EAST LANSING – If you are a Michigan startup looking for mentoring and money to build your dream company you need to check out the Conquer Accelerator program at Michigan State University. The program just announced its second summer cohort of five teams, each of which will receive $20,000 in seed capital.
Designed to help both newer and established companies overcome business hurdles, the accelerator emphasizes smart planning and growth, extensive mentorship from an experienced bench of professionals and structured educational components. The accelerator is hosted and managed by Spartan Innovations.
“The Conquer Accelerator acts as a final launching platform for startups from MSU and beyond, preparing companies to hit the ground running,” says Paul Jaques, program director for the Conquer Accelerator. “Our program puts the finishing touches on startup teams and preps them for investment.”
The program’s five accepted teams will work through a ten-week program, starting June 2017. In addition to the $20,000 each team receives in funding, the cohort also receives mentorship, a creative working space, support and resources to enable them to grow their startup company.
The five Michigan-based startup teams participating in the 2017 cohort are listed below:
HorizonIQ: HorizonIQ is an application that reduces the amount of decisions travelers must make and leads them to quality adventure experiences.
LEAP Worldwide: LEAP Worldwide connects and educates athletes, coaches and sports organizations on an online global platform.
PrndL: PrndL offers parking spaces in high demand by enabling users to rent their underused spots; essentially the sharing economy for parking.
Vertexer: Vertexer helps universities and companies find diverse and qualified candidates efficiently and effectively through personal and professional referrals.
Write About: Write About is a publishing platform and writing community for K–12 schools that provides an engaging student experience and helps teachers build better writers.
Built with a strong bench of more than forty entrepreneur and business leader mentors, the Conquer Accelerator provides selected teams with ten weeks of intensive programming, focusing on completing goal-driven benchmarks. Teams work with instructors and mentors on topics like fundraising, technology, and longevity. Any qualifying business may apply to join the Conquer Accelerator—an existing affiliation with Michigan State University is not required.
For startups from Michigan State University, Conquer Accelerator serves to fill a crucial gap in the development cycle within the entrepreneurial ecosystem. Conquer Accelerator culminates in a week-long, demo roadshow with investors.
Learn more about the Conquer Accelerator at conqueraccelerator.com.
