Westchester Reporter

Westchester County's Element 46 Tech Accelerator, in collaboration with Quay Acceleration, has inducted 12 startups into its Fall 2024 cohort. The program will conclude with a Demo Day on November 21, where participants will present their ventures to investors and industry experts.

County Executive George Latimer expressed enthusiasm for the diverse innovations of the selected startups. "The 12 startups chosen for this fall’s Element 46 Tech Accelerator cohort feature diverse areas of focus and exciting innovations. Westchester County is proud of its growing community of entrepreneurs and looks forward to supporting these ventures during their growth journeys," he stated.

Bridget Gibbons, Director of Economic Development, highlighted the problem-solving nature of the cohort's ventures. "The ventures chosen for this cohort are solving problems and advancing industries. We are proud to offer an innovative and engaging program that helps entrepreneurs scale and look forward to working with this group of dynamic entrepreneurs," she said.

Deborah Novick, Director of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, emphasized the program's core elements: education, mentorship, and networking. She noted that the selected startups address significant issues such as water quality and robotics manufacturing. "Education, mentorship, and networking are core elements of the Element 46 Tech Accelerator. This cohort of 12 exciting ventures are applying innovative solutions to significant problems such as water quality; robotics manufacturing; pharmaceutical regulatory compliance; fitness and wellness," Novick remarked.

John Lynn, Co-Founder of Quay Acceleration, praised Westchester County's adaptation of the startup accelerator model. He noted that nearly 70 companies have participated since inception. "Westchester County is among the first governments to adapt the startup accelerator model from a tool for venture capital investors into a platform for constituents to organically build their own entrepreneurial community -- and benefit from it," Lynn commented.

The Element 46 Tech Accelerator selects participants through a competitive process requiring committed founders with at least a prototype product. The program offers mentorship from leaders in various fields along with access to educational resources on key business topics.