And the Stellar StartUps Winners Are . . .

StellarStartupsOur very own, Omar Mencin, director investments in information technology, was one of the judges for the Stellar StartUp’s competition.

The stars of Stellar StartUps, the inaugural competition of the parent company of the Inquirer, Daily News, and Philly.com to highlight new businesses in this region’s vast and thriving entrepreneurial economy, were revealed Thursday night.

After a sold-out cocktail reception and panel discussion at the new Pennovation Center in West Philadelphia featuring standout area entrepreneurs, the following were named the judges’ winning picks in six categories:

College Students: ThirdEye Technologies, a company begun by a University of Pennsylvania student that has developed a platform providing the blind and visually impaired with auditory feedback about what they are looking at.

Health Care: Arcadian Telepsychiatry, a Fort Washington company providing video-enabled mental-health services.

Just Plain Cool Idea: Renterval, a Berwyn-based software developer whose platform enables rental businesses to accept real-time online booking of any type of equipment, from bounce houses to backhoes.

Products/Services: Tern Water, a company founded by a Drexel University student that is developing a faucet attachment that purifies water and provides various feedback, including when the filter needs to be changed.

Technology: Gridless Power, a Collingswood company that has developed portable battery packs powered by solar and virtually every other energy source for a range of uses, including in war zones and during disaster response and street fairs.

Women/Minority Entrepreneurs: The Grayson School in Broomall, Pennsylvania’s only independent, nonprofit day school and weekend enrichment program designed for gifted learners.

Read the full article here.