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Westchester County’s Element 46 Tech Accelerator Seeking Innovative Local Startups to Join 10-Week Program This September

Westchester County, New York (July 11, 2024) – Westchester County’s Element 46 Tech Accelerator Powered by Cela is currently accepting applications for its fall cohort, which will begin in September. Each startup selected will experience a world-class accelerator program that features a key curriculum, connections to entrepreneurs, investors, and mentors, and full-time support from the Element 46 staff. The program will culminate with a Demo Day in November 2024, where each participant will have the opportunity to pitch their venture to a room full of investors, technology experts, press representatives, government officials, and other key contacts.      

Westchester County Executive George Latimer said: “The Element 46 Tech Accelerator is a dynamic program that combines education, mentorship, and networking to help startups scale. I strongly encourage tech startups from throughout the County looking to take their venture to the next level to apply early for this powerful program.”

Westchester County Director of Economic Development, Bridget Gibbons, said: “The tech ecosystem in Westchester County is diverse. From medtech and fintech to proptech and consumer apps, the Element 46 Tech Accelerator has helped numerous ventures accelerate their fundraising and client acquisition. We are proud of the growing interest in Element 46 and our alumni’s many successes.”

Westchester County Director of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Deborah Novick, said: “A good candidate for the Element 46 Tech Accelerator is an entrepreneur who is growth-minded, open to feedback, ready to network, and willing to refine their concept for optimal success. We look forward to welcoming another group of startups into the program this September and are excited to meet the applicants.”

Cela Innovation Co-Founder, John Lynn, said: “The Fall 2024 cohort of the Element 46 Tech Accelerator is the fifth in partnership with the Westchester County Office of Economic Development and our team at Cela.  At this point, there are more than 70 alumni entrepreneurs who have gone on to raise millions in investor funding, capture revenue, grow their teams, and put forward innovative tech products; this is a world-class entrepreneurial community that has engagement with the local and global startup ecosystem. It is only getting more competitive to be selected, so we encourage all interested entrepreneurs to interact with us at an upcoming Info Session, and to apply as soon as possible while there are still available spots in the Fall 2024 roster.” 

Members of each Element 46 Tech Accelerator cohort are selected in a competitive, County-wide selection process. Up to 12 tech startups from across the County are chosen for each cohort and must feature committed founders with at least a prototype of their technology or tech-enabled product.  In the past, selected startups have additionally been investor-backed, grant-funded, and/or revenue-generating operations. Applications for Fall 2024 will be reviewed on a rolling basis and interested parties must apply by August 21 to be considered for the cohort.

In the program, each founder is matched with hand-picked mentors who are leaders in technology, finance, business strategy, venture capital, marketing, and other key areas.  Participants also gain access to a world-class curriculum on fundraising, customer development, executive management, product iteration, branding, marketing, and more. 

The Element 46 Tech Accelerator Powered by Cela runs for 10 weeks every spring and fall. This will be the fifth cohort produced in partnership with Cela Innovation, experts in tech accelerator programming and operations.

To learn more about the Element 46 program, visit the Element 46 website.