Project Partners​:

George Mason University ​

​Funding Summary​:

County Investment: $450,000​
Total Investment: $450,000

County Funding to Date: $450,000​
Direct Revenue Generated: N/A

Project Goals:​

• Identify, engage, support and develop local entrepreneurs throughout the year to participate in the Accelerate Forums and prepare founders for the annual Accelerate Conference.  
• Educate investors to identify growth potential and assess financial risk. 
• Showcase investors affiliated with regional angel investment groups or incubators/accelerators.  
• Establish curated pitch opportunities for start-up companies.  
• Provide founders with access to resources and preparation for funding.  
• Foment relationship building among entrepreneur and investor communities.  

​Project Milestones:​

• Memorandum of Agreement was executed March 2024.​
• Accelerate Breakfast Series events began on April 12, 2024, and occur three times each year. In addition, a larger investor forum, Accelerate Conference, occurs yearly in the fall. 
• Breakfasts are expected to continue into 2028.

Project Outcomes:

• Facilitated more than 20 pitch presentations in five sessions, connecting startups with potential investors and leading to seed funding commitments. Presenting companies have raised close to $20 million to date. 
• Created valuable connections and learning for both investors and entrepreneurs. Survey results from the most recent event identified a 97% satisfaction rate with the quality of the pitches, and 100% of participants stated that the event was worth participants’ time.
   

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