ARK Challenge Accelerator For Tech Startups (AR)
Posted on June 15, 2012
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Deadline Approaches For Applicants To The ARK Challenge Accelerator For Tech Startups
New Tech Accelerator In Northwest Arkansas Offers Rare Access To Top Minds In Retail, Transportation/Logistics And Food Processing
One of only 20 national projects selected by the Department of Commerce Jobs and Innovation Acceleration Challenge to advance regional competitiveness, The ARK Challenge is a recently launched mentorship-driven business accelerator program for technology startups. A full member of The Global Accelerator Network, The ARK Challenge is open to startups worldwide. Interested startup founders can apply online anytime at http://arkchallenge.org through June 17th, 2012.
“All of a sudden there is something very sexy about being a startup. There used to be a stigma of not being with a ‘real’ company,” said ARK Challenge Mentor Phoebe Espiritu. Espiritu is Manager of the HackStars program of TechStars New York City, and she has been named one of 25 women driving New York’s Tech Scene.
“Now there is a lot more prestige in being a misfit or a renegade. Obviously there’s something nice and validating about having capital.”
ABOUT THE ACCELERATOR:
The ARK Challenge—a full member of the Global Accelerator Network (formerly TechStars)—is a 14-week bootcamp providing mentorship, training, seed capital and customer access to a small group of startup companies.
The ARK will select 15 tech startups from across the country that solve problems in three key clusters, strong in the Northwest Arkansas region, including: retail, transportation and logistics and food processing.
Accepting applications through June 17, 2012.
UP TO 15 SELECTED STARTUPS GET:
3-month bootcamp: network with influential industry investors, thinkers and innovators; with product development/design support
Plus, $15K in seed funding, supplemented by an additional $3,333 to help offset living expenses, all in exchange for 6% equity
Present at Demo Day to a panel of industry stars, venture capital firms and angel investors
A shot at being one of two startups selected to receive access to an additional $150K in funding
MENTORS INCLUDE:
60+ national and regional mentor consisting of entrepreneurs, technology investors and key cluster experts
Collins Hemingway, best known for partnering with Microsoft founder Bill Gates on the #1 best-seller Business @ the Speed of Thought
Jinhee Kim, founder of Snapette, a mobile app for snap-happy fashionistas and a 500 startups co.
Phoebe Espiritu, Manager of HackStars program of TechStars NYC and named one of 25 women driving New York’s Tech Scene
Dan Sanker, CEO of CaseStack
Rick Webb, Sr. Vice President, Global Business Processes, of Walmart
Greg Lee, Former Chief Administrative Officer and President of Tyson Foods International
KEY DATES
June 17th: Applications close
August 6th: Bootcamp starts
November 9th: Bootcamp ends
KEY LINKS
ARK Challenge Website: http://arkchallenge.org/
Press Release: http://pitchengine.com/
Easy Share: http://eepurl.com/lURe5
ARK on Twitter: http://twitter.com/
ARK on Facebook: http://facebook.com/
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