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7 YEARS OF IMPACT

Supporting startups with high-growth potential 
Amu Fowler

With love, from Startups Ignite.

Over the years we have cultivated amazing cohorts of founders and supporters dedicated to beating the startup odds. The pandemic put us on pause, but we're back - and we're kicking it up a notch. 

From a passion project started in a community center in Virginia to becoming one of the region's most active accelerators, look how far we have come. It's all thanks to the power of community.  

As a community, we connect through founders struggles, and we share in the dream of success.

Moving forward, we're calling on the community yet again. March with us in a single united purpose - removing current and future suffering from the human race.

With our inaugural impact accelerator we aim to be on the forefront of the world's most pressing challenges.

Together, let's make a dent in the world. 

Amu Fowler, CEO & Founder

In Review

2015

Formation

Community is Born 17 events 885 attendees An explosive start. We build an dynamic community of technologists, startups, and mentors that grows organically. We host pitch competitions, trainings, workshops, webinars and get 885 attendees. Our community grows strong, and asks for a program. We think through a community driven incubator program.

2016

Incubation

Incubator is Born 26 startups in program 1625 attendees + 29 events The program supports 26 startups simultaneously, we partner with co-working spaces and give structured programming, space, and the community steps up to provide mentorship while on the community front we continue to host pitch competitions, trainings, workshops, webinars and get 1,625 attendees.

2017

Acceleration

Accelerator is Born 15 startups accelerated 1,269 attendees + 14 events On the community front we host startup launch parties, and launch the Startup Social a monthly event with pitches, mentor AMA, startup open mic every Thursday the events garner 1,269 attendees. On the incubator front we learn that supporting dozens of founders  with an open application is really hard to manage logistically. We start to think about running cohorts of startups. We retire our Ignition Path program and launch our inaugural Accelerate24 90 day cohort with 15 startups.

2018

Momentum

Accelerator Expansion 20 startups accelerated, 31 pre-accelerator 1,322 attendees + 20 events We run two Accelerate24 cohorts supporting a new 20 startups while continuing to support the previous batch. We also launch an 14 day challenge for customer validation which supports 31 founders. On the community front we host startup launch parties, and launch the Startup Social a monthly event with pitches, mentor AMA, startup open mic every Thursday the events garner 1,322 attendees.

2019

Hybrid Growth

Virtual and Global Hybrid 18 startups accelerated Demo day We run two Accelerate24 cohorts supporting 18 new startups while continuing to support the previous batches. Our founder gets hit with a serious illness and has to take a break from running events. The "hit by a bus" factor has as side-effect of a forced look into scalable programming. On the community front we phase out events to only Demo Days. We trial digital hybrid and digital only cohorts opening up to selective global startups. Before we finalize a pivot crisis looms.

2020
& 21

Crisis Mode

Crisis Action Team Forms 100+ startups supported 18 weather the storm sessions We drop the accelerator programs and global expansion notions and double down on supporting both our graduate and extended community through weekly zoom get togethers. Our community of graduates and mentors step up and form a Crisis Action Team. We host weekly zoom calls to keep the community sane, connected, and informed through the first year of the pandemic.

2022

Virtualize

Open Innovation Accelerator 10 startups supported Product Team Develops An unique and reformative year for us. We continue to support all the previous batches of founders who are still at the grind, we can't really relaunch in person programming just yet. We  launch and iterate an online accelerator platform, which supports a dozen founders. We do an mission audit, and decide on where we make an impact next. It takes us a little while but we get there. What the world needs is entrepreneurs who will help solve the biggest challenges humanity faces today. And we're poised to help. Last quarter of 2022 is hyper-focused on aligning stakeholders so together we can help founders make their biggest impact.

2023

Impact

Impact Accelerator is Born 32 startups accelerated

We've changed through the years, but diversity and inclusion has been an constant

26%

are black founders 

16%

of founders are middle eastern

64%

of founders are minority

90%

of mentors are minority

34%

are woman founders

20%

of founders are asian

#Life Sciences #Enterprise #Cybersecurity #Citizen Tech #Gig Economy #Lifestyle #Logistics #sustainability 

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70 startups  88 mentors  5,101 attendees

The future looks brighter, thanks to entrepreneurs leading the way. 

Raised 3.8 M
Spring 2019 Batch
#Pediatric Health

Pediametrix
assisting parents ofinfants with flathead syndrome

Dr. Fereshteh Aalamifar
CEO & Co-founder

Raised 3.8 M
Spring 2019 Batch#Pediatric Health

Created 100s of jobs
Winter 2017 Batch
#Social Impact

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HerDomain
empowering women in the middle east

Qurutal-Ann Malik
Chairman & Co-founder

Created 100s of jobs
Winter 2017 Batch
#Social Impact

Helped 100s of asthmatics
Winter 2017 Batch
#Respiratory Health

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DailyBreath
connecting a community of asthmatics 

Eric Klos
CEO & Co-founder

Helped 100s of asthmatics
Winter 2017 Batch
#Respiratory Health

Raised 1M
Winter 2019 Batch
#AgriBioTech

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Solmeyea
enabling industries to meet circular economy policy goals

Vasilis Stenos
CEO & Co-founder

Raised 1M
Winter 2019 Batch#AgriBioTech

Raised 1.5M
Spring 2018 Batch
#NeuroHealth

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JuneBrain
empowering people with multiple sclerosis

Dr. Samantha Scott
CEO & Founder

Raised 1.5M
Spring 2018 Batch
#NeuroHealth

Pilots with Cities
2022 OIA Batch
#PublicSafety

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Cocoon Technologies
humane solutions to improve public safety and policing

Dr. Leah C.K. Lewis, J.D.
CEO & Co-Founder

Pilots with Cities
2022 OIA Batch
#PublicSafety

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you all for making this journey possible. 

Born of community, grown of community. 

Program Leadership
Event Support
Mentorship

Lokesh Kumar • Callye Keen • Swathi Sambhani • Dawn Myers •  Maria Valverde • Ameya Argekar •  Saliha Ghaffar • Keith Fowler • Reika Madison • Kiran Yeddala • Aaron Enatsky • Shiva Thirumazhusai • Henrick De Gyor • Ganesh Tayi • Kevin Ringham • Demetrios Sapounas • Iris Sherman • Santhan Kumar • Maham Siraj • John Yu • David Beg • Fahima Kadhiri Beg • Will King • Sandy Vasan • Joshua Stacy • Jeremy Snyder • Ash Rofail • Hector Del Castillo • Brad Smith • Eugene Rosenfeld • Subodh Nayar • Jeremiah Tamagna-Darr • Mari Ganapathy • Michael Mort • Jonathan Altman • Tricia Ratliff • Robin Dvorak • Ray Piluso • Mike Olex • Larry Cynkins • Suresh Harikrishnan • Mike Ravenscroft • Olga Bukharina • Gisele Stolz • Mark McMahon • Carter McClure • Karen Kalantiz • Mo Kennedy • Wyatt Grantham • Mike Loving • Steve DuBois • Eric Klos • Stephen Gheysens • Fereshteh Aalamifar • Sudanshu Luthra • Brandon Howard • Chris Bennett • Vanessa Wagner

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