Accelerate Your CleanTech Startup with Curriculum, Mentorship and Business Connections Powered by CleanTech Alliance and Oregon BEST
Cascadia CleanTech Accelerator has just opened applications for its 2017 cohort. The business accelerator is seeking clean technology entrepreneurs and early-stage startups that want to speed their path to market with curriculum, mentorship and business connections powered by CleanTech Alliance and Oregon BEST. Applications close May 1, 2017.
- Apply online at www.CascadiaCleanTech.org.
“easyXAFS leveraged the Cascadia CleanTech Accelerator to fine-tune our go-to-market and sales strategy,” said Devon Mortensen, CEO & Cofounder of easyXAFS. “The program shortened our expected timeline for delivering our first product to customers and set the stage for continued expansion.”
The Cascadia CleanTech Accelerator program focuses on business modeling, customer discovery, product development, go-to-market strategy, financial planning, funding pathways and creating the industry connections needed to succeed. Participating startups benefit from assigned business mentors and access to a deep bench of cleantech business leaders and subject matter experts from across the region. Each participating cleantech startup will receive:
- One-on-One Mentorship from cleantech industry leaders to help with business planning, intellectual property protection, marketing strategy, financing and more.
- Expert advice on manufacturing scale-up, prototyping and development.
- Investor connections and introductions from across the region. The 2017 winner will be invited to present to a group of cleantech angel investors.
- Business connections from both Oregon BEST and the CleanTech Alliance networks that deliver access to industry leaders and service providers from across the region.
- Hands-on workshops to assist with business model creation, product development, market development and funding strategies.
- Weekly videos, webinars and panels presented by industry experts. Each guides startups through the commercialization process while sharing valuable insights and lessons learned.
- Customer discovery assistance to hone minimally viable product and go-to-market strategy.
- Company and brand visibility from established CleanTech Alliance and Oregon BEST industry events, programs and marketing outreach.
- Access to prize money and in-kind services. Participating startups compete for non-dilutive cash prizes along with in-kind services from partners like Dorsey & Whitney, Resourceful HR and the Element 8 Angel Group.
“Cascadia CleanTech delivered the right information at the right time for Smart Vineyards,” said Hector Dominguez, Director of Engineering at SmartVineyards. “A year later, Oregon BEST and CleanTech Alliance both continue to offer support, connections and brand exposure to help our company succeed.”
The 2017 Cascadia CleanTech Accelerator program will run from May through September. Applications close May 1, 2017. Learn more at www.CascadiaCleanTech.org.
About the CleanTech Alliance
CleanTech Alliance represents more than 300 member companies and organizations across the greater Northwest region. Founded in 2007 by business leaders, the organization facilitates the generation and growth of cleantech companies, jobs, products and services to advance the cleantech economy. CleanTech Alliance offers a range of business services and benefits uniquely designed to help businesses gain visibility, access services at a lower cost and benefit from public policy. Learn more at www.CleanTechAlliance.org.
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About Oregon BEST
Oregon BEST funds and supports innovative cleantech startups across Oregon. As an economic development catalyst, we connect startups with state and federal resources while preparing them for follow-on investment through a series of focused programs. We provide leadership and leverage our expertise, resources, and relationships to achieve impact beyond our scale. We were founded in 2007 as the Oregon Built Environment & Sustainable Technologies Center, Inc (Oregon BEST) — an independent nonprofit supported by the Oregon Innovation Council and Business Oregon. See more at http://oregonbest.org.