CleanNG Wins 2013 TCC StartUp Cup Competition

CleanNG, LLC, the inventor and manufacturer of the MagnumCel, claimed the top prize in the 2013 Tulsa Community College StartUp Cup competition powered by the Lobeck Taylor Family Foundation.

CleanNG was founded by Michael Tate, Aaron Laney and Matt Villarreal while the three were students at Oklahoma State University. CleanNG is located in Tulsa with a focus on manufacturing and marketing next generation fuel storage and delivery systems for natural gas vehicles (NGVs). CleanNG developed the MagnumCel, a liner-less composite fuel storage system for natural gas vehicles. It can also store a variety of other gases including helium, hydrogen, and oxygen. The MagnumCel is lighter than similar products on the market and allows fuel to be stored at a higher pressure compared to the current standard and achieves 30 percent more fuel capacity. CleanNG won $30,000 as the first place winner.

The second place winners were Adam Teague and Tim Paslay of Two Guys Bow Ties, for their start-up company that makes unique men’s clothing accessories in the Tulsa metro area. Two Guys Bow Ties has reinvented the classic bow tie starting with hand crafted wooden bow ties made from a variety of exotic hardwoods and expanded its products to include hand painted and wooden inlaid bow ties. During the TCC StartUp Cup competition, Two Guys Bow Ties launched a new product called wooden lapel flowers and the team is currently developing additional products. Two Guys Bow Ties won $5,000 for their second place finish in the business model competition.

Andrew Jenkins and Clint Donaldson of IcyBreeze, LLC& came in third place with a modern multi-use portable cooler and air conditioner that keeps beverages and people cool. The cooler is portable and operates by battery so it can be used for camping trips or on the sidelines of sporting events in the summer heat. The cooler can also be plugged into an a/c outlet or car charger. Icy Breeze will receive $2,500.

"We saw tremendous diversity with the entrepreneurs and their innovative business ideas during the 2013 TCC StartUp Cup,” said Elizabeth Frame Ellison, executive director of the Lobeck Taylor Family Foundation and sponsor of the competition. “This competition is about moving the Tulsa community forward and accelerating growth of new companies. Each of this year’s top six finalists has a product that will contribute to economic development and growth of Tulsa.”

The 2013 TCC StartUp Cup awards ceremony took place at the TCC Center of Creativity at Metro Campus on Nov. 19 during Global Entrepreneurship Week activities. This marks the second year for the partnership between TCC and Lobeck Taylor Family Foundation.

“Tulsa Community College has supported the growth of entrepreneurs and small businesses through its traditional academic program offerings since its founding in 1970,” said TCC President Thomas McKeon. “TCC has become a hub for entrepreneurial activity in Tulsa with a commitment to broaden Tulsa’s economic base and add jobs to Tulsa’s marketplace through this business model competition and a program called Launch: Your Entrepreneurial Journey that helps local entrepreneurs take their ideas to market.”

The Spirit of Innovation Award was awarded to Carolina Food Company, a finalist in the TCC StartUp Cup competition. Carolina Food Company makes Toasted Wine Fruit Spreads. The product is made with natural ingredients including real fruit and real wine where the alcohol is cooked out of the wine leaving the flavor.

The Spirit of Innovation Award is a $2,000 prize given to a competitor that best exemplifies the spirit of an entrepreneur through innovation, the ability to adapt, passion and grit.

The TCC StartUp Cup awards local entrepreneurs who develop and pitch the best business model. Each TCC StartUp Cup competition takes place over a seven-month period, through a series of events that provide judging, mentoring and coaching to each entrant.

The TCC StartUp Cup is designed to support entrepreneurial growth, expand business and community connections, and maximize promotional opportunities both locally and nationally.

For more information on the award, visit www.tcc.startupcup.com.