Flatley issues its fourth ‘challenge’

Annual Flatley Challenge offers space, assistance to high-tech startups

John J. Flatley, CEO of the Braintree, Mass.-based John Flatley Co. and owner of the Nashua Technology Park and Nashua Office Park at Gateway Hills, has announced the launch of the fourth annual Flatley Challenge.

The challenge gives young high-tech companies a shot at free rent for one year for up to 5,000 square feet of office space at the Nashua Technology Park and Nashua Office Park at Gateway Hills, and up to $10,000 in fit-up, connectivity and related costs.

Entrants are being sought in the fields of IT, communications, data storage, connectivity, mobile app design, clean tech, medical devices, life sciences and other leading-edge technologies, Flatley said. This year, the firm said it is particularly interested in the emerging robotics category as well as women in technology.

Participating companies must provide some information, including a business plan, history, job growth potential and long-term business goals.

Winners of the challenge also have the opportunity to interact with tenants such as Dell, Skillsoft and Benchmark Electronics.

Previous winners include networking firm Plexxi Inc., VGo Communications, Pilera Software, creators of an online property management solution,  cloud-based email delivery service provider SMTP Inc. and last year’s winner, Infinio, a firm specializing in data storage performance technology.

“Participating in the challenge and placing our office in the Nashua Technology Park has allowed us to hire from an exceptional pool of talent and accelerate our growth plans for 2015. The facility and its staff have exceeded our expectations and we hope to be here for a long time to come,” said Brian Nadeau, Infinio’s senior vice president, product development.

To take part in this year’s Flatley Challenge, interested companies must submit an application letter by Oct. 30.

Submissions should include an executive summary, an existing business plan or a thorough description of the nature of the venture, including a history of the business, its proposed or existing product line, the characteristics of the potential market, a marketing plan, an organization of the business and management team, existing and projected financial resources, long-term business goals and job growth potential for the next three to five years.

Finalists will be invited for a personal interview before a review panel in early December, and the winning applicant will be notified by Dec. 31.

Questions about the Flatley Challenge should be directed to Kathleen McLaughlin at the Gateway Hills Welcome Center, 200 Innovative Way, Nashua, N.H., by phone at 603-598-7500, or by email at Kathleen.mclaughlin@jflatco.com.