If you’ve read Technology Works, the report commissioned by Engine Advocacy and published last Thursday, 6th December, you know the importance of startups and entrepreneurship in getting America’s economy back on track. Despite America’s status as a great place for businesses, launching a startup is a difficult task. Incubators and accelerators are organizations that make that process a bit easier, and are a crucial ingredient in the country’s future economic prosperity.
So where are these entrepreneurial instigators? No doubt you’ve heard about Y Combinator, Tech Stars, and other well-known programs. And we all know about the great things happening in Silicon Valley, Silicon Alley, and the hotspots of Austin, Texas or Boston, Massachusetts.
But you may be surprised to learn that incubators and accelerators, like the startups they support and cultivate, are all over the country - from Groundwork Labs in Durham, North Carolina and the Manoa Innovation Center in Honolulu, Hawaii, to UpTech, an accelerator located in Newport, Kentucky.
Some incubators are founded by technologists, like 8ninths in Seattle, Washington, while some are launched by universities, such as Ohio University’s Innovation Engine Accelerator. Still others are formed by major companies, like Microsoft, PayPal, and Qualcomm, who want to stimulate the next generation of technology leaders.
Back in September, with the help of Engine, the Ammori Group put together a map based on startup incubators and accelerators across the country. Our goal was to develop a way for entrepreneurs, incubator leaders, and policymakers - everyone, really - to see where the incubators are, to learn about what they’re doing, and to get involved.
If your incubator or accelerator isn’t on the map, let us know by submitting your information. If it is on the map, feel free to update your information and tell us about your experiences. And please, share this with your colleagues, friends, and anyone interested in seeing where innovation is happening in America today.
Luke Pelican is an associate at The Ammori Group
