Variety of Northwest Arkansas startup programs underway, taking applications
by March 26, 2025 12:50 pm 512 views
(from left) Rodney Williams, Samuel Dennigan, Ankur Gopal and Jackson Andrews were part of the Bentonville National Selection Panel, an event of Bentonville-based Endeavor Heartland. It recently named 18 companies that will participate in its newest ScaleUp Accelerator cohorts.
Area businesses and organizations recently announced various accelerators, incubators and other programs supporting Arkansas startups. Following are the programs underway, in the works or need applicants.
• ScaleUp Accelerator
Bentonville-based Endeavor Heartland recently selected 18 high-growth companies for its ScaleUp Accelerator cohorts two and three, a 12-week program to support scaling businesses in the central United States.
The selected companies represent industries that include technology, manufacturing, artificial intelligence and sustainable materials. Seven of the companies have Arkansas ties:
• Aerton, Fayetteville
• CelluDot, Fayetteville
• Cold Steppe, Stuttgart
• Cultivate IQ, Fayetteville
• GreenLab, Jonesboro
• ROYBI Robot, Bentonville
• Simporter, Bentonville
The remaining companies are from Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas. The program provides mentorship, connections and support to help founders grow their companies. The Walton Family Foundation, SBA Growth Accelerator Fund Competition, Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, and Arkansas Economic Development Commission support the program.
“Scaling a business is challenging, and Endeavor Heartland’s ScaleUp program provides critical resources to help founders accelerate growth,” said Canem Arkan, managing director of Endeavor Heartland. “By connecting these companies with experienced mentors and industry leaders, we are accelerating innovation and economic development in the region.”
Endeavor Heartland ScaleUp is open to companies “with an established market presence and strong commercial traction,” the release shows. The initial ScaleUp Accelerator cohort, which was in 2022, comprised women-owned companies.
• VC Immersion Series
StartupNWA, an initiative of the Northwest Arkansas Council, is accepting applications for its VC Immersion Series in May. According to a news release, the event is designed to connect early-stage startups with venture capitalists and provide access to funding, mentorships and investor relationships to help startups scale.
The VC Immersion Series will take place on May 14 in Bentonville. The deadline to apply is April 7. Selected startups will be announced by May 1.
Startups from across the United States can apply for the program. All applicants will be included in StartupNWA’s deal database, which is connected to more than 150 institutional investors nationwide.
Since its inception, the VC Immersion Series has carried out $6.2 million in early-stage financings and connected more than 35 venture capital firms with Arkansas-based startups. More information is available online at startupnwa.com.
• Tyson Demo Day
Tyson Ventures, the venture capital arm of Springdale-based meat producer Tyson Foods, is accepting applications for the fourth annual Tyson Demo Day, which will take place on July 9 in Springdale.
Tyson Demo Day 2025 will focus on innovations related to artificial intelligence (AI) in food technology, brand engagement, and research and development.
“This year, we’re spotlighting the transformative potential of AI to enhance how we connect with customers and consumers, design innovative products, and deliver exceptional experiences,” said Doug Kulka, Tyson Foods chief information and technology officer.
According to a news release, startups with AI-driven products focused on customers and consumers are encouraged to apply. These spaces could include customer insights, consumer feedback integration, advanced product and packaging concepts and visuals, efficiencies in research and development, customer and consumer personalization, and analytics for innovation.
Selected startups can pitch their innovations during Tyson Demo Day at Tyson Foods World Headquarters in Springdale. Participants can also receive mentorship from Tyson Foods leaders, pilot and testing, and opportunities for commercial partnerships. The application deadline is May 2. More information is available online at www.tysonfoods.com/tyson-demo-day.
• 7th GORP Cohort
The Greenhouse Outdoor Recreation Program (GORP) recently launched the seventh cohort of its Bentonville-based business incubation program with a mix of startups focused on water recreation, cycling repair, apparel brands, manufacturers and guides.
According to a news release, GORP is the University of Arkansas’ flagship business incubation program supporting outdoor startups with workshop training, team mentoring, and product and service development to help them scale.
“Our cohort incubator is attractive to founders based in Northwest Arkansas, across the state, and in adjacent heartland geographies,” said Zoe Maddox, director of business incubation at the UA Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, which oversees GORP. “Founders are viewing NWA as the ideal community to build a business in the outdoor recreation space.”
The cohort includes three founders based outside of Northwest Arkansas who are commuting, and one is relocating for the program. The 12-week program started in January and runs through April 8.
GORP provides up to $15,000 in non-dilutive seed funding per company — funding that doesn’t require the owner to give up equity in the company — to be used for any business needs, such as marketing, legal fees, branding support and equipment. New program aspects include an e-commerce boot camp led by Toby Teeter, director of the UA Collaborative, and a session on using artificial intelligence tools to enhance business operations.
The cohort will have a Demo Night on April 15 at the Meteor Guitar Gallery in Bentonville. The cohort includes Joey Haney, founder of Arkie Cypress River Excursions; Anneke Beerten, founder of Bear10; Benjamin McGranaghan, founder of Hi.Lo Mobile Bicycle Repair LLC; Hilary Lex, founder of Hilary Lex Treks; Samuel Beckford, founder of Surftec LLC; Beatrice Becerra, Sarah Bodine and Mal Sebeck, founders of Take the Lane; Ben Pryzby, founder of Vamonos Vans Inc.; and Creed Hendrickson, founder of Zink Lake Recreation.
Since GORP launched with four startups in spring 2022, nearly 40 startups have expanded their businesses through the semiannual cohort program.
• Fuel Accelerator
Fuel Accelerator, a program of Startup Junkie Foundation supported by Catapult Consulting, recently kicked off its third HealthTech cohort with eight startups from across the nation and the globe. They’ll come to Northwest Arkansas for the program running from March to May.
According to a news release, Fuel is a no-cost and no-equity accelerator that includes office space at Ledger in Bentonville. The accelerator will provide the startups with a curriculum, capital, and connections.
Since its inception in 2019, Fuel has matched over 70 portfolio companies with enterprise partners to accelerate technology adoption.
“The team is thrilled to kick off our 2025 cohorts with a stellar group of HealthTech startups,” said Fuel Operations Manager Grace Gill. “Our program is uniquely impactful in supporting health care innovation as we work as a team to not only open doors but help lead these startups through them.”
The startups’ technology and services range from advancing health data management, improving health care systems efficiencies, and tackling care deserts. The program offers smart devices and digital health technologies.
Following are the startups in the program and where they are based:
• Aktivo Labs, Singapore
• Kwema, St. Louis
• MyMejo, Bentonville
• Orchestra Health, New York
• Patientory, Atlanta
• Revella Health, Birmingham, Ala.
• Skin Check, Tulsa, Okla.
• SpiralDot Health, Los Angeles
The Arkansas Economic Development Commission and the Walton Family Foundation support the Fuel HealthTech cohort.
• Startup World Cup
Startup Junkie has been chosen as the regional partner for the Startup World Cup for a second year. It will host two regional qualifying events this year. The event returns to Northwest Arkansas this summer. Before this, Startup Junkie will host a regional qualifier in Seoul, South Korea, for the first time in early summer 2025.
Startup World Cup, organized by Pegasus Tech Ventures, offers entrepreneurs the opportunity to pitch their ideas to a panel of industry leaders and a chance to compete for $1 million in the Grand Finale.
“We’re grateful for the chance to continue collaborating with Pegasus Tech Ventures and the opportunity to bring this event to our community for another year,” said Caleb Talley, executive director of the Startup Junkie Foundation. “I think it’s a testament to Northwest Arkansas’ continued emergence as a legitimate hub of activity within the global startup ecosystem, and I know there are ventures here that are more than capable of advancing and winning the whole thing.”