Four companies have been accepted into the Desai Accelerator, an accelerator program for early-stage alumni startups at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.
As part of the accelerator program, the ventures will receive funding, tailored mentorship opportunities, national visibility, and other resources to achieve successful sustainability.
The Desai Accelerator is managed by the Samuel Zell & Robert H. Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies at U-M’s Ross School of Business and supports ventures over a seven-month program during the critical phase of early-stage development. The companies are currently generating revenue and include:
- Aurora Tights, a performance athletic brand that produces and sells shade and size-inclusive tights for women of color. For athletes in performance sports such as ice skating, dance, cheer, and gymnastics. Aurora primarily sells tights direct-to-consumer in five shades, two styles, and seven sizes.
- BreezeBubble produces a smart mask with a flexible edge design that provides comfort, breathability, and protection. BreezeBubble’s next product is a high-tech version of this mask with a fan component for increased breathability
- LeaseMagnets is the first video-based digital leasing assistant that can be installed as an overlay to any apartment website, making it easier for renters to imagine what life really is like living at the property.
- Revolin Sports provides conscientious athletes with high performance, sustainable sporting equipment. They utilize cutting edge, renewable, recyclable, and biodegradable materials and sustainable manufacturing processes to create equipment that performs as well or better than existing products
Commonalities among the startups selected for the program include social impact focus areas and female founders. This year’s program features a two-week kickoff boot camp and a focus on key milestones, meaningful deliverables, growing scalable, sustainable businesses, and funding expertise.
Entrepreneurs will continue to benefit from the assistance of nine interns from across the University of Michigan, the expertise of consistent meetings with lead mentors, and additional support from industry and skills experts that will help guide the entrepreneurs through developing their businesses.
In 2020, the Desai Accelerator Endowment Fund was established with a donation from the Desai Sethi Family Foundation that continues to support the program’s efforts.
For more information, visit desaiaccelerator.umich.edu/
