FORGE startups win 3 spots at UACI in pilot program!
Meet the startup teams moving forward to UACI in a pilot collaboration!
On December 12th, FORGE celebrated the graduation of the F20 Advanced Entrepreneur Program, the third cohort of our signature seed accelerator for early stage startups.
Over the course of the 8-week program, teams participated in over 40 hours of rigorous business development programming, and met with over 30 guest speakers, mentors and ecosystem leaders, including Fletcher McCusker, Joann MacMaster, Barry Glick, many more!
But we did something different this time. As announced last month, FORGE has launched a pilot collaboration with the University of Arizona Center for Innovation (UACI) offering the top three graduates from our cohort 6 months free in UACI's startup incubator.
Read more about the pilot program here.
The teams were selected by three different groups: mentor selection at our final pitch event, peer ranking by fellow F20 cohort members, and a staff pick by UACI and FORGE team members.
Today, we are excited to announce the three teams moving forward to UACI!
Winner #1: Mentor selection
Metfora is diagnostics startup, which helps people to diagnose chronic diseases with A.I.-assisted metabolic analysis.
Metfora sells blood tests that can diagnose chronic diseases for health care providers with technology that allows for fast and cost-effective diagnosis, using mass spectrometry analysis of blood samples with A.I.-assisted identification of the disease.
Founders: Ruslan Rafikov, Olga Rafikova, Alex Borovinskiy (UA Faculty)
Winner #2: Peer ranking selection
Obánj is a sustainability platform where upwardly mobile women in the media rent designer and artisan jewelry.
Through a shared / circular economy, Obánj product allows women to inexpensively try pieces, with the option of renting to own, and provides women with an affordable way to access luxury jewelry to enhance their sense of style.
Founder: Melissa Kiguwa (UA Alumna)
Winner #3: UACI & FORGE Staff Selection
Drift is software platform that enables students, teachers, researchers, and developers to instantly store, find, and share content seamlessly using interactive visual stories.
Drift creates a visual roadmap of stitched content that enhances the way you store, organize and engage with different types of information.
Founders: Daniel Frost, Sahand Sabet (UA Students)
Join us in congratulating Ruslan, Melissa, and Daniel!
Not only did these founders excel in the program, but we are proud to state that they represent University of Arizona (UA) faculty, alumni, and students, respectively.
We are confident that with the support and guidance provided within the UACI incubator, these founders will thrive as individuals and serve as strong ambassadors for UA's entrepreneurial footprint.
In reflecting on this new program, FORGE Founding Director, Brian Ellerman shared that "the hallmark of any great startup ecosystem is the collaboration between its partners. From the moment the idea of FORGE was conceived, we knew that partnerships were critical to our success and the success of our founders. Joining forces with UACI will fill a key gap and is an exciting step in our evolution."
Want to be part of the next cohort?* If you are a startup founder and interested in joining FORGE in your entrepreneurial journey, stay tuned...
Applications for the W21 all-female cohort open January 2021!