Kellogg Cup Business Plan Competition

Spark Biotech is focused on developing novel platform technologies for the oral delivery of proteins, peptides and other macromolecular drugs. The company’s anchor asset is a biopolymer-based encapsulation technology that facilitates non-invasive delivery without modifying the therapeutic molecule. Spark Biotech's first applications are delivering insulin and the human growth hormone

Spark Biotech has made significant progress in its development of its lead drug - Sparkulin - its glucose responsive, oral insulin formulation. Rat model studies have demonstrated very encouraging results with significant bioavailability of insulin and a sustained lowering of blood glucose levels to the normal range for over 24 hours. In terms of fund raising, the company closed on an Angel round and also won close to $75,000 in cash and services through a first prize at the McGinnis Venture Competition at Carnegie Mellon University and semi-final winnings at the Moot Corp Competition. Its next steps include the completion of the pre-clinical studies to file an IND with the USFDA and initiate clinical development in India, continued business development activities to partner with large pharma companies and to close on its Series A round.

Channel Velocity provides online asset recovery for large, brand name clients. It specializes in opening new commerce channels for overstock, lease-end, obsolete, trade-ins, or returned merchandise, a problem for retail and manufacturing supply chain companies. This is done through a unique integration of logistics services, channel management, and technology.

Channel Velocity presented at the prestigious Midwest Venture Summit in May, 2005 as it seeks to raise additional funds for growth. It has thirteen employees, eight major customers with no attrition, and more than $600,000 in gross merchandise sales already this year.

It is one of only 17 worldwide eBay Certified Solution Providers, and has established a 20,000 square foot warehousing and fulfillment center.

GreenBuild will aggregate a variety of environmentally-friendly products in wholesale mini-warehouse settings where customers can see, touch, investigate and comparison shop. These warehouses will also serve as commercial showrooms for government and trade sales.

Today, GreenBuild is alive and doing well. The company has a new president and website – check them out at www.HomeGreenBuild.com.

NEMP is a software development and data maintenance company focused on serving new equipment dealers and distributors for heavy equipment. The primary product is a software package that enables financing and insurance managers to efficiently quote planned maintenance contracts at the time of the machine sale.

Pressure Point is a web-based glaucoma diagnosis and management service that enables eye care providers without specialist training, such as optometrists and general ophthalmologists, to detect and treat the disease at the level of a sub-specialist.

Pressure Point™ is currently under review by the VC arm of a major pharma company. Todd, however, will be heading off to Medtronic’s Health Care Economics group to get some more experience before venturing off on his own.