Tampa Bay WaVE recently accepted the first group of startups into its FirstWaVE Accelerator Program.
The companies will receive assistance in all phases of development, including workshops, bootcamp events, mentors, professional services and opportunities to meet with investors and other successful entrepreneurs. They will also have access to the coworking space at FirstWaVE’s new Venture Center in downtown Tampa.
"The program will fill in some of the missing skills sets and experience that my team doesn't have,'' says Brian Burridge, president and founder of
Commendable Kids, a startup that is part of the inaugural class.
Commendable Kids is an online experience that helps parents, teachers and other caregivers motivate and encourage children toward achieving goals, reaching milestones and learning new skills.
Parents sign up online, and their children can earn badges for their accomplishments. The parents then add information to their account to illustrate what their child did to earn the badges. They can invite family and friends to become supporters and give the children virtual "high fives.''
As an early supporter of
Tampa Bay WaVE, Burridge was eager to be a part of the first class in the Accelerator program.
"Tampa Bay is a lot stronger in tech than anyone realizes,'' says Burridge. "FirstWaVe is laying the foundation that will build confidence in developers and help them know there is support.''
Burridge is looking to the Accelerator program for validation that his company can be sustainable as well as help with marketing to allow him to reach even more families.
The early stage start-ups making up the inaugural FirstWaVE Accelerator class are: SHOOTRAC, Cartooga, Secondhand Living, Drawer, Commendable Kids, Confy.co, Kite Desk and SavvyCard.
FirstWaVE is currently accepting applications for the next class. The deadline to
apply is April 1.
Writer:
Megan Hendricks
Source: Brian Burridge, Commendable Kids
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