Eight Freshwater Innovators Selected For Accelerator

gener8tor and 20Fathoms welcome inaugural gBETA cohort

Traverse City, MI - 20Fathoms in partnership with gener8tor has selected eight freshwater-focused companies to participate in the inaugural Northern Michigan BlueTech Accelerator in Traverse City.

Companies selected include AmHyTech, CaptureTech, Ceretune, Effluent, Growbud, H2O Connected, Oprones, and Thalweg will participate in the Northern Michigan BlueTech Accelerator program through national venture capital firm gener8tor.

The Northern Michigan BlueTech Accelerator, a free program of the gold-rated startup accelerator and venture capital firm, gener8tor, is a seven-week mentorship-driven accelerator program designed to set a path for startups to scale and pursue investment opportunities. Startup founders receive intensive coaching and access to gener8tor's national network of mentors, customers, corporate partners and investors. This program is poised to create jobs in the Traverse City region along the way.

The eight selected companies were chosen for their innovative approaches, growth potential and investor readiness, with the ability to drive impact in Northern Michigan, the Great Lakes region, and beyond. See below for more details on each company.

The program is made possible by a partnership with 20Fathoms, and through the support of the U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration's Build to Scale Program, with additional matching support from Michigan Economic Development Corporation and community partners. 20Fathoms is a Traverse City-based nonprofit technology hub and startup incubator that connects founders with the coaching, capital, expertise, and community they need. With a growing focus on freshwater and BlueTech, 20Fathoms is helping position Northern Michigan as a place where water-focused companies can build, test, and scale-making it an ideal regional partner for the accelerator.

"These BlueTech leaders are stepping into much more than an accelerator," said Stacey Feeley, 20Fathoms Executive Director. "They are now immersed in an entire ecosystem that includes capital, mentors, potential customers and more, all in a region that's a national hub for freshwater technologies. This first cohort represents the next generation of successful businesses being built around our community's unique assets, supported by the deep expertise of our partners at gener8tor. We can't wait to get started."

The gBETA program is built to move companies forward, fast. Founders receive frequent feedback, challenge their assumptions, and iterate on their businesses throughout the program, while building relationships with mentors from Northern Michigan and gener8tor's national network. Those relationships extend beyond the seven weeks, giving each company a lasting network of people invested in their continued growth.

"We're thrilled to launch this inaugural cohort in a region that has all the ingredients to become a leader in freshwater innovation," said Kristen Gibbs, gBETA Program Director. "Northern Michigan offers founders direct proximity to freshwater, a growing network of water expertise, and an entrepreneurial community ready to help them build and scale solutions to challenges like resilient infrastructure and freshwater remediation. Partnering with 20Fathoms allows us to connect these companies with the people, resources, and regional knowledge they need to turn those solutions into growing businesses."

At the end of the Northern Michigan BlueTech Accelerator program, the startup founders will pitch their companies to investors, community partners and the public at a showcase event on October 22 in Traverse City, MI. Register here to stay updated on event details.

Startup companies and founders interested in learning more about gBETA's programming and resources or applying to a future program can visit the gener8tor gBETA website, or reach out to Kristen Gibbs at [email protected]. Those interested in mentoring these companies or getting involved in other ways are also encouraged to connect.