IMPACT REPORT 2015...The launch of the MADE@MassChallenge hardware and prototyping lab resulted in...
Transcript of IMPACT REPORT 2015...The launch of the MADE@MassChallenge hardware and prototyping lab resulted in...
IMPACT REPORT 2015
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MassChallenge is the most startup-friendly accelerator on the planet. No equity and not-for-profit, we are obsessed with helping entrepreneurs across all industries.
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LETTER FROM THE CEO 4
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS 6
ALUMNI IMPACT 11
COMMUNITY & MENTORSHIP 17
CELEBRATING OUR PARTNERS 21
GLOBAL EXPANSION 30
GLOBAL ECOSYSTEM BUILDING 31
VISION FOR THE FUTURE 34
Contents
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Letter from the CEO JOHN HARTHORNEDear friends,
The past year has been one of great change and transformation for
MassChallenge, as we have matured into a truly global organization.In 2015,
we launched our first accelerator outside the US: MassChallenge UK, which
supported 90 high-impact startups in London. Our team has grown to over fifty
employees globally, we recruited high-quality talent into our executive team, we
accelerated 218 startups, we held seven Bridge Programs in six countries, and
we worked with over 100 sponsors. These positive indicators will only continue
in 2016, as MassChallenge is poised to more than double in size again, with three
new accelerator programs launching on three continents.
Our startups have already made a great impact. Our growing international
alumni pool of 835 startups have now raised over $1.1 billion in outside funding,
an achievement which puts us firmly at the top of the pack globally among
accelerators. Our alumni have also created over 6,500 high-paying, quality
jobs and 32,500 indirect support jobs that add to their communities and the
global economy. These are truly impressive achievements that validate progress
towards our greater goals of creating jobs and building strong entrepreneurial
ecosystems around the world.
Our impressive alumni had some great wins in 2015: ViralGains (Boston 2013)
raised $7.7 million in their Series A, Bounce Imaging (Boston 2012) won Verizon’s
Powerful Answers competition, receiving $1 million, and Handy (Boston 2012)
raised $50 million, making them leaders in their industry of home cleaning
services and bringing their fundraising total to an impressive $111 million.
Additionally, Turo (Boston 2010) raised $47 million and Localytics (Boston
2010) raised $35 million.
Meantime, we have been busy preparing for our new programs in Israel and
Switzerland as well as taking the next steps toward a launch in Mexico. Our
program in Jerusalem will host the highest-impact startups in Israel and the
region. MassChallenge Switzerland launched in 2016, in an especially attractive
ecosystem for its biotechnology, small business innovation, and large industry
links. We are also preparing for a launch in Mexico City, where we have been
impressed by the talent and high caliber startups, including Estrenon, a 2015
Boston Diamond Winner.
In 2015 we expanded closer to “home” as well, launching MADE@
MassChallenge, a prototyping space designed specifically for hardware
startups, based adjacent to our Boston accelerator. MADE@MassChallenge
supported over 30 startups in 2015 and demand is strong among our new
applicants. We also announced a partnership with the City of Newton and
the Cambridge Innovation Center to develop an innovation space in Newton,
Massachusetts, to foster entrepreneurial growth in local markets.
We couldn’t do any of this without the generous support from our partners and
sponsors, and of course, our incredible startups. Thank you for being on the
journey with us so far. We are just getting started so hang on tight!
Sincerely,
John Harthorne
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“The single most valuable resource at MassChallenge is the “YES!” culture cultivated by the staff, mentors, and affiliates, which helps breathe life into the ideas that we bring with us through the door.”
Hitesh TolaniCEO, VirtudentMC Boston 2015
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Program Highlights BOSTON AND UK
88EVENTS HOSTED
153CURRICULUM WORKSHOPS
10K+EVENT ATTENDEES
$1.65MBOSTON EQUITY-FREE CASH AWARDS
£500KUK EQUITY-FREE CASH AWARDS
In 2015, we ran an international accelerator program in London for the
first time alongside our sixth cohort in Boston. In London, 90 startups
from a huge variety of industries and 12 countries, participated in a
successful first year, and we awarded 14 startups from the UK cohort a
share of £500,000 in equity free grants. In Boston we had 128 teams from
15 countries and awarded $1.5 million in grants to what is possibly our
most successful and talented class of entrepreneurs yet in Boston. Twelve
Israeli teams total went to Boston and London for acceleration. The 218
startups we accelerated this year collectively raised $41.6 million and
generated $25.1 million in revenue during the program.
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“MassChallenge is a super high dose of concentrated resources for a budding entrepreneurial venture.”
Nicole GilmoreCOO, SavannaMC Boston 2015
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MADE@MASSCHALLENGE
The launch of the MADE@MassChallenge hardware and prototyping
lab resulted in MassChallenge receiving 65% more hardware-focused
startup applications for the 2015 class. Eight of the 16 cash-award
winners this year made good use of MADE@, and they collectively
won $1 million in no-strings-attached prizes on stage at our
1,700-attendee Awards Ceremony in Boston.
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
MassChallenge found itself in the spotlight on big stages around the
world. Our startups, staff and supporters rang the bell at both the
New York and London Stock Exchanges.
65%MORE HARDWARE APPLICANTS
8/16WINNING STARTUPS USED MADE@MASSCHALLENGE
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“Genuinely shocked how quickly Masschallenge introduced me to important customers or potential customer influencers.”
David MillsCEO, Weather Safe Ltd MC UK 2015
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INCLUSIVE ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Impact knows no bias. And MassChallenge is working hard to
eliminate inequality. Within the startup community we have
consistently supported higher-than-average rates of female
entrepreneurs since we ran our first program in 2010. Since 2012,
36% of all MassChallenge startups have had at least one female
founder, which is significantly higher than the 18% average for
the typical accelerator program. We are proud that 2015 was
a record year for diversity at MassChallenge with 39% of 2015
MassChallenge startups having at least one female founder
globally. The Women in MassChallenge program has flourished
since its founding in 2013, hosting regular meetings and annual
events at the Boston and UK accelerators.
Additionally, 10% of MassChallenge Boston startups had at least
one African American founder, 24% had an Asian founder, and 13%
had a Latino founder. We are committed to collaborating closely
with the community to foster an increasingly inclusive startup
ecosystem.
As part of a $450,000 grant announced in June 2014, The Boston
Foundation and MassChallenge collaborated on a Bridge Program
to support entrepreneurs in under-resourced communities in
Massachusetts, such as Roxbury, Mattapan, and Dorchester.
MassChallenge is focused on fair and unbiased evaluation that
welcomes diversity and levels the playing field. We are committed
to leading the way in this area.
36%FEMALE FOUNDERS SINCE 2012
39%FEMALE FOUNDERS IN 2015 COHORTS
44%FEMALE FOUNDERS IN 2015 BOSTON COHORT
10%AFRICAN AMERICAN FOUNDERS
24%ASIAN FOUNDERS
13%LATINO FOUNDERS
The latest reports from TechCrunch
and Crunchbase estimate that 18%
of startups overall have at least one
female founder.
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ECONOMIC IMPACT
The types of jobs being created by MassChallenge and
the startups we support are high quality and have a
disproportionately more positive impact on economic
growth than other types of jobs. A recent study by
Enrico Moretti at UC Berkeley shows that the high-tech,
high-paying jobs created by startup companies have a
multiplier effect on the local economy: for every one job
created by a startup, five additional jobs are created in
the local service economy.
This means that MassChallenge has directly generated
6,500 jobs and indirectly contributed to the creation
of approximately 32,500 jobs — on the same overall
spend. This represents a total cost of less than $600 per
job, including less than $60 of public sector spend per
job created.
Alumni IMPACT
835STARTUPS
ACCELERATED
82.8%STARTUPS STILL ACTIVE
35COMPANIES ACQUIRED
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$520M+
$1.1B+
6,500+
32KINDIRECT JOBS CREATED
$3,277COST PER DIRECT JOB, WITH $20M SPENDING
~$60PUBLIC FUNDING PER JOB
FUNDING RAISED
REVENUE GENERATED
JOBS CREATED
Participating in MassChallenge MORE
THAN DOUBLES a startup's likelihood
of raising SIGNIFICANT FUNDING and
reaching 15 EMPLOYEES, according to
a recent MIT study.
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“MassChallenge provided an
incredibly compelling entry-point
into Boston’s innovation ecosystem.
I am so thankful to all of the staff
and mentors at MassChallenge for
skyrocketing our growth. In just one
year after the accelerator program,
ArtLifting has helped five formerly
homeless artists gain housing. We
have even closed deals with two
Fortune 500 companies, Staples
and Microsoft.”
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
Liz PowersCEO at ArtLiftingMC Boston 2014
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“MassChallenge helped Reactor
connect with a lead for our seed
financing round and establish a
relationship with Mullen Lowe,
which allowed us to gain a foothold
with key contacts in national
advertising agencies.”
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
Mike RaybmanFounder at Reactor MediaMC Boston 2012
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“The MassChallenge mentor network is very rich. it connects startups with experienced mentors in any field you can imagine.”
Alejandro MendezCTO, uSoundMC Boston 2015
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Community & MENTORSHIP
MENTORSHIP PROGRAM
At MassChallenge, our mentors ask the tough questions, provide
guidance and share their experiences and contacts to help our
startups get to the next level. Our world-class mentors come
from a variety of disciplines and include seasoned entrepreneurs,
investors, philanthropists, lawyers, and senior executives from
corporations with deep domain expertise.
In addition to our formal Mentorship Program, we offer informal
office hours where our startups can learn from these experts who
give generously of their time.
EXPERT JUDGES
Many of our mentors also serve as judges, helping MassChallenge select
the highest impact startups for our 2015 programs. We are proud to have
had among our 2015 judges:
780JUDGES & MENTORS
1,952OFFICE HOURS HELD
Josh BogerFounder of Vertex Pharmaceuticals
Desh Deshpande Founder of the Deshpande Foundation
Sandra FenwickPresident and CEO of Boston Children’s Hospital
Henry Lane FoxCEO and Co-founder of FoundersForum
Bill MorrowCo-founder and Director of Angels Den
Steve PerryFounder and Co-Creator of Visa Europe Collab
Jeremy BassettDirector of the Unilever Foundry
Nadia CrandallCo-Chair of Harvard Business School Angels of London
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Stuart Hillston, CEO of ConCap
MCUK Mentor 2015
“It has been a great pleasure for
me to work with such a diverse
range of ambitious startups and
mentor on what has been for me
the best accelerator out of the 15
that I have supported!”
Bill Cogan, Partner, Ignition Law
MCUK Mentor 2015
“MassChallenge delivered a
fantastic programme in 2015 –
the team in London have taken
up the mission of MassChallenge
with relish and created a fantastic
environment for startups to grow
and accelerate their ambitions.
The pace at which the startups
we worked with have developed
is incredible and their continuing
success and growth is a credit
to MassChallenge’s vision and
execution. Great people doing
great things!”
73%
GLOBAL NPS
Once again, our HIGH-PERFORMING
NPS SCORE OF 73% globally places
MassChallenge among the highest-
rated brands in the world in terms
of customer satisfaction, ahead of
brands such as Apple.
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“The mentors were an unparalleled resource and the group of mentors to choose from truly fast tracked Barakat Bundle’s progress during the course of the accelerator program.”
Karima Ladhani CEO Barakat BundleMC Boston 2015
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Neheet Trivedi, CEO,
Real Food Solutions
MC Boston 2015
“My mentors have been
wonderful, and I’m very grateful
to have them on my team. I’ve
found their input very helpful.
This has been one of the
biggest benefits of being in the
program...”
Thomas Baran, CEO, Lumii
MC Boston 2015 Gold Winner
“We were incredibly happy with
our mentor team. They brought
a fantastic range of diverse
outlooks to the table, which
have impacted the growth and
trajectory of the company in a
variety of key ways.”
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Celebrating OUR PARTNERS
PARTNERSHIP HIGHLIGHTS
If entrepreneurs are the lifeblood of MassChallenge, partners are
the pump that powers our initiatives. It is through their generous
support that we were able to help 218 startups in 2015 to
address some of the most important challenges facing the world
– from clean energy to infant mortality. This year, we teamed
with partners to award $150k in pre-program scholarships. We
attracted 43 new partners who, along with returning partners,
helped fund the programs and over $2m in equity free cash
awards. MassChallenge proudly won a $500,000 Ewing Marion
Kaufman Foundation grant to support entrepreneurial growth,
and also worked with CASIS to award an additional $500k to two
startups to support research in the International Space Station.
MassChallenge also got even more creative about the value we
were able to deliver by launching groundbreaking programs like
our new product engagement sessions with Pepsi and Fidelity
Investment’s ‘Board for a Day’ session.
SIGNIFICANT SCHOLARSHIPS
In 2015, MassChallenge teamed up with Autodesk, Cydan
Development, the John W. Henry Family Foundation,
Massachusetts Clean Energy Center, and Microsoft to launch
a $150,000 scholarships program designed to provide small,
foundational capital injections into 24 incoming Boston finalists to
fund travel, rent, food, and pilots. The organizations providing the
small grants were able to select the applicants from a deep pool
of startups according to their areas of interest. The select startups
and sponsoring organizations were connected before the program
got underway, developed close relationships during the program,
and some evolved into partnerships. The positive impact of these
pre-program scholarships was tangible, and we hope to attract
more of them in 2016.
$150KSCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
$500KCASIS AWARD
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100+GLOBAL PARTNERS
GRANTS FOR GROWTH
After a rigorous review process, the Ewing Marion Kauffman
Foundation selected MassChallenge as one of eight non-profit
organizations to receive a grant to expand impact to more
entrepreneurs across the country. In addition, MassChallenge will
share its findings to help the Kauffman Foundation gain a better
understanding of what makes highly successful programs and
initiatives like MassChallenge so effective.
GENEROUS IN-KIND SPONSORS
We were so grateful to have the in-kind support of PR agency Red
Lorry Yellow Lorry in the UK. We are also fortunate to have our Boston
office furniture donated by Turnstone and CORT, companies that aspire
to help entrepreneurs leverage their culture and space to accelerate
business results. We are looking forward to continue to develop our
new spaces with CORT, Turnstone, and the Steelcase group.
David Page, Co-Creator & Innovation
Partner at Visa Europe Collab
“Congratulations on such a successful
awards ceremony - the atmosphere
is incredible and startups have each
conveyed to me how much value
they’re getting from MassChallenge,
which is really great to hear.”
43NEW PARTNERS IN 2015
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CREATIVE PARTNERING:
Bringing the entrepreneurial mindset into large corporates is
a pervasive challenge and mandatory for success in today’s
competitive environment. In 2015, we continued to get creative
with our partners to help them innovate. A few examples follow:
PEPSICO
Boston – 2015 Platinum Partner
We worked with PepsiCo North America to create a first-of-its-
kind startup product engagement session, enabling them to test
new products with female entrepreneurs. This unique engagement
enabled Pepsi to think about new product ideas in a completely
different way thanks to the entrepreneurs’ openness and lateral
thinking.
FIDELITY INVESTMENTS
Boston – 2015 Diamond Partner
In a day of meaningful collaboration and ideation with
MassChallenge startups (Apitite, Artaic, Estrenon, Luminova,
and Cake), Fidelity Investments Digital Executive team members
served as a mock board of directors for each company.
Participating startups raved that it was one of the most valuable
programs they attended, and Fidelity’s employees learned to think
more creatively, enhance their problem-solving skill set, and work
as a team with their colleagues.
GCHQ
UK - 2015 Gold Sponsor
In 2015, we supported the British Government’s security and intelligence
agency in developing successful innovation initiatives to promote
entrepreneurship and help overcome the many innovation-related challenges
many large governmental organizations face. We are currently working with
GCHQ to build on this partnership in 2016 and beyond.
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THE JPMORGAN CHASE FOUNDATION (UK - Platinum Partner):
The JPMC Foundation has partnered with MassChallenge UK with the
key objective of supporting job creation and stimulating economy in
East London.
JERUSALEM DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (IL - Founding Diamond
Partner): In an impactful government-led partnership, we are working
closely with the City of Jerusalem to bring MassChallenge to Jerusalem
in 2016.
JOHN HANCOCK (Boston - Diamond Partner): We are helping this
leading insurance and financial services company build close ties with
Boston’s entrepreneurial economy and strengthen the launch of the
Lab of Forward Thinking (LOFT), an internal lab focused on generating
innovative business solutions in financial technology.
CVS HEALTH (Boston - Platinum Partner): Seeking to innovate more
quickly and expand areas of focus for connected health solutions, CVS
partnered with MassChallenge on the heels of the opening of its Digital
Innovation Lab in June 2015. This new collaboration demonstrates
CVS Health’s commitment to driving rapid and impactful innovation in
digital health solutions.
HONDA (Boston - Platinum Partner): Honda’s Silicon Valley Lab
partnered with MassChallenge to increase its scouting network for
new vehicle technologies on the east coast and tap into our innovation
ecosystem for partnership, investment, and sharing best practices.
CISCO (Boston - Platinum Partner): We teamed up with Cisco
Entrepreneurs in Residence (CiscoEIR) to create a joint incubation
program combining the global reach and support of Cisco with the
successful accelerator model of MassChallenge. CiscoEIR will help
recognize and support early-stage entrepreneurs in Boston focusing on
IoT and other transformational opportunities strategic to Cisco.
NOTABLE NEW PARTNERS:
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MassChallenge Sponsors
CASIS
Bühler
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Deshpande Foundation
Fidelity Investments
Jamestown
John Hancock
Richard and Susan Smith Family Foundation
The Boston Foundation
The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation
Verizon
BOSTON DIAMOND
American Airlines
Analog Devices
Autodesk
Boehringer Ingelheim
Bose Corporation
Cisco Entrepreneurs in Residence
Combiined Jewish Philanthropies
CVS Health
Henkel
Honda SVL
IBM
Jabil
MassDevelopment
Microsoft
Pfizer
Smith & Nephew
SoftLayer
Sunovion Pharmaceuticals
Turnstone
WGBH
BOSTON PLATINUMBOSTON GOLD
AIG
Altus Dental
Arrow Electronics
Cydan Development
EMC
Foley & Lardner LLP
General Mills
Haute Ecole de Gestion Fribourg
John W. Henry Family Foundation
Joshua Boger
Liberty Mutual
Lightspeed Manufacturing
Massachusetts Clean Energy Center
Mitsubishi Electric
PCCW Global
PepsiCo
Robert Bosch Venture Capital
Sanofi
State Farm
Wells Fargo
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Aetna
Babson College
Boston University
Brandeis International Business School
Duane Morris LLP
First Republic Bank
Foley Hoag LLP
Goodwin Procter LLP
Hult International Business School
MetroHartford Alliance
BOSTON SILVERMorgan Lewis & Bockius LLP
Nutter McClennen & Fish LLP
Panasonic
UMass, Berthiaume Center for Entrepreneurship
UPS
Wheaton College
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
BOSTON IN-KINDAcquia
Aerohive Networks
Amazon Web Services
American Airlines
Analogue Studio
Applause
Cambridge Sound Management
CAPINC
CollectiveNext
Comcast Business
Constant Contact
Continuum
CORT
Dragon Innovation
Google Cloud Platform
IBM Bluemix
IdeaPaint
Instron
MathWorks
Mellanox
Microsoft Bizspark
Palo Alto Software
Relationship Science
Shift Communications
Turnstone
UPS
WeWork
Zipcar
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UK IN-KINDAmazon Web Services
Angels Den
Cafe Pod
Crowdcube
Fried Frank Technology
IBM Bluemix
Included.co
Mailjet
Rackspace Red
Lorry Yellow Lorry
Taylor Wessing
Tech City UK
The Big Partnership
The Collective
The Landing
The Manchester Growth Company
Tobacco Dock
UK Business Angels Association
ZipCar
UK SPONSORSDigital Catapult
EMC2
GCHQ
Hult International Business School
JPMorgan Chase Foundation
NatWest
Satellite Application Catapult
Unilever
ViiV
Visa Europe Collab
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NEW PROGRAM SPONSORS:
MEXICO SPONSORSAeromexico
Gentera
Instituto Nacional del Emprendedor (INADEM)
Promotora Social Mexico
The Government of Mexico City
SWISS SPONSORSBühler
Inartis Foundation
Nestlé
Swiss Economic Forum
ISRAEL SPONSORS
PLATINUM:
Ministry of Jerusalem
Ministry of Economy
Jerusalem Development Authority
GOLD:
CJP
EMC
SILVER:
Kraft Group
HFN
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Global EXPANSION
MassChallenge is deeply committed to supporting entrepreneurs
around the world. Based on our track record of success from 2010-
2015, and in response to overwhelming international demand, we
made a pledge to launch 10 more MassChallenge programs in 10
cities around the world by 2020.
We are already tracking ahead of schedule. In 2016, we will launch
three new accelerators — based in Israel, Mexico, and Switzerland
— to augment our existing accelerator programs in Boston and
the UK. By linking the world’s most promising and productive
entrepreneurial ecosystems through our global accelerator network,
we will provide a platform to enable the world’s highest-impact
startups to gain access to the critical resources they need to
succeed. We are helping to ensure that every high-potential startup
can access global resources, talent, and markets — from day one.
UK US Israel Switzerland Mexico Next...
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MASSCHALLENGE STARTUPS COME FROM AROUND THE WORLD:
In 2015, MassChallenge received 2,250 applications from startups hailing
from 67 countries. Over 1,600 startups applied to the Boston program,
including about 150 via MassChallenge Israel. Over 800 startups applied
to MassChallenge UK in the program's first year in London. About 50
percent of the 2015 applicants are international and 50 percent are
headquartered in the US. Many startups applied to both programs.
2,250TOTAL APPLICANTS IN 2015
67COUNTRIES REPRESENTEDIN APPLICANT POOL
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Global Ecosystem BUILDING
In 2015, our desire to bring entrepreneurship to new regions
around the world was stronger than ever. Our Bridge Program is a
fundamentally important pillar of our strategy, enabling us to build
alliances with partners around the world in order to strengthen
innovation-driven economic development and empower startups
by sharing the MassChallenge model. Since 2012, we have formed
Bridge Program partnerships with public and private sector
entities in Colombia, France, Korea, Mexico, Morocco, Russia,
Spain, and Switzerland, with plans to expand the program further
in coming years. Through our Bridge Program, we conducted
ecosystem mapping projects, startup competitions, and boot camps
supporting more than 65 startups and quietly helping to build new
entrepreneurial ecosystems around the world. In fact, three Bridge
Program participants became MassChallenge Boston finalists this
year, one of which won a $100k Diamond Award.
BRIDGE PROGRAM PARTNERS:
• OCP Entrepreneurship Network, Morocco
• iNNpulsa Colombia, Colombia
• SENA, Colombia
• Biscay Government, Basque Country
• Korea Innovation Center, South Korea
• Big Booster, Lyon, France
• Reto Zapopan, Mexico
Imanol Pradeles, Minister of
Economic Promotion, Biscay
Government, 2015-2016
MassChallenge Platinum Partner
“The MassChallenge model will
help us create the kind of robust
and innovative ecosystem that
will retain and attract top talent.”
José Luis Reyes, Founder and
CEO, Estrenón
MC Boston 2015 Diamond Winner
“MassChallenge has the best
contacts and tools to positively
impact my business and my vision
for its growth. I am grateful to
MassChallenge for introducing
me to the best international
entrepreneurs working to design
a better world and feel lucky to
be considered one of them.”
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Global Board OF ADVISORS
In 2015, we established a world-class Global Advisory Board to help ensure
our global success, including:
SHERRY COUTUFounder and Executive of Founders4Schools, Advisor to UK Prime Minister
Cameron, Non-Executive Director of the London Stock Exchange, and
Advisory Board member of LinkedIn
DESH DESHPANDEMentor, Co-Founder of the Deshpande Center at MIT and the Deshpande
Foundation, Co-founder and Chairman Sycamore Networks, Co-chair of
President Obama’s Council on Innovation & Entrepreneurship, and Life-
Member of the MIT Corporation, the Board of Trustees at MIT
FIONA MURRAYAssociate Dean for Innovation at the MIT Sloan School of Management,
Co-Director of MIT Innovation Initiative, William Porter (1967) Professor
of Entrepreneurship, Faculty Director Martin Trust Center for MIT
Entrepreneurship, and Faculty Director Legatum Center
AKHIL NIGAMCo-founder of MassChallenge and Member of the Board of Directors at
Goodwill International
DEVAL PATRICKFormer Governor of Massachusetts, Rockefeller Fellow, Crown Fellow
of the Aspen Institute, Author, and Managing Director at Bain Capital
JEFF SWARTZFormer CEO of The Timberland Company, Social Entrepreneur,
and Member of the Executive Board of the American Jewish Joint
Distribution Committee
LORD RUMI VERJEEMember of the UK House of Lords, Founder of The Rumi Foundation,
Founder of Domino’s Pizza in the United Kingdom, and Proprietor and
Chairman of Thomas Goode & Co Ltd
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MassChallenge’s vision has always been big. From the
beginning, our mission has been to catalyze a startup
renaissance to create jobs, empower individuals, and solve the
world’s biggest problems through entrepreneurship. In 2014,
MassChallenge made a commitment at the Clinton Global
Initiative to expand to a further 10 cities internationally by
2020, creating 30,000 direct, high-paying jobs, and 150,000
indirect jobs.
But we want to do so much more. We want to empower all
players in the global ecosystem to support entrepreneurs and
share in the creative innovation they inspire. We are working
with large organizations like CVS Health to start joint initiatives
and foster innovative solutions for corporates and large societal
problems. We are also working with governments, which play
a huge role in creating a healthy ecosystem, to help them best
create the conditions for fostering startup growth.
It is our ambition that this support for entrepreneurs
creates a virtuous circle, whereby our alumni help their local
communities, in the near-term, go on to mentor and give
back to other young startups, and hold fast to the values of
Vision for THE FUTURE
responsible, positive impact businesses in the long-term. We will
create a robust alumni program to support the 835 startups who
have been through the accelerator program and the many more
who are set to join in the years to come, and we are expanding our
linkages among our programs as our global network continues to
expand.
Startups are our lifeblood and for each individual or organization
that believes in our mission, we hope that you start, continue, or
deepen your involvement in MassChallenge in the coming months.
There are so many ways to be a part of our global movement - from
mentoring a startup or providing workshops, to providing the funds
that keep this innovation and momentum going. Our unique model
of giving back to the ecosystem without taking anything from the
entrepreneurs sets us apart and inspires so many to do and be more.
We pride ourselves on being the most startup-friendly accelerator on
the planet. Join us and help create the future.
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MASSCHALLENGE.ORGContact US
@MASSCHALLENGE
2016 APPLICATION DEADLINES:
MARCH 2 EARLY BIRD DEADLINE FOR JUN-OCT ACCELERATOR CYCLE
BOSTON, ISRAEL & SWITZERLAND
MARCH 31 DEADLINE FOR JUN-OCT ACCELERATOR CYCLE
BOSTON, ISRAEL & SWITZERLAND
JUNE 16 EARLY BIRD DEADLINE FOR SEP-DEC ACCELERATOR CYCLE
UK & MEXICO
JUNE 29 DEADLINE FOR SEP-DEC ACCELERATOR CYCLE
UK & MEXICO
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@MASSCHALLENGE
MASSCHALLENGE.ORG