Hartford Business Journal

www.HartfordBusiness.com • November 20, 2017 • Hartford Business Journal 15 Elroy accompanies groups of Israeli com- panies — organized based on industry type — on delegation trips every six weeks or so. "This time it's digital health and big data," Elroy said of the Hartford visit. "We're look- ing at doing a cyber delegation [to Connecti- cut] in the second part of 2018." Devices for all The Israeli startups that visited Hartford are in the medical and health technology industry. The companies ranged from AEYE Health, which is using artificial intelligence to read retinal scans to Dr. Ora L.T.D., which is using voice recognition to detect emotional stress. Tech Innosphere is developing a medical device to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, while Myreleaf has a drug-free device to treat anxiety attacks. Miri Berger was among the entrepre- neurs who pitched during the Israeli dele- gation's Hartford visit. She and her husband Aryeh Katz co-founded a company called 6Degrees, which is developing an armband that enables those who have lost use of their hands to use laptops, smart- phones and other gadgets. The com- pany's device, currently being piloted in Israel by several rehab hospitals and schools, is called Crescent. Berger dem- onstrated how using subtle arm movements with the armband, which links to her laptop through Bluetooth, can replicate traditional mouse functions including left clicks, right clicks, double clicks and click-and-drag capabilities. 6Degrees' technology has received some recognition. It earned a $100,000 award in a recent competition hosted by MassChallenge in Israel. Currently, Berger is weighing her com- pany's location options. After the Hartford trip, she was headed off to MassChallenge events in New York and Boston. Berger and her husband lived in New York for seven years as they earned degrees (Berger in industrial design and Katz in engineering), but moved back to Israel over the summer. She said she can envision 6Degrees in Hartford. "Any place that has the capability to help launch a startup is the place I want to be in," she said. Quality Construction + Butler Manufacturing = Repeat Customers www.borghesibuilding.com © 2011 BlueScope Buildings North America, Inc. All rights reserved. Butler Manufacturing™ is a division of BlueScope Buildings North America, Inc. 2155 East Main Street • Torrington, Connecticut 06790 Stevens Manufacturing, Milford, CT | 1990 | 22,000 sq. ft. 1998 | Addition — 5,000 sq. ft. 2009 | Addition — 8,300 sq. ft. 2016 | Addition — 29,000 sq. ft. Contact us at 860-482-7613 or visit us on the web. Hartford's Israeli Connections Several Israeli startups have already found a home in the Capital City at Upward Hartford's new co-working space. Companies that have signed leases there include: Project Ray — Makes smartphones, apps and related equipment for the visually impaired. GlobeKeeper — Offers an encrypted platform to help law enforcement communicate in the field. Better Air — Makes air purifiers that disperse probiotics. AmNet Pro — Company is developing electronic hardware for Internet-of- Things and machine-to-machine applications. DECD Commissioner Catherine Smith (left), CERC's Jason Giulietti and Upward Hartford founder Shana Schlossberg talk at a panel discussion. CliniFlow from DECD's Small Business Express program. In an emailed statement to HBJ earlier this month, Wagner said CliniFlow still plans to bring "high-tech jobs to Hart- ford," but its business plan has changed somewhat over the past six months. "CliniFlow now plans to utilize private capital rather than public funding," the email said. "Also, CliniFlow now plans to focus com- pany spending on technology development and customer support rather than funding the development of large new buildings." HBJ's story highlighted potential weak- nesses in DECD's vetting process, mainly that the agency doesn't check federal court databases when vetting potential state-aid recipients. Bart Kollen, DECD's deputy commis- sioner, said the agency was unaware of Wagner's past legal troubles before they seeded CliniFlow with Small Business Express funds and the Bond Commission approved the $3.6 million. However, information on several civil lawsuits filed in federal court against Wagner and companies he's associated with was available online through the federal court system's PACER database. DECD officials also relied on information in CliniFlow's Small Business Express appli- cation. However, information in the applica- tion, which was submitted in Nov. 2016 and bears Wagner's signature, appears to have at least one inaccuracy. One application ques- tion asks if the company or its owners have any "outstanding, pending or anticipated" legal issues. The application said "no." In a written statement, DECD said: "We continue to review the CliniFlow matter internally and monitor developments. … The department always welcomes scrutiny of its programs as we take our fiduciary responsibilities very seriously, and management of the (Small Busi- ness Express) program is no exception. Although virtually all of the legal issues came up after we completed our due diligence of this company, we have already made changes to our background checks." DECD also provided information about its CliniFlow deal to the state attorney general's office, officials said. The Small Business Express incentive package requires CliniFlow to create eight full-time jobs in the city by Jan. 2018. If it fails to adhere to the terms, Clini- Flow would be in violation of its agree- ment and could face penalties, including a loan clawback. EVENT SPONSORS: PRESENTING SPONSORS: DECEMBER 7, 2017 | 11:30AM-1:30PM HARTFORD MARRIOTT WWW.HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM/OUREVENTS GO TO HEALTH CARE HEROES REGISTER TODAY! Identifying Outstanding Leaders In The Health Care Industry The Health Care Heroes Awards identifi es outstanding leaders in the healthcare industry who are the epitome of a "hero." Whether they are companies, doctors, nurses, specialists or managers, join us in recognizing those who embody the word "hero" and prove their excellence in helping others. FOR QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS EVENT PLEASE CONTACT ALLISON WILLIAMS AT AWILLIAMS@HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM OR 860-236-9998 X122

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