It’s hard to believe that it’s been a year since we first introduced our Techstars program in partnership with Stanley Black & Decker here in Hartford, CT. In that time, many companies from our first class, which focused solely on additive manufacturing, have already been making an impact and have gone on to expand and raise additional capital. Four are also making a presence right here in Hartford.
We’ve also had time to assess the program’s focus, and we’ve expanded our efforts to work with companies across the advanced manufacturing vertical, with an emphasis on those working on innovations in additive manufacturing and sustainable packaging. In 2018, Stanley Black & Decker signed a pledge with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation in an effort to “help build a more sustainable world,” and we are energized to adjust our program to work with startups who also share that goal.
In selecting this year’s class, we viewed applications from over 30 countries and accepted companies from Spain, Germany, India, Texas, New York, Boston, and California. I’m also thrilled to share that while in venture investing, statistics indicate that only approximately 3% of funding typically goes to female led companies, this year nearly half of our companies have a female founder. All of the 10 companies we selected are exceptional and have the potential to disrupt industries and change the world for the better. So, I couldn’t be more excited to welcome them all to Connecticut for the next 13 weeks. Without further ado, the following is the list of the 10 companies selected for the 2019 STANLEY+Techstars Accelerator: