While sitting in the room amid Accelerator pitch practice each Friday, it is hard to miss the underlying feeling that the founders in the room are changing the world. Each company represented was started from a passion, and practical mission, to make a difference in their unique way.
Did you know the world is experiencing a sand shortage? Bricolage Dynamics is known as a glass recycling company – and it is. That alone is making an impact but consider a key component of concrete and other building materials need sand. And despite our beautiful beaches, sand is in short supply. (Read more about the sand crisis here.) Bricolage Dynamics is taking glass out of landfills and turning it into a product the world needs.
Have you ever gone into a large corporate or university building and thought: why is it so cold in here? Carbon Cents has developed technology that allows facilities to track their use to adjust the use of its energy. No more running the AC at full blast when the building is empty! Collecting and measuring this data will allow building managers to better control their carbon emissions and energy costs. Helping not only the environment but also their wallet.
Have you ever noticed the white boxes posted on construction sites and wondered what they’re for? All parties involved with the project keep printed copies of the site plans, permits, etc. needed for the project. The paper copies inside the box are how municipalities and project managers share project files. Yes, they are still using paper copies in 2023! Digital Site Box provides a digital way to save files for each project. This means the most recent version is always available, nothing gets stolen or lost, AND it will reduce the time spent delivering documents and updates of a plan to each location saving time and trees in the process! They are truly changing their entire industry’s workflow!
Did you know the US has the highest rate of maternal and post-partum mortality among all developed countries? How can that be with what we pay for health insurance?! The founders of Incora Health decided to try to do something about this statistic by creating the world’s smallest wearable tracker – an earring – focused on women’s health, everything from everyday fitness to fertility and beyond. These earrings monitor key metrics about your menstrual cycle alongside stress, activity, and sleep empowering women to make more informed health decisions.
The world is moving toward screen-based technology from our microwaves to our soda machines and even our cars! These digital interfaces look cool but can be problematic for people with disabilities. There is an accessibility issue that My UI’s cloud-based AI technology is looking to address by collecting disability and interaction data via an accessible mobile application. MyUI learns the interaction needs and preferences of users and then uses artificial intelligence to ‘adapt’ inaccessible digital interfaces to specific user needs and preferences. This means that an interface that as a default only supports touch or tactile interaction may now support gestures, eye gaze, affect, and/or voice commands.
Performance Enhanced Delivery is bridging the gap between conventional and organic farming and regenerative practices. Traditional fertilizers are coated in microplastics that then go into the ground or get rained away causing the need for even more fertilizer which leads to even more microplastic. Performance Enhanced Delivery can delay the release of fertilizers in a way that has never before been available in a sustainable, natural manner without the use of plastics and harsh chemicals.
Rebel Rabbit is changing the way we look at drinking, alcohol that is. They have created an alcohol alternative, cannabis-infused seltzers, that provides a similar experience to “booze” without the hangover. Rebel Rabbit extracts the D9 THC compound from the cannabis plant, legal in all 50 states, and adds it to their all-natural mix. THC is the naturally occurring compound in the plant that gives you a euphoric high. They are changing the way consumers can achieve a “buzz” driven by a desire for healthier lifestyles and breaking down the “must drink alcohol to have fun” culture.
Susu Lend is based on an African and Caribbean “credit club” informal savings arrangement where the community takes turns “throwing hands” or lending money. Susu Lend is a financial technology company founded on one simple principle: everyone deserves a fairly priced lending product. They offer customers, regardless of socioeconomic status or race, access to an alternative to predatory lending with loans powered by a personal social network of trust.
“Susu Lend is committed to changing the way we bank in America so that everyone can achieve financial freedom.”
Molly Inclán, NEXT Program Manager, “This is why I love working with startups. Founders are the type of people that change the world.” From finance to farming, where this cohort sees problems, they are working through solutions turning entire industries on their heads, in a good way.
Come support Cohort 2 at their Showcase event in November and see their work come to life on stage during their 4-minute pitches.