Ameeta Soni

HomeBinder improves home value through a centralized management platform provided exclusively by authorized professionals, improving client relationships, and increasing referrals while reducing challenging homeownership for all. Unlike traditional leave-behinds like business cards and refrigerator magnets, HomeBinder maintains a centralized digital connection provided exclusively by the businesses serving residential homeowners.

Ompractice is an innovative preventative health platform delivering evidence-based movement and mindfulness (think yoga, meditation, tai-chi and more) for large corporates and health systems. We address physical and mental population health at scale using two-way video, providing disproportionate access to these modalities to those who need it most, when and where it works for them. With over 100+ live two-way group classes per week, we create real opportunities for behavior change that address the specific population health objectives of our many corporate and government partners.

Investing in UMass Amherst Innovation We believe the UMass Amherst entrepreneurial ecosystem has great untapped potential. We see faculty members in labs with a passion for better solutions and students with fresh insights on old problems. We see alumni who are exploring countless ways for making us healthier, safer, smarter and even happier. For some, their energy and ideas become launch pads for transformative commercial enterprises. Our goal is to identify, invest in and champion the best of these UMass Amherst-linked ventures. Our Fund was launched in January 2017 with initial investments by alumnus Paul Manning of Charlottesville, VA and UMass Amherst. As of August 15, 2017, the Fund has raised $5.8 million and we are accepting additional investments through September 30, 2017. We expect to make investments of $50,000 to $200,000 over a three year investment period and harvest our investments within ten years. If this Fund is as successful as we hope, follow on investment funds may be created. Our investments are selective. Like any savvy investor, we seek promising opportunities that have strong prospects for commercial success and will generate commensurate returns for our investors. Although we are not a part of UMass Amherst, we see ourselves as a catalyst for innovation and entrepreneurship throughout the UMass Amherst community. Our Fund is managed by Maroon Venture Partners, LLC, a limited liability company that is overseen by a five person investment committee with diverse backgrounds in entrepreneurship. Our committee members serve on a volunteer basis and the compensation that a conventional venture fund would otherwise pay to its managers is donated to UMass Amherst. Our investment committee also looks to advisory committees of domain experts for input on particular investment opportunities.

PlumChoice is a leading provider of certified cloud and technical support services to consumers and small businesses. In 2018, The Allstate Corporation (NYSE: ALL) acquired Plumchoice to be part of Allstate’s SquareTrade division. Plumchoice partners with retailers, OEMs and distributors to provide support solutions to customers needing help with setup, connectivity, Internet of Things (IoT) devices and Cloud services. PlumChoice has handled over 15 million tech support requests, delivering market-leading customer satisfaction scores, to empower customers to get the most out of their technology. For more information, visit www.plumchoice.com, call 1-866-811-3321, or send an email to sales@plumchoice.com

HomeBinder improves home value through a centralized management platform provided exclusively by authorized professionals, improving client relationships, and increasing referrals while reducing challenging homeownership for all. Unlike traditional leave-behinds like business cards and refrigerator magnets, HomeBinder maintains a centralized digital connection provided exclusively by the businesses serving residential homeowners.

Ompractice is an innovative preventative health platform delivering evidence-based movement and mindfulness (think yoga, meditation, tai-chi and more) for large corporates and health systems. We address physical and mental population health at scale using two-way video, providing disproportionate access to these modalities to those who need it most, when and where it works for them. With over 100+ live two-way group classes per week, we create real opportunities for behavior change that address the specific population health objectives of our many corporate and government partners.

Investing in UMass Amherst Innovation We believe the UMass Amherst entrepreneurial ecosystem has great untapped potential. We see faculty members in labs with a passion for better solutions and students with fresh insights on old problems. We see alumni who are exploring countless ways for making us healthier, safer, smarter and even happier. For some, their energy and ideas become launch pads for transformative commercial enterprises. Our goal is to identify, invest in and champion the best of these UMass Amherst-linked ventures. Our Fund was launched in January 2017 with initial investments by alumnus Paul Manning of Charlottesville, VA and UMass Amherst. As of August 15, 2017, the Fund has raised $5.8 million and we are accepting additional investments through September 30, 2017. We expect to make investments of $50,000 to $200,000 over a three year investment period and harvest our investments within ten years. If this Fund is as successful as we hope, follow on investment funds may be created. Our investments are selective. Like any savvy investor, we seek promising opportunities that have strong prospects for commercial success and will generate commensurate returns for our investors. Although we are not a part of UMass Amherst, we see ourselves as a catalyst for innovation and entrepreneurship throughout the UMass Amherst community. Our Fund is managed by Maroon Venture Partners, LLC, a limited liability company that is overseen by a five person investment committee with diverse backgrounds in entrepreneurship. Our committee members serve on a volunteer basis and the compensation that a conventional venture fund would otherwise pay to its managers is donated to UMass Amherst. Our investment committee also looks to advisory committees of domain experts for input on particular investment opportunities.

PlatformQ Health is committed to improving health outcomes by providing trusted digital education. We create video-first programs for clinicians, patients, caregivers, advocates and administrators that feature top clinical and advocacy specialists right alongside affected families. Our unique education platform allows participants to connect online from anywhere, and our integrated suite of engagement and outcomes tools allow us to measure the real-world impact of our modules.