Foster School Awards $170k to Student-Led Startups in 2015

Startups take center stage at the University of Washington’s Foster School of Business. At the Buerk Center for Entrepreneurship, the Jones + Foster Accelerator Program awarded over $170k to student-led startups in 2015.

Startups that make it into the Accelerator Program receive:

• Mentoring from a committee of entrepreneurs and investors
• Milestone guidance
• Workspace in the Herbold Innovation Lab
• Regular meetings with an advisory board and mentors
• Workshops covering a variety of subjects
• Connections to the Seattle entrepreneurial community
• Up to $25k in funding

The Jones + Foster Accelerator Program began in 2010 and, since inception, has admitted 46 companies, 34 of which have completed the program. 29 programs are still in business today with accomplishments such as raising millions in funding, becoming household names, forming partnerships with celebrity foundations, and winning prestigious awards. Since it’s beginning, the program has awarded more than $745,000 to various startups.

In 2015, ten new organizations were accepted into the program, and eight student-led startups completed the program—each receiving up to $25,000. The eight companies that received their funding this year, after finishing the program, include:

• Eldergrow: Led by two Foster School MBA students, Eldergrow provides a therapeutic connection to nature through innovative, indoor gardening products and a wellness program for elders.
• Hook: The goal of Hook is to make “dumb devices smart” with home products that enable a Smart Home on a budget.
• Maple Leaf Photonics: The company has designed automated probe stations that are changing the way silicon photonic devices are tested.
• miPS Labs: A fully operational lab that offers consumers cell preservation and personalized stem cell generation.
• JikoPower: JikoPower is working to provide safe and sustainable energy through affordable and clean off-grid solutions for people living in remote areas.
• Scholarship Junkies: The company provides students with an insider’s guide to the scholarship students from the perspective of students.
• MultiModal Health: MultiModal Health is a platform that helps patients stay motivated and see program during arm and hand rehab.
• Benchmark Environmental: The company is developing an affordable, easy-to-install, and low maintenance stormwater treatment system.

To learn more about the various companies that completed the program this year, read the recent news article from the Foster School.

regions: Seattle

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