This is the second of a series of articles recapping the startup accelerators who attended “Panel, Networking and Tabling, Oh My!: The Greater Boston Accelerator Scene,” co-hosted by the City of Boston and Startup Boston.
This event was for startups and founders who want to learn about accelerators and included the participation of 16 promising accelerators. Read the first article here to catch all the details about the first eight accellerators we profiled and the panel discussion that took place.
Looking to partner with an accelerator for your startup? Here are some great options to connect with below.
Meet 8 of Boston’s Startup Accelerators (part 2)
PharmStars
Pharm Stars is an accelerator focused on digital health startups. Its ten-week program exposes pharmaceutical startups to a comprehensive curriculum about how the industry works, how drugs are developed, scientific research, and business development. Startups are also paired with mentors who are former pharmaceutical executives who can advise founders on developing their business model and value proposition, among other things.
Each cohort graduates ten digital health startups. Last year's most successful Pharmstars graduates were Tag.bio, Seascape Clinical, Head Diagnostics, BioStrap, Inference, and Manta Cares.
Visit the PharmStars website to learn more.
EforAll
The EforAll Accelerator Program is a free, one-year program that provides entrepreneurs with classroom business training, mentorship, and access to a professional network. In the program's first three months, entrepreneurs attend classes with 14 other entrepreneurs, learning from specialists twice weekly and meeting online with mentors. In the final nine months, irregular meetings with classmates and mentors to help guide entrepreneurs from idea to startup.
Woo Juice, a juice store offering freshly pressed juices and smoothies to the Greater Worcester region, found outstanding mentorship, support, and guidance to help its founder start their business. Another EforAll graduate is Bri's Sweet Treats, an artisan chocolate and treats store whose founder benefited from learning accounting and product selection to grow her business.
Visit EforAll’s website to learn more.
Founders Institute (Boston)
Founder Institute is the world’s largest pre-seed accelerator, helping businesses grow from their ideas into fundable startups. FI’s local Boston chapter hosts networking events and business informational sessions for founders. Notably, FI Boston has a 17-week program for accepted startups, where they can get mentored and advised on multiple aspects of business: vision and mission, customer development, revenue and business models, pitch mastery, legal and equity, go-to-market and scale, product development, growth, and funding.
Last year, FI Boston graduated seven technology companies from their local chapter. Sunkara Wellness Technologies helps patients struggling with mental illness to respond to conventional therapies better using a headset and their companion app. AstroBrew has innovated and advanced the cold brew coffee maker. FluentForce AI helps sales reps and customer service agents boost sales and customer engagement by providing real-time feedback using AI-powered software. Learn more about other graduates here.
Visit Founders Institute Boston’s website to learn more.
Innovation Studios
The mission and vision of Innovation Studios is to make business ownership and entrepreneurship attainable through community by encouraging entrepreneurs to start and grow their ideas into businesses.
In 2023, Boston's Innovation Studios' impact included starting 44 new businesses, growing 31 small businesses, and mentoring over 130 owners through its network of experts.
Visit the Innovation Studios website to learn more.
MassChallenge
MassChallenge aims to grow and transform businesses by connecting people with startups, experts, corporations, and communities. Their mission is to uplift people and communities using entrepreneurship, which has the most significant potential to create opportunities for individuals and generate jobs in the local economy. Their main programs provide mentorship and advice for early-stage startups, industry-specific companies, and companies focused on the growth stage.
The main sectors MassChallenges focuses on are ClimateTech, dual-use (tech used in commercial and government applications), FinTech, HealthTech, and sustainable food systems. A recent graduate from MassChallenge is Healium, a company that uses virtual and augmented reality to help relieve stress, anxiety, and burnout.
Visit MassChallenge’s website to learn more.
Massachusetts Climatech Studio
The Massachusetts ClimateTech Studio, a partnership between the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) and FedTech, helps entrepreneurs launch new climate technology ventures. They match entrepreneurs and innovators with trending technology from government and university labs on a 16-week program. Entrepreneurs receive advice from coaches to assess the potential of these technologies and form strategies for successful commercialization. There is no cost to participate, no equity taken, and the program is flexible for those working full-time.
Visit Massachusetts Climatech Studio’s website to learn more.
The Engine Accelerator
The Tough Tech Ecosystem helps founders gain momentum as they build and grow their companies. The ecosystem succeeds when everyone can contribute expertise and benefit from the network through talent, partnerships, investments, and resources. It drives this change through two organizations - The Engine Accelerator and Engine Ventures - who share a mission and are committed to growing the Tough Tech Ecosystem together.
Visit The Engine’s website to learn more.
Uptima Entrepreneur Cooperative
Uptima Entrepreneur Cooperative is the nation's only cooperative entrepreneurship program. It offers three different levels of program: the launch program, which is for early-stage businesses; the small business Academy, which has a 16-month certificate program; and advising and partnership with mission-aligned lenders. Companies follow a social mission focusing on social impact related to uplifting the community and the environment.
One of Uptima's supported social impact companies has created a line of medically medical-grade wigs for black and brown women for cancer centers. Another is a shop that has given an outlet for artisans in Haiti to sell in the United States, working with single-mother artists collectives. Some companies (like a sports jersey business) make their social impact through business practices, hiring people from the local neighborhood instead of outsourcing operations.
Visit Uptima’s website to learn more.
The Panel Discussion
Check out The 2024 Greater Boston Startup Accelerator Scene: Part 1 article to learn more about the panel discussion.
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