Scanning technology startup receives prize to grow business

Commonwealth of Kentucky
Cabinet for Economic Development

Contact
Joe Hall
502.564.4886

Rick Johnson
Kentucky Innovation Network
859.246.3231

Blink Technologies Wins Entrepreneur Pitch Competition in Lexington

Scanning Technology startup receives prize to grow business

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Sept. 25, 2014) – A central Kentucky startup has received a significant boost in growing its business.

Blink Technologies, of Lexington, has developed the BlinkScan, a scanning technology that is trying to change the way users can capture, edit and display images.

Blink Technologies CEO Don Skaggs and his team presented their product to a panel of local judges during the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development’s entrepreneur pitch competition in Lexington Wednesday night. For the idea, the company received a cash prize and the opportunity to present to the Kentucky Angel Investors Network in Frankfort this fall.

“We are honored to be a part of the pitch competition and are excited for the opportunity to advance to the state finals in Frankfort in November,” Skaggs said. “We also look forward the continued help and support from the Kentucky Innovation Network as we make the BlinkScan technology a reality for people and companies on a global scale.”

Blink Technologies plans to use breakthrough innovations that allow users to seamlessly move between the physical and digital worlds, in a blink. The BlinkScan is a high resolution scanning technology that combines three separate red, green and blue exposures so that every pixel sees every color, making each scan a “full color” image. It also removes all background pixels from the image that are not part of the original object.

“We were very pleased with the turnout for the event and even more excited about the variety of companies that pitched,” said Warren Nash, director of the Lexington Office of the Kentucky Innovation Network. “Congratulations to Blink Technologies. We’re very proud to have him represent our region and wish him the best as he presents to the Angel Investors Network this fall.”

The Lexington event was the final of eight entrepreneur pitch competitions happening statewide. Previous competitions were held in Ashland, Pikeville, Murray, Elizabethtown, Richmond, Louisville, and Covington.

The event is sponsored by the Office of Entrepreneurship within the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development, along with the Kentucky Angels Network and the Kentucky Innovation Network. For more information on the competition, visit kyinnovation.com.

Last year, the Cabinet successfully launched the Kentucky Angel Investors Network. Kentucky Angels brings new ventures and accredited investors together via monthly online meetings, providing investors access to form deals and partnerships with entrepreneurs statewide. Membership is open to those accredited investors in and outside the state who are passionate about investing in Kentucky companies. To learn more about Kentucky Angels, visit www.kyangels.net.

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 The Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development is the primary state agency in Kentucky responsible for encouraging new jobs and investment in the state. New capital investment announced in Kentucky in 2013 totaled more than $3.3 billion, spurring more than 14,000 projected new jobs. Information on available industrial properties, workforce development assistance, incentive programs, community profiles, small business development and other economic development resources is available at www.ThinkKentucky.com.