Spartan Innovations announces the seventh season and summer 2022 cohort of its Conquer Accelerator program. The 10-week accelerator welcomes five teams to its East Lansing program: Detroit Maid, Fleet-Lab, Kibage, KindKatch, and Meknology.

"Year after year, the talent and innovation that comes through the Conquer Accelerator program has been incredible and we're excited to support these entrepreneurs as they continue their journey,” said Thomas Stewart, program director. “Launching a startup can be exciting, but it also comes with its challenges. With the proper coaching and resources our team provides, I am confident these five companies will succeed.”

Designed to support both newer and established companies, the Conquer Accelerator program supports startups by providing $20,000 in funding from Red Cedar Ventures, access to mentors, access to follow-on funding, and other essential resources. The program is hosted and managed by Spartan Innovations, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Michigan State University Foundation.  

In addition to receiving $20,000 in seed funding, selected startups receive tailored mentorship from leaders within their respective industries, a collaborative working space, as well as access to a network of angel and venture investors. Once companies move on from the accelerator, they become part of Red Cedar Ventures’ portfolio and begin the process of moving out of start-up phase and into scaling up and growth phases.

The Conquer Accelerator program has helped launch 35 startups since 2015. These companies have gone on to raise over $31 million in additional funding.  Twelve of the companies have been led by underrepresented founders and to date, there have been 5 successful exits.

For the full story, visit msufoundation.org