Every fall and spring we accept founders into Catalyst, a 12-week nonprofit accelerator program that helps student, first-time and overlooked founders de-risk their startup, launch an MVP and land their first paying customers.
Enter your details to hear about the founders, their startups, and their progress in Catalyst Accelerator.
The target stage for Catalyst is founders have less than $100,000 ARR and specifically ones that do not have an MVP.
Founders must attend a minimum of 80% of all workshops, roundtables, coaching calls, and weekly events. They must also receive approval from Maximize to pitch at demo day.
No. We are a nonprofit accelerator. We have a 14-day challenge where startups must earn $555 in the first 14 days of the program to be granted full acceptance. This money is deposited into an escrow account and returned upon successful completion of the program's requirements.
Our goal is to help you walk away with an MVP and your first three paying customers.
We do not guarantee funding in the program, but we assist with grant writing, make you aware of pitch competitions, and connect you with platforms that provide access to non-dilutive funding.
Yes, we have a hybrid component for the Catalyst accelerator. The Detroit hacker house is in-person and streams content to the Ann Arbor cohort, which also streams content back to Detroit. The program meets bi-weekly in physical locations across Michigan. While participants can participate completely virtually if absolutely necessary, in-person attendance is highly encouraged.
Emergence is our take on Demo Day. This year, we are hosting a retreat in Madison, Michigan, featuring a private pitch event and a relaxing retreat on a private lake. Food and housing will be covered, and we'll have boats, jet skis, kayaks, bonfires, and good times. This event will also lead into Michigan Tech Week, including a student pitch track competition in October 2024 in Detroit.