First thing to ask when talking about kids’ fitness startup Sqord: How do you pronounce the name?

The spelling implies a tongue-twister, but it’s actually easy to say.

Scored.

And the American Underground-based startup recently “scored” a major victory when the team learned it had been selected to become a member of the Chicago Tech Stars technology accelerator.

That means many things for the Sqord group, which is developing technology to encourage kids to embrace more active lifestyles – a key to good health. Led by UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School MBA Coleman Greene and co-founder Vish Avasarala, Sqord is turning youngsters on to doing more than playing videogames with wrist-worn accelerometers, or water-proof and kid-proof “powerbands,” and incentive-based games. Sqoard says it provides: “One part game platform. One part social media. One part activity tracker.” (By the way, Greene is known to take his own advice, showing up for some hoops at the American Tobacco campus court.)

Their approach drew the attention of the Chicago accelerator operators, and the deal means international media exposure, mentoring and a good deal of funding – well over $100,000.

Sqord is an incentive-based game sparking kids’ exercise using wrist-worn accelerometers.

“We want our system to promote long-term increases in activity levels that will make kids healthier overall,” Greene has said in the past. And he sees Tech Stars – a growing national program larger but similar to Durham’s own Triangle Startup factory – as opening doors to future success.

To say the Sqord folks are excited is an understatement.

“We were incredibly pumped to get the good news – fist pumping, high fives, [a] little dancing,” Greene says.

Sqord applied in early March for a spot in the accelerator and then had to make impressions “through a couple rounds of interviews up in Chicago” before being selected.

The selection means $18,000 in equity funding and a $100,000 convertible note from the Star Power Partners, a group of early-stage investors backing the Windy City accelerator.

“There are also additional perks that include support and services from Rackspace and Amazon, PR, design firms, legal services and, perhaps most importantly, access to a mentoring network that is tops in the country,” Greene adds.

Now that’s a package worth celebrating with a slam dunk.

But Greene realizes selection doesn’t guarantee success.

“I think it provides us with a national platform and visibility to help us take that next significant step in growing the business,” he says.

Note the “significant step” comment. In other words, much work still to do.

For the time being, selection also means Sqord relocates to Chicago.

“Ideally, it is a temporary move for us,” Greene says. “We are, however, going into the program open to what makes the most sense for the business and our financing needs.”

Sqord has grown to number four full-time employees plus some partners. More hires may be coming. “We are looking to bring on a lead developer and possibly a couple of folks with hardware experience,” the CEO says.

The evolution of Sqord is an impressive one and could prove to be a benchmark by which other Triangle startups are measured. Launched at Carolina Launch Pad in 2011, the group went on to participate in a Durham Startup Stampede and then received advice and support from Groundwork Labs. Sqord also recently won $20,000 in the Health Innovation Challenge from Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina.

Not that there haven’t been disappointments along the way. For example, Sqord wasn’t selected for the Startup Factory.

“We did apply very early to the first class of TSF in the spring of 2012,” Greene explains. “I know [co-managers] Chris [Heivly] and Dave [Neal] well and love what they are doing for the area.

“I think it came down to a lot of the same things any investor considers when assessing a deal –  ’how familiar am I with the market and how big do I think this can be.’

“We probably could have done a better job with the application to help address some of those questions. We were also a smaller team at the time and obviously were not as far along then as we are today.”

Sqord has learned lessons well, as the Stars selection indicates. The company also recently landed “our first local investor,” Greene says. Other funding from outside the area also also bee secured.

And the money search continues. 

“We are looking to bring in a few more before closing current round in June,” Greene says.

Sounds as if Sqord really is is a rising star.