StartRight! Women’s Business Plan 2013 Semifinalists Announced

The Maryland Women’s Business Center and Rockville Economic Development, Inc. (REDI) announced the 10 semifinalists of the 10th annual StartRight! Women’s Business Plan Competition.  The competition is supported by Shulman, Rogers, Gandal, Pordy and Ecker; Comcast Business; The Maryland Biotechnology Center; Foster, Soltoff & Love; ActionCoach; Morgan Stanley; Citi; Walmart; Maryland Casino Business Investment Fund managed by Meridian Management Group; Intelligent Office; The Montgomery County Department of Economic Development,; and Washington Post Capital Business, through more than $23,000 in cash and in-kind prizes.

Ranging from a home-based bakery to a developer of mobile-based applications for monitoring fatigue level, the ten businesses represent a wide range of business ideas and offerings.  In addition to the prizes, all entrants receive valuable coaching and feedback on their business plans.

“We are excited by the quality and range of the businesses that entered the competition this year. The process of writing a business plan can help entrepreneurs shape their business model and strategies, as we’ve witnessed through many of the businesses that have entered this year,” said Lori Gillen, Managing Director of the Maryland Women’s Business Center.

“StartRight! is a true community effort,”  said Laurie Boyer, Executive Director of REDI.  “Thirty-three volunteer judges read 42 plans, providing valuable input to the business owners and 13 sponsors have donated more than $23,000 in cash prizes, in-kind prizes, and general support.”

Five of the semifinalists are local, Montgomery County-based companies, while the other five semi-finalists are from Baltimore, Frederick, Prince Georges and Howard Counties in Maryland with one semifinalist from Richmond, Virginia.

Arti Varanasi, President & CEO of Advancing Synergy, LLC in Baltimore Maryland, created a web platform solution to provide support and information to low and moderate income women battling cancer.  Ruth Bielobocky, CEO of Artis Scarvz, LLC based in Frederick, Maryland, invented and markets scarves which hold their shape due to the patentable Flex&hold© feature.  Debra Cancro, CEO, Autonomy Engine, LLC of Marriottsville, Maryland, develops voice monitoring and training products that will help people to adopt more effective ways of speaking.  Her first product is for children with speech sound disorders.

Silver Spring, Maryland finalists include Mona Hall McKenzie, Founder & CEO of Capital City Sweets & Treats, LLC – a business that creates gluten-free confections and Kellee James, Founder & CEO of Mercaris – a market data service and on-line trading exchange for organic and non-genetically-modified agricultural commodities.

Bethesda, Maryland semifinalists include Cheryl Kollin, Founder & CEO of Full Plate Ventures DBA Farm to Freezer, which harvests, freezes and sells surplus locally-grown to wholesalers and partners that serve food-insecure clients.  Also from Bethesda, Elizabeth Schwinn and Amy Byers, Co-Founders of ReaderRap, LLP, who developed a review and marketing website for self-published books to bring greater visibility to self-published titles.

Rounding out the semi-finalists are Jai’s Dreams, founded by Dana McFadden, a Germantown, Maryland-based online retailer specializing in infant and toddler bedding and everyday essential items.  Madhvi Upender, Founder and CEO of Naveenum, LLC in Beltsville, Maryland, plans to integrate wearable electronic devices, mobile apps and web portals to assess the quality of sleep and to detect and diagnose sleep disorders.  Allyson Shaffier, Founder & CEO of Runway Wheels located in Richmond, Virginia, is a mobile truck service offering on-site consignment of clothing and accessories.