FourthWave Picks 13 Companies For Its Women-led Business Accelerator
Source: Sacramento Business Journal, Mark Anderson
Photo: FourthWave founder Nancy Perlman (Courtesy of Nancy Perlman)
FourthWave, an accelerator for women-led technology companies, has selected a portfolio of companies for its 16-week virtual program, which begins today.
The accelerator is designed to help entrepreneurs grow their businesses with leadership guidance and business support, as well as access to successful business operators.
“We’re excited about this year’s cohort and received many impressive applications, making the selection process challenging,” said Nancy Perlman, FourthWave founder, in a news release.
Ten of the 13 companies in this cohort are from the Sacramento region. Two of them are from other parts of the state, but they are focused on government technology, so it is anticipated that they may have a Sacramento presence in the future, said Cheryl Beninga, a co-founder of FourthWave. One company is from out of state, she said.
All are technology companies that have some kind of business traction, in that they have revenue, investors, patents or products “under their belts,” Beninga said.
The entire program for 2020 will be run virtually on a variety of online platforms, she said. The last time the program ran in Sacramento, it was at the Urban Hive, but that isn’t possible this year with social distancing.
FourthWave features two meetings per week to go over its curriculum, which will teach participants to identify gaps in their business, as well as leadership and business skills.
They will also work with business mentors.
Companies that participated in the first Sacramento cohort of FourthWave in 2017 have gone on to raise more than $20 million in funding. Some high-profile local executives went through the first cohort, including Janine Yancey, founder and CEO of online training company Emtrain; Elizabeth Dodson, co-founder of financial technology company HomeZada; and Kim Box, former CEO and current board member of Gatekeeper Innovation Inc.
The FourthWave program is being supported by the Carlsen Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at California State University Sacramento and the nonprofit FourthWave.
Companies chosen for the 2020 cohort include: Ananya Ethonova Healthcare, CintaColor, CityGrows, De Oro Devices, Foodom, Hamama, Humaxa, Mustard Square, Purple, RevShopp, Sparck, Syglaz and zero5.