Reviewed by: Nathan Watson
Birmingham-based Bronze Valley & gener8tor launch national accelerator for diverse-founded startups
Global startup accelerator gener8tor is partnering with Birmingham-based Bronze Valley—an early-stage venture fund—to launch the inaugural Bronze Valley Investment Accelerator cohort this January.
The Bronze Valley Investment Accelerator is an offering of the Bronze Valley VentureLab, which focuses on serving founders from backgrounds that historically have been excluded from access to capital.
Supporting Underrepresented Founders
Over the last two years, the Bronze Valley Accelerator has supported 20 companies across four cohorts that collectively have raised over $8 million in venture capital after completing the program.
The two organizations now further their partnership by offering the Bronze Valley Investment Accelerator, an investment-for-equity accelerator focused on investing in and supporting underrepresented founders.
5 Companies Selected
The Bronze Valley Investment Accelerator recruited startups nationally for the inaugural cohort, receiving more than 800 applications.
Five companies were selected:
“The partnership between Bronze Valley and gener8tor continues to contribute tremendously to innovation and the growth of new business and economic opportunity in Birmingham and beyond,” said Neill S. Wright, President and CEO of Bronze Valley. “Expanding this critical partnership through the Bronze Valley Investment Accelerator and VentureLab will increase our impact as we continue to support entrepreneurs and help define the future of business growth in our region and across the country.”
Additional Statewide Support
The Bronze Valley VentureLab is supported by the Alabama Department of Commerce, Bronze Valley, Alabama Power, Regions and Spire.
The VentureLab provides advisory services and intensive programming to people of color, female and other underrepresented entrepreneurs.
Services include:
- Creation of pathways for companies through ideation, investment, and scale through HBCU accelerator programs
- One-on-one advising and support
- Six-month accelerator programming that includes the Bronze Valley Investment Accelerator’s intensive three-month program
The Bronze Valley Investment Accelerator is held once per year with five companies accepted to ensure a high level of individualized attention.
“We’re thrilled to expand our partnership with Bronze Valley to amplify the impact the Bronze Valley VentureLab has had among companies with diverse founding teams,” said Haley Medved Kendrick, gener8tor Investment Accelerator senior managing director.
Pitch to Investors April 27
At the end of the Bronze Valley Investment Accelerator, startup founders will pitch their companies to investors, community partners and the public at a showcase event April 27th at 5:30 p.m. at Lumi, which is located at 2201 2nd Ave S Suite 202 in Birmingham.
Interested?
Startup companies and founders interested in learning more about the Bronze Valley Investment Accelerator and resources or applying to a future program are encouraged to visit gener8tor.com/bronze-valley-venture-lab.
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