Nevada Governor’s Office of Economic Development’s SSBCI Venture Capital Program and gener8tor Reno-Tahoe invests $500K into startups
Five New Innovative Companies Selected for 12-Week Accelerator Program
Reno, NV - Five new, fast-growing startup companies from across the country have been selected to receive a $100,000 investment and participate in the gener8tor Reno-Tahoe Investment Accelerator program. As part of this program, each startup relocated to the region and opened up operations locally.
The selected startups include Reno-based infrastructure inspection robotics AIR Corp; Reno-based plant health innovation Drain Drawer Pots; Vancouver-based custom technical outdoor apparel MADE; Fort Lauderdale-based virtual sizing technology Standard Measure Technologies; and Henderson-based telecommunications platform Phone2.
In partnership with the Nevada Governor’s Office of Economic Development, gener8tor Reno-Tahoe invests $100,000 into each of five high-growth startups per cohort across all industries and business models. Accepted startups take part in gener8tor’s intensive 12-week, cohort-based accelerator program, which includes 1:1 coaching, mentorship-driven programming, more than $1 million in deals and perks and more than 100 connections to the gener8tor network of mentors and investors.
gener8tor Reno-Tahoe received more than 325 applications from across the country for the program. The five selected companies were chosen based on their growth potential, intellectual property portfolio, product-market fit and go-to-market strategy.
“I’m thrilled to get to work with these five incredible founders as they work to prove product-market fit and generate value for their customers,” said Danny deLaveaga, gener8tor Reno/Tahoe Managing Director. “This program not only supports these five companies but also brings opportunity and economic development to the entire Northern Nevada community.”
“These investments in the Reno-gener8tor-cohort companies represent an important next phase in our SSBCI Venture Capital, Battle Born Growth, Accelerator co-investment program,” said Karsten Heise, Senior Director of Strategic Programs & Innovation and Nevada SSBCI Program Manager. “Battle Born Growth’s Accelerator component is proving to become a cornerstone of our venture capital program benefitting particularly earlier-stage startups in our state. It is also strengthening our partnership with gener8tor and EDAWN,” said Heise.
At the end of the accelerator program, the startup founders will pitch their companies to investors, community partners and the public at a Showcase event at 5:30 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 11, at the Nevada Museum of Art (RSVP here).
Startup founders interested in learning more about gener8tor’s programming or applying to a future program can visit the gener8tor Reno-Tahoe website www.gener8tor.com/investment-accelerators/reno-tahoe, or reach out to Managing Director Danny deLaveaga at daniel.delaveaga@gener8tor.com. Those interested in mentoring these companies or getting involved in other ways are also encouraged to connect.
gener8tor Reno-Tahoe 2023 Cohort
AIR Corp develops state-of-the-art remote control robots and vision inspection software. Unlike traditional drones and land rovers, Air Corp’s robots have the ability to climb up walls and navigate a variety of difficult-to-reach infrastructure using hybrid magnetics, propellers and land locomotion. To date, AIR Corp has $165,000 in sales for infrastructure inspection robotics.
Dr. Jim La, Founder | hla@unr.edu
Drain Drawer Pots is here to end the hassle of watering plants. Our patent-pending pots made from recycled materials provide the ultimate hydration station for houseplants. The magic lies in the removable drawer that captures drainage, preventing messy overflow. Better yet, control drainage on demand to let soil soak up all the water it needs. No more lugging plants to a sink or dealing with crusty drainage trays. An innovative side spout allows utilizing the bottom-watering technique right where plants sit. It's the end of troublesome watering once and for all. And, it prevents plastic waste—a win-win for you and the planet. Launching November 2023, Drain Drawer partnered with Star Nursery to unveil Drain Drawer Pots in stores across three states in 16different locations.
Kristopher Kalkowski, Co-founder | kristopher.kalkowski@gmail.com
MADE technology enables the future of custom and made-to-measure technical apparel for the outdoor industry. MADE’s innovative systems are moving the outdoor industry forward with complete size inclusivity, improved sustainability and more personalization than ever before. The upcoming launch of the MADE TECH SaaS platform is set to drive massive scaled growth as the technology integrates with other apparel brands connecting with a larger audience and making a bigger impact on the outdoor experience. MADE has driven $125K in sales through the MADE Brand, and forecasts an additional $500K by the end of 2023 through co-branded products with ski and snowboard brands.
Dustin Butcher, Co-founder & CEO | dustin@madeoutdoor.com
Standard Measure Technologies enables personalization through precision sizing. Its AI-powered sizing technology can be first seen in the beauty industry with Nailstry, a fingernail sizing platform that provides accurate sizing information, reduces production times by 50 percent and increases sustainability while fortifying customer satisfaction and brand loyalty. Nailstry has a trailing six-month revenue of $196,869 and a co-branding partnership with Unilever’s brand, SheaMoisture, currently in Target stores and on target.com for the holiday season.
Aurelia Edwards, Founder & CEO | aurelia@nailstry.com
Phone2's next-gen phone system supercharges customer engagement through a unified inbox, enabling outreach via SMS, calls and more. Businesses can maximize their ROI with a 4x increase in open rates with Phone2's SMS broadcasting. They can also address customer inquiries as a team, via call or text, from a single shared inbox on one phone number. With 20 percent month-over-month growth in monthly recurring revenue, Phone2 has partnered with CapitalOne to access its 400,000 business card clientele through the perks portal.
Andrew Shaker, Co-founder & CEO | andrew@phone2.io
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 accelerator 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 the Reno / Tahoe g8 Investment Accelerator
gener8tor invests $100,000 into each of five high-growth startups per cohort across all industries and business models. Accepted startups take part in the intensive 12-week, cohort-based accelerator program, which includes 1:1 coaching, mentorship-driven programming, $1M+ in deals and perks, and 100+ connections to the gener8tor network of mentors and investors.
About the Governor’s Office of Economic Development
Created during the 2011 session of the Nevada Legislature, the Governor’s Office of Economic Development is the result of a collaborative effort between the Nevada Legislature and the Governor’s Office to restructure economic development in the state. GOED’s role is to promote a robust, diversified and prosperous economy in Nevada, to stimulate business expansion and retention, encourage entrepreneurial enterprise, attract new businesses and facilitate community development.
