Searchspring — a local company that helps clients improve their online stores — announced the rollout of its new Searchspring Ecommerce Accelerator program aimed at businesses owned by women and people of color.
On March 25, the company will start accepting applications to the accelerator, designed for pre-revenue and early-stage commerce companies. The program is intended to help participants improve their online shopping experiences, conversion rates and overall customer satisfaction. Searchspring currently supports the commerce sites for retail brands like Fabletics, Alternative Apparel, Wildfang, Volcom and Moen.
Participants will also have access to an account manager, developers, an onboarding specialist and guidance for best practices. There will also be quarterly accelerator meet-ups.
Each application will be reviewed by Searchspring's executive team. Those accepted into the program will receive discounted access to the search, merchandising and personalization platform for 12 months.
CEO Peter Messana said that the amount of the discount will vary based on the size and scale of the applicant's business.
Messana said that startups and businesses from underserved communities often find it challenging to access tools needed to grow their business. Searchspring's new accelerator can help bridge that gap, he said.
"Our goal is essentially just to support any new entrance into the commerce space," Messana said, noting that it's a quick way to support the next generation of websites.
Searchspring, founded in Denver in 2007, was acquired in 2019 by San Antonio-based Scaleworks, which invests in and operates software companies. Shortly after, it merged with Toronto-based Nextopia and moved, under the Searchspring name, to the Alamo City. In the fall of 2020, it opened an additional office in Poland.
