Entrepreneurial organization NXTUS Inc. is launching a new startup accelerator program its leaders say help fill a gap in the local market.
The group will later this month kickoff its NXSTAGE Customer Traction Cohort with 10 regional companies participating in what is designed as a kind of bootcamp for businesses at that stage of their startup journey.
While the NXSTAGE arm of NXTUS has held multiple pilot competitions in the past that have drawn entrepreneurs from around the country in a bid to secure local customers, this program is looking to help home-grown talent do the same.
“This is us betting on our best and brightest,” says NXTUS CEO Josh Oeding.
The eight-week accelerator program begins March 21, with participating companies including:
• 2U Auto, which provides mobile auto detailing.
• Cognition Med, a mobile medical collaboration platform.
• EZ Later, an app that manages the repayment of buy-now, pay-later loans.
• Fair Market Health, which is an online health-care marketplace.
• Retention Engine, which handles customer cancellation requests using AI.
• The Thread, a leadership collective that works to empower women in their careers.
• Unified, which facilitates gaming competitions.
• Virtual Goals Assistant, an online business manager that can help with administrative services, content creation and social media management.
• Zeep & Co., which makes premium body care and home fragrance products.
• Soya, which is an on-demand fuel delivery service.
Half of the program companies are also participants in the current Wichita Inno Madness contest.
"Our team is putting in great work, and I am thrilled about Unified getting into the Customer Traction Cohort,” says founder Ramsey Jamoul. “Alongside this NXTUS program we will increase value for our customers and accelerate our growth."
Oeding says the idea for the program — which echoes the original accelerator idea behind NXTUS predecessor e2e — came from listening to other entrepreneurial stakeholders and gauging the offerings of similar organizations in other communities.
“Being entrepreneurs ourselves, we want to launch our own next products,” he says.
NXTUS executive director Mary Beth Jarvis says the accelerator is an expansion of NXSTAGE product line with a focused intent on boosting revenue.
And, she says, what participants learn could very well help them attract customers just as the winners of past NXSTAGE pilot contests have been able to do.
“This is adding curriculum to the ecosystem,” she says. “This is rolling up your sleeves and doing the work.”
