That Abhi Sastri, whose company Fluix will head to Techstars accelerator this week, describes himself as his own biggest critic is somewhat ironic.
After all, the 24-year-old Orlando tech entrepreneur has become one of the ecosystem’s biggest cheerleaders.
He’s often first to comment on social media posts from other businesses and regularly offers encouragement to others in the community.
“I don’t know anything else,” said Sastri, cofounder of the Orlando startup Fluix alongside academic entrepreneur Eduardo Castillo. “Sure, I can try to be negative but I’m so busy that I don’t have time to hate on anyone or anything.”
Unless, of course, he’s talking about his own company Fluix, which makes cooling systems for high-performance computer hardware.
“When someone tells me ‘no’ it’s nothing compared to what I tell myself,” he said.
The approach has worked for Fluix, which will participate in Techstars’ first Industries of the Future accelerator program.
Sastri and his team will head to the Knoxville, Tenn. area this week.
Techstars Accelerator’s Strong History of Success
Techstars is one of the highest-profile accelerator programs in the world, having launched in 2006.
The organization has invested in more than 2,900 companies, including the 10 members of the upcoming program.
The program, which highlights founders building in breakthrough technologies, starts Monday and will run through May 26.
“Now is the time for startups, investors and industry to put eyes on the growing deep tech innovation hub in East Tennessee,” said Tricia Martinez, managing director of the program.
For Sastri, landing in the accelerator is a culmination of years trying to grab Techstars’ attention. Not only has he applied multiple times in the past, but he has also managed to build relationships with other directors.
While at University of Central Florida, Sastri visited a Techstars accelerator in New York.
“I never made the programs but they all offered good advice,” he said. “I just kept applying. It was an opportunity. I never really got discouraged.”
Growing Fluix
To grow Fluix, Sastri has essentially been on a tour of Florida.
He packed his car and traveled in person to computer manufacturers and distributors.
As a result, January sales matched the company’s total for 2021, Sastri said.
He said the support he has found in Orlando tech ecosystem has helped his company.
“You throw a rock and you hit someone doing something crazy,” he said. “Right now, I’m just starting to get known in the area.”
Here are the startups participating and what they are building.
- Armada IQ: Building a vision-based intelligence platform for integrated human-autonomous fleet operations.
- Augurisk: Helping mitigate crime and natural disaster risks anywhere in the US by providing predictive analysis and advanced risk scoring.
- Be Global Safety: AI powered software to detect and prevent workplace safety incidents and near-misses in real-time.
- EzSec: Democratizing cybersecurity using AI and automation technologies.
- FLUIX Inc: Unlocking the full power of high-performance computing by eliminating the challenge of heat through Turbulent Liquid Cooling.
- Grayscale AI: Enabling robots to see using neuromorphic vision and computing.
- Modicus Prime: Bringing Self-Service AI to the Life Sciences for comprehensive R&D and commercial product quality.
- Silvis Materials: Developing 100% bio-based emulsions for the $26B polymer emulsion market for adhesives, binders and coatings, reducing dependence on petroleum while helping clean up our world.
- Skintelligent: Developing AI skin analysis solutions to power the future of skin health.
- Spiky AI: AI-based online meeting enhancement platform.
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