Cincinnati accelerator Brandery said this week that it has selected four startups to participate in its completely virtual 11th cohort.
The Brandery provides resources and mentorship to early-stage companies in industries like marketing, advertising, retail and consumer packaged goods. The curriculum helps founders build a consumer-facing brand, not just a product.
Startups that participate in the program receive an equity investment of $100,000 and access to an elite mentor list that includes creative agencies and corporate leaders from places like Kroger and Procter & Gamble.
Organizers of the 11th cohort decided early on in the Covid-19 pandemic that the upcoming program would take place virtually – a first for the accelerator.
"The four companies we selected for this all-virtual program have shown incredible resiliency and commitment as they navigate these challenging times," Brandery Managing Director Jeff Boeh said in a statement. "With six weeks remaining in the program, we are confident they will sustain that growth and solidify funding for their future goals."
Brandery is currently halfway through its 12-week program. The accelerator typically concludes with a demo day where each founder pitches the company before an audience of investors, entrepreneurs and community members. In place of this event, Brandery will host a combined virtual demo day with the gener8tor Madison cohort on August 13.
Here are the four companies in the new accelerator, with descriptions provided by Brandery:
Bright
Halifax, Nova Scotia-based Bright offers a combination of on-site and virtual services that help engage employees in the workplace. On-site offerings include hair, nails, dry cleaning and massage. Virtual services include mindfulness, nutrition, yoga and various fitness classes.
Curie
Seattle, Wash.-based Curie enables shoppers to experience what's in-store at home through a camera on devices they already engage with. Curie uses spatial positioning, camera-AI, and user-directed learning to guide shoppers, advertise products and increase sales. Developers can add computer vision to their web and mobile applications using Curie's low-code software development kit. Brands and retailers can increase sales through targeted advertising based on location, historical information and demographic data.
Sampoll
Hartford, Conn.-based Sampoll's SaaS platform creates, manages and optimizes promotional marketing and product sampling campaigns for CPG brands and agencies. Sampoll's reporting dashboard provides accountability and simplicity with real-time insights on consumer engagement, product feedback and demographic information.
Unbox the Dress
Canton, Ohio-based Unbox the Dress provides with brides with a sustainable solution for post-wedding gown care. The company allows customers to turn their wedding dress into a collection of designs to enjoy and gift to loved ones. Dress preservation and off-site storage services help customers maximize the design potential of their dress fabric.
