MSU’s Spartan Innovations Announces 7th Conquer Accelerator Cohort

Spartan Innovations, the entrepreneurial assistance program at Michigan State University in East Lansing, has announced the five-team cohort for its 20-week 2022 Conquer Accelerator.
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Members of the Conquer Accelerator cohort receive $20,000, mentoring, workspace, and networking opportunities. // Courtesy of MSU
Members of the Conquer Accelerator cohort receive $20,000, mentoring, workspace, and networking opportunities. // Courtesy of MSU

Spartan Innovations, the entrepreneurial assistance program at Michigan State University in East Lansing, has announced the five-team cohort for its 20-week 2022 Conquer Accelerator.

The teams for the program’s seventh cohort include Detroit Maid, Fleet-Lab, Kibage, KindKatch, and Meknology.

The accelerator provides funding, mentorship, and network opportunities to East Lansing entrepreneurs.

To date, the Conquer Accelerator program has helped launch 35 startups since 2015. The companies have gone on to raise more than $31 million in additional funding. Twelve of the companies have been led by underrepresented founders and to date and there have been five successful exits.

“Year after year, the talent and innovation that comes through the Conquer Accelerator program has been incredible and we’re excited to support these entrepreneurs as they continue their journey,” says Thomas Stewart, director of the program. “Launching a startup can be exciting, but it also comes with its challenges. With the proper coaching and resources our team provides, I am confident these five companies will succeed.”

The 2022 cohort includes:

  • Detroit Maid is an online marketplace for on-demand cleaning that includes cleaning and disinfecting of high-touch surfaces using EPA approved, hospital-grade cleaning solutions
  • Fleet Lab supplements traditional school bus systems with specially equipped electric vans to make K-12 student transportation safer, more effective, and more equitable.
  • Kibage specializes in caregiving technology that brings families, professional caregivers, and remote monitoring together to increase the quality of care for loved ones
  • KindKatch empowers brands to achieve personalized marketing and storytelling at scale through their suite of content collection, curation, and sharing tools
  • Meknology’s focus on making a positive impact on people and the environment, is currently creating wastewater and water desalination technologies using hybrid, solar and other low carbon impact solutions

Designed to support both newer and established companies, the Conquer Accelerator program supports startups by providing $20,000 in funding from Red Cedar Ventures, access to mentors, access to follow-on funding, and other essential resources. The program is hosted and managed by Spartan Innovations, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Michigan State University Foundation.

In addition to receiving $20,000 in seed funding, selected startups receive tailored mentorship from leaders within their respective industries, a collaborative working space, as well as access to a network of angel and venture investors. Once companies move on from the accelerator, they become part of Red Cedar Ventures’ portfolio and begin the process of moving out of start-up phase and into scaling up and growth phases.