We are excited to finally announce the
six startups accepted into our first accelerator class, which is to begin on
September 25, 2012 at our coworking space, bizperc, in Kansas City, Missouri.
Think
Big Accelerator opened its first application window on June 14, 2012 for
tech-focused, early-stage startups interested in launching a business faster,
smarter and stronger within a Midwest accelerator program. The accelerator focuses on technology-based
businesses with consumer-facing services, software, web services, apps and supportive
solutions, to participate in the program.
We have accepted six companies from across the
nation to participate in our 22-week accelerator program:
- H2OCloud (New York, New York): H2OCloud is a cloud-based application that connects music fans to bands in a mobile-based platform. H2OCloud helps bands create more revenue through better marketing, smarter asset management and improve the overall fan experience and artist-fan interaction.
- inCharge (Kansas City, Missouri): inCharge is a kiosk-based mobile phone charging station that provides digital out-of-home targeted advertising to the consumer. inCharge’s initial focus is high teledensity overseas markets.
- Kahootz (Kansas City, Missouri): Kahootz is a consumer-focused online calendar platform that provides users with easier ways to combine, share and manage all obligations and profiles on one easy-to-maintain social-based platform. Kahootz also enables user-controlled, privacy-enabled, permission-based business-to-consumer markets through event promotion syndication.
- Keyzio (Kansas City, Missouri): Keyzio has been defined as the Match.com for real estate for two people who don’t know they are trying to find each other. The Keyzio platform connects people and helps them find, buy and sell real estate that may not normally be available through MLS.
- Phone2Action (Los Angeles, California): Phone2Action uses location-based mobile technology to instantly connect constituents to their lawmakers making in-the-moment advocacy easier.
- Weejay (Kansas City, MO): Weejay is a virtual jukebox application that allows customers to control music in particular venues through mobile devices. Weejay’s venue management feature dashboard enables total control of music for a specific venue and creates better revenue opportunities for venue owners to enhance the overall patron experience.
“Once again, we were overwhelmed by both the quality and the
quantity of applications we received,” said Think Big Partners co-founder Tyler
Prochnow. “While the quality of their
ideas alone were impressive, even more impressive was the quality of the
entrepreneurs. Several of the class
participants are repeat founders who have already achieved a high level of
success in other ventures. We are
confident that they will add significant value to the formal program we have
established.”
The first Think Big Accelerator class will start its 22-week
program on Tuesday, September 25, 2012, capped by a Demo Week in January of
2013.
Think Big Accelerator typically takes 6-8% equity in
participating companies with an $18,000-$24,000 investment. Additionally, there will be an alternative
track for those who are not interested in funding but would like to participate
in the accelerator program to receive its benefits.
"We are especially excited to be able to attract a different type of entrepreneur to Kansas City," said co-founder of Think Big Partners, Herb Sih. "The Think Big Accelerator Program will enable entrepreneurs who could not uproot their lives and move to another city for four months to build and launch companies while still maintaining other life obligations at some level. We took cues from executive MBA programs, combined them with accelerator best practices, then bolted on an innovation factory mentality.”
To learn more about our Think Big Accelerator, please visit www.thinkbigpartners.com/accelerator.
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