This spring, the MassChallenge team sifted through more than 1,600 applications from companies all vying to secure a coveted spot in their Seaport accelerator. Later, the list was whittled down to 350 startups, each of which were invited in to pitch. And at last, MassChallenge announced on Wednesday with much fanfare the 128 teams that will be participating in its summer 2014 class.
The selection process was the typical “toughest ever” – and with good reason. To start, it’s a global program, with the winning batch of companies coming from 11 countries and 17 states. In terms of the accelerator itself, MassChallenge companies get access to a wealth of resources, including quality local mentors, media hype and free workspace.
Add in the chance to win $1.75 million in prize money, and the pool of applicants is sure to get even larger, making it all the more hard to stand out.
So, we have to wonder … What about the companies that slip through the cracks? Could MassChallenge be missing some cool startups?
We gave some love to a number of companies that seem sweet, but didn’t make it past MassChallenge’s semi-finalist stage (meaning they were called in for an interview, but ultimately didn’t make the cut).
