This week Target unveiled the companies in two of its summer accelerator programs, and a Milwaukee startup is among the businesses working with the retail giant.
Target announced that Blue Mangoes---a Milwaukee-based startup that makes organic dried fruits while empowering rural women farmers in places like Uganda, Kenya and Haiti---was one of eight startups selected to its Target Incubator program. Target Incubator participants are currently taking part in virtual programming with Target, and will travel to Minneapolis in June for an eight-week retail crash-course. The program concludes with a Demo Day event in August.
The Target Incubator, which set out in October to find startups with “better for people” or “better for the planet” business ideas, gives each business a $10,000 stipend and access to Target’s resources and mentors to help them grow.
Founded in 2016, Blue Mangoes partners with rural farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa, Central America, and the Caribbean to make organic dried fruits. The company makes passive solar dehydrators, which work without electricity, to make dried fruit from produce that would have otherwise gone to waste.
Blue Mangoes says it has a network of more than 3,000 farmers in developing countries, providing income to families in those communities.
Blue Mangoes is currently running a Kickstarter campaign for its dried fruits, which as of Tuesday has nearly approached its $8,000 goal with more than 20 days remaining in the campaign.
Target Incubator is one of two accelerators the company runs. It also operates the METRO Target Retail Accelerator, which mentors nine companies over 12 weeks and provides $120,000 in funding.
