Launch36, the regional tech accelerator, has chosen its fourth cohort of startups, which reveals a diversification away from its core sector of information technology.

The six-member cohort includes the cleantech company Hyton Innovations of Fredericton, which is developing waste-water-treatment facilities that can be transported in a single shipping container.

“Based on our five-year plan, we are going to be diversifying our focus to serve other markets,” said Trevor MacAusland, the Executive Director of PropelICT, which operates the accelerator.  He added the only other non-IT company to enter a major PropelICT program was Enovex of Saint John, which was mentored by the organization before Launch36 was launched.

The other members of the fourth cohort are:

--  Adeptio, Charlottetown, which has developed cloud-based software and programs to be used by personal coaches;

--   HotSpot Parking, Fredericton, whose software allows for remote payment of parking metres and can act as a customer relationship management system for small businesses;

--  KinterGuardian, Moncton, which offers parents the ability to control spending by their children on video games;

--  Qimple, Moncton, whose software helps companies to manage and analyze applications when hiring people;

--  And Resson Aerospace, Fredericton, which has developed software and an aerial surveillance system that helps farmers with the early detection of crop diseases.

This is a mature group. HotSpot, Hyson and Resson have all gone through the Accelr8 program in Fredericton, and Adeptio was incubated at tech consultancy SwiftRadius. Half the cohort has already raised equity financing. That means the companies should progress quickly, hopefully producing the stellar showing witnessed in the last cohort.

The DemoDay for this cohort, when they can present the companies to the public, will be held in Halifax.

The program will last 12 weeks with six one-day “boot camp” sessions -- five in Moncton and one at the Volta startup house in Halifax.  The first boot camp will be held on March 26.

The Launch36 program has also partnered with BDC Venture Capital, which will offer a $150,000 seed investment to companies judged to be “venture-ready” on completion of the program.

Over the past two years, 26 companies have graduated from Launch36, going on to create 100 jobs and raise $12 million in equity investment.