This summer, 10 community founders participated in the StarTUp Accelerator. They were joined by six participants from our Student Accelerator to develop one dynamic group, creating an exceptionally collaborative and impactful experience. Over eight weeks, founders worked side-by-side, shared perspectives, challenges and wins, and formed connections that will last well beyond the program.

A summer of intensive learning, mentorship and momentum

The StarTUp Accelerator is designed to do one thing — help founders move their businesses forward. Through a mix of education, mentorship and hands-on work, this year’s cohort tackled everything from lean startup methodology and customer discovery to product-market fit validation, business model testing and cashflow management. We also placed an emphasis on founder wellness and self-care, recognizing that healthy, resilient leaders build healthy, resilient companies.

A special thank you to our incredible entrepreneurs in residence, David Miller and Brit Keller, ran this year’s program — guiding our founders with expertise, encouragement and candid feedback.

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The StarTUp Accelerator wouldn’t be possible without the generous support of our sponsors — Baltimore County Department of Economic and Workforce Development, Nemphos Braue, and Greenspring Advisors. Their commitment helps our founders dream bigger and achieve more.

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One of the most common themes we heard from Accelerator applicants this year was the desire to broaden their network, not just to meet more people, but to connect with individuals bringing diverse expertise and perspectives. We embraced that challenge by creating more opportunities for collaboration and by inviting an extraordinary roster of guest experts and partners to engage with our cohort.

We are grateful to everyone that volunteered to connect with our founders. Their insights didn’t just answer questions, they opened new possibilities.

  • Rennard Brown, Baltimore County Department of Economic and Workforce Development: Resources for startups and small businesses
  • Kira Caban, Neon Comms and PR: PR strategies for startups
  • David Carberry, Enradius: Sales strategies for founders
  • Kerrie Carden, Equip Advisory: Financial wellness for founders
  • Greenspring Advisors: Fundraising, cashflow, and forecasting
  • Teddy Gresser, TEDCO: Fundraising in the Baltimore area
  • Megan Huey, Delve Consulting: HR best practices
  • Alexey Ikonomou, Ashton Design: Branding best practices
  • Jal Irani, Flave, Towson University, Johns Hopkins University: AI for entrepreneurs
  • Nemphos Braue: intellectual property and corporate structure
  • James Oliver, Kabila Ventures: Entrepreneur self-care and mental health
  • Willie Sanders, Towson University: Social impact entrepreneurship
  • Christopher Schafer, Christopher Schafer Clothier: Sharing his founder journey
  • Emily Ward, Turnitin: Product-market fit guidance
  • Barry Wright, Highwire Improv: Pitch coaching and adaptability training

Connecting founders, fueling innovation

This year’s cohort didn’t just learn from each other, they actively engaged with Baltimore’s broader entrepreneurial community, building valuable connections and sharing ideas across institutions and industries. These moments remind us that innovation doesn’t happen in isolation, it flourishes when communities come together.

This year’s cohort enjoyed a day of collaboration with the Johns Hopkins Summer Incubator cohort at the Pava Marie LaPere Center for Entrepreneurship, fostering cross-institutional innovation and networking. We extend our gratitude to the entire Pava Center team for hosting an impactful day of learning.
The cohort spent an evening with UMBC’s Alex. Brown Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation accelerator cohort, for an interactive session on leadership and problem-solving led by Chris Stammer.
Pacesetters Baltimore welcomed our cohort to their July event for an energizing morning where founders connected with business leaders, innovators, and changemakers from across the region.
At our StarTUp Meet & Greet, founders networked with community members, alumni, partners and supporters.
Our friends at Nemphos Braue hosted the cohort for a lively Happy Hour at their offices, offering yet another opportunity to strengthen relationships and swap ideas over great conversation. Include pictures

Founder accomplishments

All of our founders achieved meaningful milestones this summer. Here’s a snapshot:

StarTUp Accelerator

  • The Creative Representation Empire: Built scalable sales model, launched a new coloring book, expanded retail channels
  • Fetal Therapy Technologies: Entered new markets, advanced prototype, published in Journal of Fetal Diagnosis and Therapy
  • Monneah’s Engineered Materials: Refined business model, planned validation strategy, represented at multiple speaking events
  • My Health Data: Established market presence, released MVPs to accelerate customer discovery
  • Morning Mugs: Rebuilt operations after partnership change, expanded menu, developed retail model
  • Pancibus LLC: Refined model, advanced segmentation, signed first customer
  • Premedly: Optimized tech infrastructure, prepared first paid trial, identified target markets
  • Props: Enhanced pricing strategy, restructured for fundraising, expanded customer base
  • Psybr Health Inc.: Completed prototype, secured funding, preparing for Nov 2025 launch
  • Share: Developed validation plan for pricing and value proposition, advanced MVP build
  • Total Home Physical Therapy In A Bag, LLC: Defined segments, began manufacturing exploration

Student Accelerator

  • Draftspire: Prepared for customer discovery and first service offerings
  • Earth’s Groove: Optimized margins, refined sales strategy, signed new partners
  • Meal Mode: Scaled operations, expanded customer base, refined target customer
  • Palava Hut: Pivoted business model, reset founding team
  • Wearable: Built brand presence, segmented customers, advanced prototype design

Looking ahead

Join us on September 18 for our annual StarTUp Accelerator Showcase to celebrate the incredible progress of this year’s founders. This is your chance to hear their pitches, learn about their innovative ventures and support the next wave of Baltimore’s entrepreneurial talent. We couldn’t be prouder and we can’t wait to see what they build next.