Capital Factory incubator chooses five startups
Capital Factory, an early-stage incubator that provides its annual class of startups with up to $20,000 each, mentorship services, office space, legal counsel, public relations and accounting support, has announced its 2009 selections. Those chosen from 250 applicants are internet and mobile companies aimed at making consumers’ lives easier:
Cubit Planning: A web service that provides quick, clear environmental data to help construction developers, urban planners and engineering firms comply with the National Environmental Policy Act.
Famigo: A very young startup that develops mobile games for whole families to play together.
Homstie: A Craigslist-like community site that lets people search for and offer storage space that’s cheaper than the professional storage warehouses — including storage in people’s homes.
Hourville: An online marketplace where people can rent or sell anything by the hour — whether it be space, classes, services, etc.
PetzMD: A sort of WebMD for pets, this site provides a comprehensive list of pet health concerns and medications, advice from real veterinarians and a directory of nearby veterinarian services.
In addition to these companies, Capital honored five finalists: Infochimps (also an open marketplace for data), Notesmart (a platform for buying and selling classroom notes), Pear Analytics, POLCO and ProspectIdentify (a site that tells you who to call about a range of consumer concerns).
Based in Austin, Tex., Capital took applicantions from across the country but ended up choosing four companies also from Texas. Homstie, based in California, will move to the state to take better advantage of the incubator’s offerings. Following the 10-week summer program, each startup will get a chance to demo their products in front of investors and the press.
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