TechStars Chicago reveals the 10 startups for its inaugural Summer 2013 accelerator program class

TechStars Chicago, the newly created startup accelerator in the Windy City, has revealed the 10 startups that will participate in its Summer 2013 class. It received more than 900 applications, a figure the accelerator calls a record for its program. All were interested in being a part of the the accelerator’s first class since it was formerly known as Excelerate Labs.

Last February, Excelerate Labs decided to drop its name from its three-year old technology startup accelerator. The reason was that it had formed a partnership with TechStars and the rebrand was an effort to make it more reflective of the location. The organization had, up to that point, been run by two entrepreneurs: Troy Henikoff and Sam Yagan, the creator of OkCupid, Match.com, and SparkNotes.

Companies that are accepted into the TechStars program will receive $18,000. Along with that, a $100,000 convertible debt note will be offered by a group of venture capitalists “immediately upon acceptance” into the program. In Chicago, the accelerator has helped nurture 30 portfolio companies that it says has has raised more than $30 million.

Here are the 10 startups for the inaugural class:

• CaptureProof: A healthcare technology company, it functions as a service to allow patients to securely share their photos and videos with a physician. It also enables physicians to analyze their patient’s health trends and progress from anywhere.
• HIPOM: A cloud-based solution for parents to help them manage their children’s time spent online. It has a control panel Web page that allows them to turn on/off online access to an individual device in the home at any time, just like using a light switch.
• Nexercise: This iOS and Android app helps users lose weight and stay in shape. Through close competition, smart alerts, and real rewards, it will help encourage a better lifestyle. The company says it has facilitated 3 million workouts and 100 million minutes of physical activities to date.
• Pathful: A Web analytics service that captures every visitor interaction with everything on the site — no tagging required
• Peoplematics: Cloud-based search platform for businesses. Employees receive their own personal cloud in the workplace where they can store and share information.
• Project Fixup: Matchmaking service that pairs people together based on theme-based dates, like craft beer fixups, sports, etc.
• SimpleRelevance: An analytics-driven email marketing platform that focuses on personalized digital communication.
• SocialCrunch: Marketing data provider that leverages the behavior graph of Internet users.
• Sqord: Calling itself the “Fitbit for kids”, this service promotes active fun for kids by encouraging them with friendly competition and other gamification efforts.
• TradingView: A financial service that aggregates Web stock charts and helps form a community of investors.

These companies will embark on a three-month program starting on May 28, culminating with a Demo Day on August 28 at the House of Blues in Chicago.

Photo credit: KAREN BLEIER/AFP/Getty Images