gener8tor Partners with OCAST, Cortado Ventures and Boyd Street Ventures to Launch Oklahoma Accelerator for Startups
gener8tor Oklahoma City Accelerator Welcomes Inaugural Cohort
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - Global venture firm and startup accelerator, gener8tor, in partnership with the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology, Cortado Ventures, and Boyd Street Ventures, kicked off the inaugural gener8tor Oklahoma City Investment Accelerator cohort in March. The gener8tor OKC Investment Accelerator focuses on serving Oklahoma-based startups, as well as those in the biotechnology, agriculture technology, energy diversification and life sciences industries.
The OKC Accelerator aims to grow and scale leading Oklahoma startups across the state through gener8tor’s 12-week investment accelerator that includes $100,000 of seed capital and access to gener8tor’s international network of mentors and investors along with entrepreneurial training and support. The OKC Accelerator is held in Oklahoma City once per year with just eight companies accepted per year to ensure a high level of individualized attention.
gener8tor recruited startups nationally, with a focus on local startups for the investment accelerator in an effort to support homegrown companies while also attracting startups to relocate to Oklahoma City. The participating companies in the 2023 gener8tor OKC program are Big Ass Bag, Bluejay Partners, Exhale, Monthly, Nodecraft, Sci-Lume Labs, Solace Vision, and Splynt. Learn more about the selected startups below.
“This program represents an exciting opportunity for entrepreneurs and startups to access the resources and support needed to thrive in today’s rapidly evolving business landscape,” said Jennifer McGrail, executive director of the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science & Technology.
Together, gener8tor and its partners aim to bring economic diversity and job growth to Oklahoma. gener8tor OKC is also generously supported by Full Sail Capital and Brex.
“We are thrilled to launch the gener8tor OKC accelerator as part of the Oklahoma Accelerator Program,” McGrail said. “With gener8tor’s proven track record of success, we are confident that this accelerator will play a vital role in driving innovation and economic growth in Oklahoma and beyond.”
At the end of the program, startup founders will showcase their companies to investors, community partners and the public at an all-day event on June 13th.
Startup companies and founders interested in learning more about the program and resources or applying to a future program are encouraged to reach out to Anita Ly at anita@gener8tor.com or visit the gener8tor OKC Investment Accelerator’s page.
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Gener8tor Oklahoma City Spring 2023 Cohort
BIG ASS BAG provides convenience in the online shopping experience through a universal shopping cart that allows users to add different items from different stores, all in one place, in a Big Ass Bag. BAB allows those making purchasing decisions to compare products, curate a collection, and save selections when shopping online.
Since launch in May 2022, BAB has released its MVP and onboarded 200 beta users.
Jenae Goodin | Founder & CEO | bab@shoppingbab.com | Moore, Oklahoma
Shoppingbab.com | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
BLUEJAY PARTNERS’ two-sided platform changes the way police interact with citizens during a traffic stop. The patent-pending platform humanizes both parties and gives useful information such as medical and mental conditions prior to an interaction.
BlueJay has over 500 citizen customers awaiting official launch. BlueJay has received full support of the Oklahoma Fraternal Order of Police and 10 police departments in its pipeline.
Curt Foster | Co-Founder & CEO | curt@bluejayapp.us | Edmond, Oklahoma
Bluejayllc.net | Instagram | Facebook
EXHALE improves access, availability and affordability for lung rehab patients with the use of algorithms and AI technology. Exhale designs a comprehensive and personalized client experience based on research-proven disease management methods and delivers it all online. Exhale launched in November 2022 and interest has grown steadily, with 11 percent month-over-month growth in patient sign-ups.
Wendy Lawson | Co-founder & CEO | wendy@joinexhale.com | Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Joinexhale.com | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn
MONTHLY has disrupted the period product industry by creating period underwear that is sustainable, gender-inclusive, comfortable, flattering and up to 50 percent cheaper than market-leading options. Monthly donates 10 percent of all profits to charities in the South focused on eradicating period poverty and advocating for menstrual equity.
Monthly currently has 172 paying customers totaling $6,000 in pre-order revenue and is planning for a full launch in May 2023.
Aiko Pickering | Founder & CEO | aiko@shopmonthly.co | Mobile, Alabama
Shopmonthly.co | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn
Nodecraft expands, re-engages and monetizes online multiplayer gaming communities. Game studios and publishers partner with Nodecraft to instantly embed a suite of plug & play products to add multiplayer capability and community into their game, complete with a previously untapped recurring revenue stream.
Nodecraft has helped gamers create more than 250,000 game servers and growing, resulting in $1.3M ARR on a bootstrapped budget.
Jonathan Yarbor | Co-Founder & CEO | jon@nodecraft.com | Yukon, Oklahoma
Nodecraft.com | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn
SCI-LUME LABS develops new biobased and biodegradable fibers to replace conventional petrochemical fibers like nylon and polyester. Bylon™ — Sci-Lume Labs’ high-performance, drop-in ready fiber will be used by textile and apparel manufacturers to address the environmental concerns associated with synthetic fibers without losing the performance and versatility of conventional synthetics.
In the last year, Sci-Lume’s production scale has increased by 420x, while production costs have decreased by 360x.
Oliver Shafaat | Founder & CEO | oliver@sci-lumelabs.com | Edmond, Oklahoma
Sci-lumelabs.com | LinkedIn
SOLACE VISION enables text-to-3D creation of virtual objects using natural language. Solace Vision removes the barriers to entry of creation so that developing video games, animated movies and 3D models takes a fraction of the time and experience.
In just two months, over 1,300 users have created more than 2,400 projects on Solace’s Alpha platform.
Shawn Gaetano | Co-founder & CEO | shawn@solacevision.com | Tulsa, Oklahoma
Solacevision.com | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn
SPLYNT’s digital health platform provides virtual care to individuals suffering from musculoskeletal injuries and disorders. Patients connect instantly through two unique pathways to get immediate care, treatment recommendations and expedited referrals as necessary.
Splynt has served over 2,000 paid patients and nine youth teams on the platform.
Heath Pratt | Founder & CEO | heath@splynt.co | Moore, Oklahoma
Splynt.co | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn
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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 OCAST
The Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology (OCAST) is the state's agency for technology-based economic development. We are a results-driven, high-performing organization that increases research activity and public/private partnerships leading to innovation in the core tech sectors most important to Oklahoma's economy, including Aerospace - Defense and Autonomous, Biotechnology and Life Sciences, and Energy Diversification. This results in new businesses, job growth, higher wages, and an improved quality of life for the citizens of Oklahoma.
About Cortado Ventures
Cortado Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm that invests in ambitious, growth-driven companies, backing a new generation of economic prosperity for Oklahoma and the Midcontinent region. As one of the largest VC funds in Oklahoma, Cortado's focus is on tech companies bringing innovative solutions to the energy, logistics, life sciences, aerospace and the future of work sectors. For more information, visit cortado.ventures.
About Boyd Street Ventures
Boyd Street Ventures is a groundbreaking early-stage venture capital firm connecting institutional and other investors to high-growth investment opportunities developed within the ecosystem of University of Oklahoma, recipient of the Carnegie Classification’s highest rating for research activity, and by OU alums and other Oklahoma-affiliated entrepreneurs. BSV places Pre-Seed, Angel, Seed and Series A/B investments in the Life Sciences, FinTech, Energy Tech, Aerospace & Defense, and Climate Tech sectors. The firm focuses on under-the-radar startups that are less likely to have their prices overbid and overpriced than are startups on the East and West Coasts. This strategy, coupled with its unusually active involvement in providing de-risking strategic and operational counsel to these startups through its BSV Venture Studio, enables Boyd Street Ventures to target above-average returns for its investors. For more information, please visit https://www.boydstreetventures.com/.
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