The 2024 StarTUp Accelerator at Towson University wrapped up with record-breaking success, featuring our most dynamic cohort yet. Over eight weeks, these ventures engaged in intensive, founder-specific programming that covered leadership, company culture, sales, financing, and more.

This year, we were thrilled to welcome Barry Wright, chief of staff at Noom, to our roster of experts. Barry led our founders through pitch scenarios that included real-world twists like “pitching a new must-have employee,” “the client agrees to buy your product but wants an exclusive,” “the client only has 10% of the budget you need,” and “the PowerPoint goes down mid-pitch.” These exercises are designed to prepare founders for the unexpected and help them build resilience and adaptability.

Barry Wright of Noom leads founders through pitch scenarios.
Barry Wright, chief of staff at Noom, interacts with founders participating in the 2024 StarTUp Accelerator at Towson University.

Cohort Achievements

  • Zenjoy expanded its reach and is now carried in all Giant grocery stores across the DMV, bringing their relaxation-promoting iced tea to a wider audience.
  • MIVA Recovery secured placement for their TU-branded water bottles in the TU Bookstore.
  • UfarmX was accepted into Techstars, accelerating their mission to revolutionize agricultural supply chains with cutting-edge technology.
  • Advanced Sports AI, led by Femi, a Super Bowl champion with the Ravens, achieved a major milestone by acquiring a company, expanding their analytics capabilities beyond the NFL. This marks our first venture to complete an acquisition while in the middle of the StarTUp Accelerator.
  • Somnair continued to impress, winning $100,000 at Arizona State, $200,000 at the Rice Business Plan Competition, and $100,000 through the Johns Hopkins President’s Venture Fellowship. Their innovative approach to sleep apnea treatment is garnering widespread recognition.
  • Allison from AEAIS (Association for Elite Athletes’ Individual Success) assembled an extraordinary board that includes medical doctors, PhDs, a New York Times best-selling author, and elite athletes like a Stanley Cup winner, a Super Bowl winner, Olympic gold medalists, and FIFA World Cup champions.
  • JJ Innovative Materials is on the verge of securing a manufacturing facility, marking a significant step forward in scaling their operations.
  • jbrds is close to receiving their second inventory run, which will support the growing demand for their sustainable fashion line.
  • ANTIDOTE Haircare sold out of their current inventory, highlighting the strong market response to their product.

Collaboration and learning successes

Our accelerator cohort enjoyed a day of collaboration with the Johns Hopkins accelerator cohort, fostering cross-institutional innovation and networking. Additionally, for only the second time in our program’s history, the cohort successfully built out their fictitious cap tables—a challenging exercise requiring the inclusion of employee option pools and navigating through pre-money valuations, seed, and Series A rounds.

Financing and growth

Ventures with open financing rounds are already 80% subscribed on average, a remarkable achievement in today’s challenging capital-raising environment. This strong performance before the showcase underscores the caliber of our ventures and the impact of our targeted programming.

Looking forward

As we approach our annual StarTUp Accelerator Showcase on September 12, we are excited to see how these ventures will continue to grow and impact their industries. The StarTUp Accelerator remains committed to supporting these innovative founders every step of the way.