Seven startups, all oriented around technology and innovation through the use of technology, make up the latest cohort of Westchester County”™s Element 46 incubator program.
Element 46, at 148 Martine Ave. in downtown White Plains, began recruiting for the latest group of entrepreneurs in March.
“Element 46 plays an integral role in our local entrepreneurial ecosystem,” said Bridget Gibbons, director of the Westchester County Office of Economic Development. “With a cohort of ventures all focused on technology, we are proud to be tailoring the education and mentorship opportunities for this cohort to suit their niche.”
Through the program, participants have access to professional mentors whom they are matched with based on their expertise, often in the fields of technology, business strategy, finance and marketing, among others.
Throughout the six months of the program, they also have a dedicated workspace at the Element 46 office on Martine Avenue and can collaborate with and support each other through team-building and skill sessions.
Lawyers, accountants and marketing professionals also serve the program through pro-bono work, assisting participants with essential business services.
Among the entrepreneurs in the third cohort is Andre Peart, founder and CEO of ConConnect, a professional social network for formerly imprisoned individuals.
“I pursued Element 46 with the vision of expanded fair-chance hiring for formerly incarcerated people throughout Westchester County using my app ConConnect,” Peart said.
The mission of ConConnect is to modernize the re-entry process after jail time, probation and parole, with networking, employment and counseling resources. Membership is available to individuals, as well as recruiting organizations and employers.
Alessandro Crocco, founder of Papi”™, is developing his White Plains-based Italian fast-casual restaurant concept through Element 46. The restaurant, which is at 19 Bank St. in White Plains, emphasizes traditional Roman and Italian recipes and cooking techniques.
Awareia”™s co-founder Hugh Wilmot is also participating to expand the impact of his Hastings-on-Hudson company, which is a system for locating lost items through QR codes and a digital interface.
“As a longtime Westchester resident, I was attracted by the county government sponsorship and certainly felt that Element 46, like my business, is a startup looking to make a meaningful impact,” Wilmot said. “One month in, the experience has allowed me to connect with like-minded entrepreneurs in a rich learning environment of business savvy, forward-thinking experts offering insight that empowers you to assess the current stage of your journey and further challenge your notion of what it takes to get to the next level.”
Workplace safety company IHP Safety is represented in the program by co-founder Daniel Letizia. The company offers risk identification and management services, and during the Covid-19 pandemic added Covid response plans for businesses to their services.
Participant Jake Cutler founded Larchmont-based Ampli-fi.io, a digital commercial and financial automation tool geared toward equipment sellers, with the goal of improved customer relations and responsiveness.
The program is also hosting two relatively new companies ”” ParKey and MYZE ”” that are currently in development before officially launching.
ParKey was founded by Element 46 participant Lisbeth Baez, and is centered on a mobile application that aims to display parking availability and coordinate parking swaps for those coming and going from specific spaces.
Scott Tannenbaum founded digital health platform MYZE LLC as a “dry eye support system” to help those with dry eyes to manage and treat the condition. It will also offer personalized treatment plans to users of the platform.
Successful past participants span a wide range of business areas and include WindySide Spirits, Silver Bills, Kool Nerd Connect, Sacred Seeds and Baby Box.
The goal of the program is to support startups, attract them to Westchester, increase their sales and growth, help entrepreneurs learn management skills and make the businesses become more sustainable, along with promoting economic development in the region.
“Westchester County”™s businesses have been tested over this past year,” Westchester County Executive George Latimer said in a statement. “We are pleased to welcome these seven growing ventures to Element 46, a dynamic community of local entrepreneurs. This program will help businesses add value and profits and become an essential thread in the growth of Westchester County.”
