Pictured: Jae Paik, CEO & Co-founder of zero5 (FF 2024). Photo courtesy of Jamon Davis.
At Company Ventures, our dedication to building an equitable and inclusive tech ecosystem continues to drive our partnership and engagement with New York City. We're excited to announce that applications are now open for our third cohort of Boost, a program part of the citywide Founder Fellowship initiative.
In collaboration with the New York City Economic Development Corporation, Boost is a 4-month program addressing the funding disparities for first-time tech founders from historically underrepresented backgrounds. We equip founders with the tools they need to successfully scale their businesses by offering access to an investor and founder network, and culturally competent resources and support. Our mission is to foster a thriving community of founders and prepare them for the fundraising journey ahead.
Last year’s cohort was a remarkable success. We had the privilege of working with 15 startups spanning various verticals, all united by their shared vision of innovation and growth. Despite a challenging fundraising environment, these founders have collectively secured $650,000 during the 4-month program. Additionally, 80% of these startups reached significant business milestones including team growth of 32 hires across the cohort, demonstrating strategic expansion during the course of the fellowship.
Key benefits of the Boost program include:
- Mentorship from seasoned investors and successful founders
- Access to professional services including investor/pitch deck structure and storytelling, marketing, legal support, and various tech platforms
- A focus on building values-driven businesses within a supportive community
- Communal co-working spaces at our Company Ventures office in Midtown Manhattan
Although Company Ventures operates as a sector-agnostic firm, we have core focus areas, and we encourage founders building in the FinTech, Digital Health, and B2B SaaS spaces to apply.
Since its inception, Company Ventures has worked alongside the City of New York to align resources and goals with the city’s broader initiatives for long-term sustainability. Tackling inequities in the tech space is crucial to nurturing New York's innovation ecosystem, and it remains a core focus of our work.
Applications for the next cohort will be open until December 6th. To learn more and apply, visit our website.
A general info session with NYCEDC and all operators will be held on Tuesday, November 12th. RSVP here.