PENSACOLA, Fla. — ATOR Labs and RSAE Labs, both launched with the assistance of the TechFarms business incubator, took top prizes among startups participating in a pitch competition sponsored by Space Florida.
ATOR Labs, a maker of machines used to test respiratory protection devices relied upon by firefighters and miners, won a first prize of $20,000. RSAE Labs, a developer of sensors used to track and monitor shipments in transit, received $7,500 for its second-place finish.
The Takeoff: Northwest Florida Pitch Day was held for the first time in December 2024. The Institute for Human & Machine Cognition in Pensacola hosted the competition along with fellow event partners TechFarms Capital and Saltmarsh accounting services.
TechFarms Capital has invested in both winners.
ATOR Labs’ signature product is its Automated Breathing and Metabolic Simulator. The machine gauges the effort required to breathe with a respiratory protective device along a range of respiratory rates from resting to maximum exertion. The business has also developed a miniaturized version of the ABMS for use in testing at fire stations or other locations in the field.
RSAE Labs has pioneered IoT (Internet of Things) sensors linked in self-forming, self-healing wireless mesh networks enabling their use in dynamic environments. Of late, RSAE has been negotiating a license agreement with American railcar supplier TTX and is also working with the Department of Defense. Its RSAEmistTM technology is the only DoD-certified cybersecure IoT protocol.
ATOR Labs founder Rob Moran and RSAE founder Randall Shepard are grateful for the assistance they have received from TechFarms Capital and TechFarms.
“They have been invaluable partners in our progress,” Moran said. “Their unique insights into manufacturing, electrical design and programming have shortened our runway to success by five years.”
“TechFarms Capital and TechFarms are everything a technology partner and incubator should be,” Shepard said.
Rob Long, president and CEO at Space Florida, noted the role played by pitch competitions that unite investors and entrepreneurs.
“Strategic programs like The Takeoff are driving the commercialization of cutting-edge research in Northwest Florida and positioning the region as a node in the network of technology development,” he said.
