statewide business plan competition in Fayetteville, Ark. Six students from Ouachita competed against students from colleges and universities across the state for cash prizes and the opportunity to move on to the 6th annual Tri-State Donald W. Reynolds Governor’s Cup competition in Las Vegas from May 20-22. [Read more…]

Arkansas Capital Corporation Announces Kevin Burns Appointment to Board of Directors

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The Arkansas Capital Corporation is pleased to announce the appointment of Kevin Burns, senior vice president and associate general counsel, Stephens Inc., to its all-volunteer board of directors. “Kevin has worked with Arkansas Capital as an attorney for many years and always provided excellent guidance,” said C. Sam Walls, chief executive officer of Arkansas Capital Corporation. “We are thrilled he is now able to serve on our board of directors and feel he will be a great asset as we continue to grow the company.” Prior to joining Stephens Inc., Burns was in private practice with Rose Law Firm, a professional association for more than 27 years. Burns is listed in Best Lawyers in America under Mergers & Acquisitions Law and Chambers USA Leading Lawyers in corporate/commercial, and was selected to the mid-south super lawyers list for 2012 in the areas of mergers and acquisitions, securities and corporate finance, and business/corporate. He is admitted to practice in Arkansas and Georgia. [Read more…]

Arkansas Capital Corp. Pushing Entrepreneurship At Multiple Levels

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Arkansas Capital Corp., the Little Rock-based financial lending and consulting shop, is pushing entrepreneurship at multiple levels. This spring, the company completed its 13th annual business plan competition, the Donald W. Reynolds Governor’s Cup, which brought 47 different student teams from 13 different Arkansas college campuses to Little Rock for the well-attended awards luncheon. [Read more…]

It’s no Catch-22: COB students take home win

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Catch-22 A Catch-22 is usually considered a no-win situation from which there is no escape. But for the UALR College of Business team, Catch-22, who won big at the 2013 Donald W. Reynolds Governor’s Cup awards, the moment was sweet victory. In one of the premier business-plan competitions in America, Catch-22 earned a first place award and $25,000 for its undergraduate business proposal to create a high-quality organic fertilizer from Asian carp, an undesirable fish population that has invaded the Mississippi River Basin. [Read more…]