Five University of St. Thomas Alumni-Founded Startups Make The Cut For gBETA Cohort, Each Securing $10,000 Grant
University hosts sixth cohort in partnership with gener8tor
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – After launching its sixth cohort, gener8tor and the University of St. Thomas announced the selection of five innovative startups founded by St. Thomas alumni to participate in the Fall gBETA St. Thomas accelerator program.
This year, BlueHorn Tea, Converteca, Doughy, Nuubi, and Offer Spotter were chosen from an impressive 53 applicants, showcasing their exceptional potential to thrive in the competitive entrepreneurial landscape.
gBETA St. Thomas is a free, seven-week accelerator designed to equip startups with the resources necessary to secure investment opportunities. Throughout the program, these startups will receive personalized coaching, mentorship and access to gener8tor’s expansive network of investors, corporate partners and industry experts. Each selected startup will also be awarded a $10,000 grant from the Schulze School of Entrepreneurship to support their growth.
Previous gBETA St. Thomas cohorts have successfully supported 27 companies founded by St. Thomas students & alumni. These companies have collectively raised more than $2.7 million in funding, achieved one successful exit and generated 74 new jobs.
“I am excited to announce the acceptance of these five great startups in the gBETA St. Thomas cohort,” said Megan Baniecke, Managing Director of the gBETA St. Thomas program. “Their selection from such a strong pool of candidates showcases their incredible potential and eagerness to connect with investors. We are committed to equipping them with the necessary resources and guidance to thrive in the competitive landscape and I look forward to witnessing their achievements throughout the program.”
This successful program is made possible through the collaborative efforts of gener8tor and the University of St. Thomas - Schulze School of Entrepreneurship, both dedicated to fostering innovation within the community.
“The Schulze School of Entrepreneurship is excited to partner with gener8tor to support this sixth cohort of gBETA. Through this program, we empower students and alumni to turn their venture visions into reality. ” said Danielle C. Ailts Campeau, DBA - Associate Dean and Best Buy Distinguished Chair, Schulze School of Entrepreneurship.
The culmination of the gBETA program will feature a showcase event in February 2025, held in collaboration with gALPHA St. Thomas. To connect with our cohort or stay informed about upcoming events and programs, please fill out this form.
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 Managing Director Megan Baniecke at megan.baniecke@gener8tor.com. Those interested in mentoring these companies or getting involved in other ways are also encouraged to connect.
gBETA St. Thomas 2024 Cohort
BlueHorn Tea brings Somalia's cultural heritage to life with authentic tea blends made from ethically sourced spices that highlight traditional flavors. BlueHorn Tea simplifies traditional tea brewing, inviting everyone to enjoy the warmth and rich flavors of Somali hospitality in every cup. BlueHorn Tea has generated more than $15,000 in revenue and has been featured on Fox 9.
bteas.com
CEO & Founder: Yubi Hassan yubihassan@bluehorntea.com
Converteca reclaims raw materials from lithium-ion batteries through a patent-pending process that achieves an industry-leading 98.3% reclamation rate, delivering a sustainable solution for battery recycling. Converteca closes the loop of battery recycling by picking up used batteries, reclaiming the raw materials, and then selling these materials to metal wholesalers who supply them to battery manufacturers for the production of new batteries. Converteca has reclaimed 36 batteries and secured more than $55,000 in non-dilutive funding from pitch competitions and grants in the past year.
converteca.com
CEO: Gabriel Riegert Gabriel.Riegert1@gmail.com
Doughy empowers businesses to save time and money by accurately forecasting daily product demand at the SKU level using external factors like weather and events, reducing waste and increasing profitability. Doughy supports restaurants and food service businesses, providing them with insights to optimize production and inventory management. Doughy is currently in development with an anticipated launch of late October.
CEO: Zeeshawn Abid zeeshawnabid@gmail.com
Nuubi enhances university student success with its peer-learning app that leverages gamification. Nuubi equips universities and educational institutions to improve student engagement and retention by driving peer interactions and support. Now available on iOS and Android, Nuubi engages 266 users.
nuubi.app
Founder: Kathryn Wifvat kat@nuubi.app
Offer Spotter fuels the success of local, independent restaurants, bars, and breweries by better connecting them with foodies who want to easily explore local dining experiences. Offer Spotter empowers local eateries and drinkeries to attract new patrons by promoting their flash events and recurring offers directly to a community of passionate foodies. Offer Spotter is available on IOS and Android and more than 300 users in the Twin Cities.
offerspotter.net
CEO & Founder: Steve Geier steve@offerspotter.net
About gener8tor
gener8tor is a global venture firm and accelerator network that supports startups, workers, employers, artists and musicians across race, place and gender. gener8tor partners with companies, governments, universities and nonprofits to operate programs and conferences in more than 41 communities across 22 states and two countries. Fast Company named gener8tor one of the Best Workplaces for Innovators in 2021 and 2022. The International Trade Council recognized gener8tor as the Global Venture Capital Firm of the Year in 2022.
About gBETA
gBETA is a non-equity accelerator that facilitates the growth of early-stage companies through a network-driven program. This accelerator supports five startups per cohort and requires no fees for startups and takes no equity. Since launching in 2015, gBETA accelerator alumni have raised $794+ in capital and created 4,870+ jobs across the U.S. and Canada.
About University of St. Thomas Schulze School of Entrepreneurship
The University of St. Thomas Schulze School of Entrepreneurship is ranked No. 18 among all undergraduate entrepreneurship programs in America, and No. 1 among the nation’s Catholic universities and colleges. The Schulze School provides an undergraduate program, graduate courses, community resources and seed capital for student and alumni ventures. Located in Schulze Hall on the St. Thomas Minneapolis campus, the Schulze School is the only of its kind within a business school, housing world-class centers and institutes including the Family Business Center, the Small Business Development Center, and the Schulze Innovation Fund. In addition to serving business students, the Schulze School engages cross-campus, cross-disciplinary students and professionals to participate in entrepreneurial education and activities, and access resource centers.