The gBETA St. Thomas accelerator announced Wednesday the five companies that form its summer 2021 cohort.
The free accelerator, which is run by Milwaukee-based gener8tor, lasts seven weeks. It's the third class for the accelerator since it launched in 2019 in collaboration with the Schulze School of Entrepreneurship.
“The intensive mentoring, training and resources are vitally important for our entrepreneurs,” said Dr. Laura Dunham, associate dean of the Schulze School. “Students and alumni don’t have to go it alone. At the Schulze School, we can provide guidance and resources to help them navigate the uncertainties and challenges of startups. And with gener8tor, we amplify our effectiveness in supporting them.”
Each startup in the class has at least one founder who attended St. Thomas.
The gBETA St. Thomas program is held twice a year. The program culminates with a pitch night where participants pitch to an audience of entrepreneurs and investors.
The four startups in the gBETA St. Thomas accelerator summer 2021 class are:
- Love You Cookie makes cookies inspired by classic recipes and sells them through e-commerce and retail. The company has sold over $60,000 this year and signed deals to be retail partners with Target and Lululemon.
- Seraph 7 Studios develops video games that emphasize minority communities. The studio is a Minnesota public benefit corporation and will launch its first game early next year.
- SimBull lets sports fans trade virtual shares that represent professional and collegiate teams. User buy and sell shares in virtual teams that mirror objective results. The company has over 1,500 members.
- Willa's makes plant milks using whole, organic ingredients.
- ZeSa manufactures patented training devices for rehab programs. Its devices combine instability and rotation, allowing trainees to achieve optimal strength, balance and flexibility. Sales so far are $129,000, with a client list that includes 25 professional sports teams.
