The new class of AccelerateBaltimore is set to report to Haven Street.
The cohort of six startups for the 2016 edition of the Emerging Technology Centers-run accelerator program includes a mix of cybersecurity, edtech, health and consumer startups. A couple of the companies blend those categories.
Throughout the four-month program, companies receive access to business-building sessions, mentoring, office space and other support from ETC. Each company receives $25,000 in seed funding through a convertible note from the Abell Foundation. As part of new funding from the Abell Foundation this year, one company will receive an additional $100,000 following pitches at Demo Day on April 27.
“We were not only looking for companies that were ready and able to make the most of the $25,000, but were going to potentially be able to put the $100,000 to use as well,” said ETC Program and Community Manager Jackie Albright.
The program received 125 applications, which is a 62 percent increase over last year, said ETC President Deb Tillett.
Albright said the program upped outreach efforts in its fifth year, holding info sessions at other area tech gathering points like Betamore, Johns Hopkins FastForward and Tech Day DC.
“We were able to reach a more targeted audience this year,” she said. “These info sessions allowed companies to figure out if AccelerateBaltimore was a good fit for their stage as well.”
Here are the companies:
- ClassTracks: An edtech tool for foreign language education that allows teachers to use their own curriculum. (Read our profile here.)
- Strajillion: Makers of an app called Rakkoon that monitors kids’ social media, and pushes content to the cloud to make parents aware. (Read our profile here.)
- Loople Mobile: An app that locates bars and restaurants — and the deals they offer — in the same area as the user. It launched in June and the founders have been hitting the event circuit ever since.
- mybestbox: A six-month-old platform that delivers boxes with goods that help facilitate healthier lifestyles. Portions of the company’s profits are donated to nonprofits.
- Point 3 Security: Makers of a cybersecurity platform called Odile, which is designed to catch state-sponsored hackers and detect hacker behavior.
- Fusiform: Makers of a modular orthotics device and software platform designed to cut down on cost and time of manufacturing.
Before you go...
Please consider supporting Technical.ly to keep our independent journalism strong. Unlike most business-focused media outlets, we don’t have a paywall. Instead, we count on your personal and organizational support.
3 ways to support our work:- Contribute to the Journalism Fund. Charitable giving ensures our information remains free and accessible for residents to discover workforce programs and entrepreneurship pathways. This includes philanthropic grants and individual tax-deductible donations from readers like you.
- Use our Preferred Partners. Our directory of vetted providers offers high-quality recommendations for services our readers need, and each referral supports our journalism.
- Use our services. If you need entrepreneurs and tech leaders to buy your services, are seeking technologists to hire or want more professionals to know about your ecosystem, Technical.ly has the biggest and most engaged audience in the mid-Atlantic. We help companies tell their stories and answer big questions to meet and serve our community.
Join our growing Slack community
Join 5,000 tech professionals and entrepreneurs in our community Slack today!