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SC Launch Company iTekka Wins Two 2010 Palmetto Pillar Awards

Submitted by: Jill Hirsekorn on Sep 02, 2010 at 1:50 pm Tagged with: Entrepreneurialism, IT development Source: SCRA

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For More Information, contact:
Technical Contact: Alexander Abrashkin, iTekka
Phone: 803.400.1201
abrashkin.a@itekka.com

Media Contact: Jill Hirsekorn, SCRA
Office 843.760.3320
jill.hirsekorn@scra.org

ITEKKA INC. WINS TWO 2010 PALMETTO PILLAR AWARDS
iTekka Inc. wins Pillar awards for Start-up Venture and Licensed IT Product in
12th Annual Awards

Columbia, SC, September 2, 2010 – iTekka Inc®, a South Carolina-based software development company, was awarded two Palmetto Pillar awards by the Information Technology Council (ITC) for best Start-up Venture, and best Licensed IT Product. The Columbia ITC is a program of the Greater Columbia Chamber of Commerce; their membership is an assemblage of local and regional technology leaders who promote the Columbia Midlands area as a desirable location for technology innovation. The Palmetto Pillar Award is their highest honor, and is given to professionals and companies using technology in the Greater Midlands region of South Carolina.

The Pillar of Start-up Venture award recognizes a South Carolina Start-up company that has demonstrated excellence in the development of new, innovative information technology related products or services. Criteria for this award include: high level of innovation in the product or business model, demonstrated sustainability, support of IT initiatives, and that the candidate was started in the last two years.

The Pillar of Licensed IT Product award is given to the business or organization that creates innovative licensable software and/or hardware solutions that helps address their clients’ needs and allows those clients to meet the needs of their customers, increase return on investment, and better meet their business objectives. Criteria for this award were based upon the originality of product or service, measurable positive impact on customers business, and innovativeness of the product or service.

“We are very pleased to be acknowledged by the ITC Council for these prestigious awards,” said Alexander Abrashkin, iTekka CEO. “We look forward to growing our business here in South Carolina.”
iTekka is an SC Launch portfolio company and has recently received additional grant funding from the University Start-Up Assistance program by SC Launch. The technology was developed by Abrashkin during his graduate work at the University of South Carolina and is licensed from the university. The company plans to create 20 knowledge-based jobs by 2014 and is currently conducting beta trials with prominent South Carolina law firms.

Since the inception of the SC Launch Program four years ago, SC Launch has assisted, helped form and/or land more than 230 knowledge-based entities in South Carolina, providing both funding and services to over 178. The Program has attracted more than $104 million in add-on, private equity investment in South Carolina companies. SCRA operations have made a cumulative economic contribution of more than $13.7B to South Carolina.

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About iTekka
iTekka® markets proprietary time and activity capture software for professionals including, attorneys, consultants, accountants, engineers and others. This software application, called tekktoc™, enables the automatic capture and processing of billable time, as well as the collection of the most accurate usage data for time and cost analysis, individual and group performance assessments, technical audit and other types of productivity reports.

For more information about iTekka Inc, or to schedule a meeting with Alexander Abrashkin, please call Eoin Kenny at 803.400.1201 or e-mail Eoin at ekenny@itekka.com.

About SC Launch
SC Launch, an SCRA program, assists entrepreneurial start-up companies with up-front counseling, seed-funding, and access to a powerful resource network. The SC Launch mission is to help generate knowledge economy jobs in South Carolina, enhance the state’s quality of life and provide opportunity for all South Carolinians in the new economy. Visit SC Launch online at www.sclaunch.org.