Metablify

Origin: St. Louis, MO | Grant Awarded: 2024 | Status: Active

What is Metablify?

Metablify offers a revolutionary amplification technology for biochemicals, enabling the discovery of new medicines, biomarkers, and precision treatments.

Company Leadership

ALLEN HUBBARD

CO-FOUNDER & CtO

Allen is a Research Scientist at Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, with expertise in bioinformatics and systems biology. He leads the development and optimization of LC-MS data processing algorithms.

IVAN BAXTER

Co-founder & CSO

Ivan is a Principal Investigator and Member at Donald Danforth Plant Science Center. He oversees technology development at Metablify.

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LOUIS CONNELLY

CO-FOUNDER & LEAD PROGRAMMER

Louis is a Computation Scientist at Donald Danforth Plant Science Center with background in computational biology and bioinformatics. At Metablify, he supports the development, testing, implementation, and evaluation of LC-MS data processing algorithms.

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Real Document Solutions LLC

Origin: St. Louis, MO | Grant Awarded: 2024 | Status: Active

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What is Real Document Solutions?

Real Document Solutions (RDS) revolutionizes document-intensive due diligence work through an innovative workflow SaaS platform (ERP) that centralizes order, document, and vendor management. RDS customers have achieved up to a 60% increase in productivity, delivering faster, more accurate results with fewer human touches, driving up profitability and ultimately freeing up resources for revenue generation.

Company Leadership

DENISE WILLIAMS

PRESIDENT

Denise started her career with Fortune 500 companies, taking on a number of progressive roles in Sales, Operations, Business Transformation, and Global Digital Leadership. In those roles, she’s managed teams and P&Ls. She pivoted in 2022 to dedicate herself 100% to run her co-founded business, RDS.

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BenefitsBoost

Origin: St. Louis, MO | Grant Awarded: 2024 | Status: Active

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What is BenefitsBoost?

BenefitsBoost is revolutionizing the Social Security disability benefits process with its patent-pending, AI-driven platform that simplifies and accelerates the application process for both individuals and law firms. As a female-founded company, they’re setting new standards in efficiency, accuracy, and accessibility in an often-overlooked industry.

Company Leadership

ally bergmann

CEO

Allison Bergmann is an accomplished entrepreneur and EDPNA-certified expert with over a decade of experience in customer-facing digital products and innovation. With a deep commitment to social impact, she founded BenefitsBoost® to transform the Social Security disability benefits process. Having worked alongside industry leaders, Allison’s visionary leadership has guided the company to secure intellectual property rights, including a trademark and patent-pending technology. Her expertise and dedication are positioning BenefitsBoost as a transformative force in the sector, creating lasting change for millions.

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Roam

Origin: Seattle, WA| Grant Awarded: 2024 | Status: Active

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What is Roam?

Roam is an AI-driven management and financial services platform to empower HOA management firms to support the 53 million Americans who live in 20 million professionally managed units with a quality living experience that augments their most significant investment.

Company Leadership

JONATHAN YAN

Founder & CEO

Jonathan has been in property management for 10+ years and has experience at industry leading companies such as Microsoft, Box, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, and Goldman Sachs. He is a graduate of Columbia Business School and holds a B.A. Management Information Systems from University of Washington. Jonathan was named to Forbes 30 under 30 in 2020.

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OrgAcuity

Origin: St. Louis, MO | Grant Awarded: 2024 | Status: Active

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What is OrgAcuity?

OrgAcuity is a B2B SaaS company making advanced people analytics accessible to all organizations. Their platform strategically integrates people analytics and employee listening, translating data into engaging stories and delivering tailored recommendations directly through managers’ everyday channels.

Company Leadership

CRAIG STARBUCK

CEO

Craig built and led successful people analytics functions at industry-leading companies such as Roku, Robinhood, Mastercard, Equifax, and TD Ameritrade after spending a decade in data and analytics within the healthcare and banking industries. Craig is the author of the book, The Fundamentals of People Analytics (Springer, 2023), which has been adopted in people analytics programs at top universities. Craig holds a Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership and a B.S. in Management Information Systems.

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matt milunski

CTO

Matt spent a decade consulting with Fortune 500 companies on projects ranging from backend engineering to machine learning to bring data solutions from concept to reality. Prior to pivoting into data infrastructure and engineering, Matt held positions on people analytics teams at Mastercard, Edward Jones, and Express Scripts. Matt holds a M.A. in Industrial & Organizational Psychology and a B.A. in Psychology.

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Hire Henry

Origin: St. Louis, MO | Grant Awarded: 2024 | Status: Active

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What is Hire Henry?

Hire Henry is developing robotics and AI software for the future of work. Their first commercial product is an industrial robotic lawn mower named “Henry.”

Company Leadership

GEORGE Holmes, phd

CEO & CO-FOUNDER

George Holmes, PhD is a former GAANN Mechatronics/Robotics Fellow where his research focused on the intersection of Human-Robot Interaction, mechatronic design, and autonomous robotics – including the mathematical derivation, software simulation and hardware implementation of advanced sensing and control algorithms. Academically and commercially, he has developed and managed teams of engineers and executives building autonomous research robots in software and hardware including design of individual components, hardware selection, performance testing, and algorithm implementation. Early in his career, George developed manufacturing industrial automation processes while working at Rockwell Automation and Honda Automotive, major projects included Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals, Unilever, and Coca-Cola. As Co-Founder and CEO of Hire Henry, he leads the development of the company’s R&D plan, strategic milestones, intellectual property protection, company formation, fundraising, and network security. Additionally, he is involved in product design, fabrication, and software integration.

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KEIRY MORENO BONNETT

COO & CO-FOUNDER

Keiry Moreno Bonnett received her BS in Mechanical Engineering at Missouri University of Science and Technology. She has been leading Hire Henry since she joined in 2018. Her academic research focused on sensors, data acquisition, networking, and sensor algorithm implementation. She has led research projects designing masters and PhD experiments including data collection, hardware selection, protocol establishment, real-time data software monitoring, data processing, and high precision low latency camera tracking equipment setup and calibration. She has experience developing battery technology for custom applications including robotics. As Co-Founder and COO of Hire Henry, she leads the company in the implementation and testing of advance sensing and control algorithms, obstacle detection, software architecture, computer vision, power systems, and product design. Additionally, she leads compliance, financial reporting, documentation, and social communications.

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Whistle Rewards

Origin: St. Louis, MO | Named Fellow: 2023 | Status: Active

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What is Whistle Rewards?

Whistle Rewards is a SaaS platform proven to enhance safety, productivity, and tech adoption in the construction industry through instant, spot rewards, and automated incentives.

Company Leadership

DREW CARTER

CEO & CO-FOUNDER

Drew  is CEO and co-founder of Whistle Rewards. He relocated to St Louis, MO from San Francisco, CA to raise his two boys and discovered a vibrant start-up ecosystem. Whistle is a rewards, recognition and incentives platform driving technology adoption, safety and compliance as well as overall employee engagement and retention..

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CHRIS DORNFELD

president & CO-FOUNDER

Chris is President and Co-founder of Whistle Rewards. With a background spanning start-up company, global corporations, higher education, architecture and as the CIO for the City of St. Louis – Chris has a unique vantage point to understand how technology and culture shape our ever-changing work experience..

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