Press Release: RCL/muru-D Accelerator program announces cohort #2!

Brisbane, 22 September 2016: A former Ironman triathlete, amateur astronomer, budding pilot and ex-NRL player are among the founders of seven startups accepted into the River City Labs Accelerator Program, powered by Telstra’s muru-D.

Startups will be provided with seed capital, office space at technology startup hub River City Labs, mentoring, training, the opportunity to attend international trade missions, and high-level networking opportunities as part of the six-month program.

Each team will receive up to $60,000 each in funding in return for up to ~6 per cent equity. Investors in participating teams will include Shark Tank star and River City Labs founder Steve Baxter.

The seven successful startups in the second cohort of the River City Labs Accelerator Program are:

• 2ndLease – a rental marketplace that enables individuals and businesses to rent appliances and household items
• IncoDocs – a cloud-based software created to increase sales and efficiencies for exporters around the world. It creates clear, professional quotes and export compliant documents
• Innovative Drone Solutions – airborne testing of antenna systems using unmanned aerial vehicles
• Maxwell MRI – a preventative health subscription service that combines the power of MRI and Artificial Intelligence to help detect potential health issues before it is too late
• SiteSee – a web platform for telcos that leverages 3D maps of mobile towers to streamline the design and management of mobile networks
• TalentVine – a talent acquisition platform where employers and recruiters collaborate to reduce the time and costs required to hire specialist and technical candidates
• Viberent – a cloud-based subscription software system and marketplace built for the worldwide SME hire and rental industry that integrates with SME accounting systems

The program received more than 80 applications from all over Australia and internationally.

According to Ken Macken, River City Labs Accelerator Program lead Entrepreneur-in-Residence, applications were also received from participants in eight countries.

“We’re excited by the response to the second River City Labs Accelerator Program in Brisbane … the quality of startups made the selection process all the harder,” Mr Macken said.

“We’re humbled that without any marketing the program has been recognised
globally as a major, ‘go-to’ accelerator for startups, as evidenced by applications from Denmark, Turkey, Canada, Singapore, Vietnam, India, Indonesia and the Philippines.”

“I’m delighted to welcome another seven awesome startups into our ever growing family. Brisbane and Queensland are proving to be just as full of amazing talent as we hoped it would be.  I can’t wait to see how far each of the teams will go – I’ve already blocked demo night out in my diary!”; Annie Parker, co-founder of muru-D said.

TalentVine co-founder, Justin Falk, was one of the world’s top 5 per cent for Ironman triathlon when he was in the corporate world.

“It didn’t take long for me to realise that the startup world and 25-hour training weeks don’t really go hand-in- hand,” Mr Falk said.

He plans to “embrace a bulging waistline and elasticated sweatpants until I navigate TalentVine’s global exit”.

When he’s not crunching code, Viberent founder Siva Sivakumar spends his time as an amateur astronomer and the Brisbane Astronomical Society’s treasurer. He also writes plays and short stories in Tamil and is an active member in his community.

IncoDocs co-founder Ben Thompson is passionate about light aircraft but had to hit pause on his private pilot’s licence training to concentrate on the startup. The word “try” had a different meaning to his business partner and fellow co-founder, Brandon Boor, in the early days.

“I find it amusing that I’m a co-founder of a tech startup but my first career was an NRL player with the North Queensland Cowboys. At first glance both occupations seem so opposite but in so many ways they are very much the same,” Mr Boor said.

In August 2016, River City Labs announced a three-year partnership with muru-D, the global startup accelerator backed by Telstra, to deliver the program after a successful pilot last year.

For more information, please visit: http://accelerator.rivercitylabs.net

About River City Labs

River City Labs is Brisbane’s premier technology startup hub and central clubhouse for tech startups. It’s a not-for-profit organisation aimed at fostering Queensland’s startup ecosystem.

Current membership sits at over 100 members ranging from early stage startups and founders, to established startups and entrepreneurs who have successfully raised capital in the last 18 months.

River City Labs focuses on providing the right environment for entrepreneurs to make valuable contacts while learning from peers, mentors and industry experts who help them connect, work and grow.

About muru-D

muru‐D is the startup accelerator backed by Telstra, which aims to support the very best tech entrepreneurial talent that the Asia-Pacific region has to offer. Through providing mentoring, tailored acceleration services and investment to early stage technology companies, muru‐D’s goal is to help Australia and South East Asia become a centre for digital business.

Media contact:

Fran Foo
E: fran@transitionlevel.com
M: 0416 302 719