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Savannah-based Green Badger LEED app gets investment from local seed-capital firm SLAAM [Savannah Morning News, Ga. :: ](Savannah Morning News (GA) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Feb. 27--Savannah-based Green Badger LLC, maker of a mobile application that makes it easier for architects and builders to manage their LEED documentation, has gotten a major investment from local seed-capital firm SLAAM Ventures. Launched in November 2013 by Tommy Linstroth, principal at local green building consultancy Trident Sustainability Group, the app allows architects, designers, owners, builders and contractors to manage their LEED construction credits from a smartphone or tablet. LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, a set of rating systems for design and construction of green buildings and homes developed by the U.S. Green Building Council. Obtaining LEED certification has become a desirable and competitive designation for many in the industry. "After 60-plus LEED projects and a number of headaches along the way, I wanted to find a way to simplify the LEED documentation process," said Linstroth. He said Green Badger will leverage the capital to add more features to the mobile app and launch a number of new software tools. "With the additional capital, we'll add a Web-based platform so you can also do it off the computer," said Linstroth. He'll also be making different versions of the app catered to different sectors, such as residential. Right now, the free app has been downloaded by a couple of hundred people through iTunes and the Android Market. The goal going forward, Linstroth said, would be to have people pay for annual subscriptions. LEED certification can take 12 to 24 months, said Linstroth, and Green Badger would allow builders to manage documentation on any size project from one single device -- from "100 square feet to one million square feet." SLAAM Ventures, based in New York and Savannah, has a mission to accelerate the growth of startup companies in the Savannah area, according to co-founder John Morisano. "In order to have a chance at success, the startups in which we invest will likely be in a growing space, have a product or technology that will be disruptive to that space and be led by an entrepreneur with vision, commitment and who understands their market intrinsically," said Morisano. "Green Badger has all of those elements." This is only the second investment by SLAAM Ventures since it launched last October. Its first, SellBuddy.com, is a website geared toward those who sell collectibles or specialty items online. The site will give sellers more control over inventory and sales than larger companies such as eBay or Amazon. Neither Linstroth nor Morisano would disclose a dollar amount on the deal, but Morisano referred to it as a "significant seed investment." Linstroth has had a busy year, running not just Green Badger and Trident Sustainability Group, but also launching a nonprofit, Sustainativity, to help Savannah nonprofits adopt green practices and solutions. Sustainativity's first project will help Second Harvest food bank install energy efficient lighting at its headquarters on President Street. Linstroth plans a full travel schedule this year to showcase the three-month-old app at several conferences. "We'll still have a focus on green consulting, but we're going to make a significant push to make Green Badger a success this year," said Linstroth. LEARN MORE More info on Green Badger at www.getgreenbadger.com ___ (c)2014 the Savannah Morning News (Savannah, Ga.) Visit the Savannah Morning News (Savannah, Ga.) at savannahnow.com Distributed by MCT Information Services |