Are you building a mission-driven startup that could improve the lives of low-income New Yorkers? The Catalyst program at Blue Ridge Labs is designed to help founders turn a proven concept into a scalable technology platform.
Over the course of six months, as part of a small cohort of other founders, we’ll help you build version 2.0 of your product and get it into the hands of real people for feedback and validation. In parallel, we’ll work with you to identify the other resources you’ll need to be successful over the long-term – things like funding, team members, and partners – and we’ll help you put the systems in place to do this well.
The Blue Ridge Labs team specializes in creating and supporting early-stage social tech ventures (both for-profit and nonprofit). Alums of our Catalyst program have been named Echoing Green Fellows, participated in Y Combinator, raised rounds from prominent venture capitalists, received funding from major philanthropic institutions, been featured in NYTimes, Forbes, and more. Most importantly, the alumni of our programs help hundreds of thousands of people every day.
What we provide:
- Funding: $60,000, plus health insurance reimbursements and a dedicated research budget.
- Product Support: Hands-on coaching to help you build, test, and launch a scalable tech platform.
- Human Capital: Executive coaching to strengthen your core team. Plus, connections to external talent, advisors, and potential partners.
- Community: Free space in our co-working community in Brooklyn and access to a wider ecosystem of social impact organizations
See more and apply here.