Four Startups Picked for CableLabs-Backed UpRamp Program

UpRamp, the CableLabs-backed accelerator program, has revealed another group of four startups that have been selected for its “Fiterator” program.

That group, representing UpRamp’s second “cohort,” is focused on areas such as cybersecurity, the Internet of Things, accessibility, A.I., and P2P-powered video content delivery.

-Teltoo: a startup that uses peer-to-peer technologies, aimed at cable operators, to eliminate buffering and reduce bandwidth requirements.

-DeviceBits: a software company focused on A.I.-driven customer service for consumers and agents that claims to go a step beyond “chatbots” that are widely used today.

-Bansen Labs: focused on improving the quality of life for people with disabilities, its first product, Xogo, works with devices such as set-tops and gaming consoles. In February, Bansen Labs was also the winner of the CableLabs Innovation Showcase, held in conjunction with the CableLabs Winter Conference.

-King & Union: Aimed at cybersecurity, its “Avalon” platform establishes an intelligence-sharing ecosystem using a collaborative “virtual” approach that automates manual analysis processes.

UpRamp announced its picks amid this week’s CableLabs Summer Conference in Keystone, Colo.

UpRamp, a program introduced in February 2016, enables its cohort selections to get valuable exposure with cable operators and guaranteed commercial deals. In exchange, UpRamp gets a small equity stake (as warrants) in the startups that are selected.

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UpRamp’s first cohort, announced last August, included MediaHound (personalized video search and discovery); Edgewater Wireless (WiFi infrastructure), VelociData (advanced data services); and Trinity Mobile Networks (focused on the integration of WiFi and mesh networks alongside cellular connections).

Separately, UpRamp and Boomtown Accelerator have forged a three-year parnership under which they are selecting and helping a mix of early stage startups that are focused on connected devices and software. That program is based at Boomtown’s headquarters in Boulder, Colo., and utilizes a Connectivity Lab there that is sponsored by Comcast Labs.