The Venture Accelerator at UCLA Anderson Announces Its 2022 Cohort
The Venture Accelerator at UCLA Anderson Announces Its 2022 Cohort
Half of all founders in the new cohort are women; more than 70% are members of underrepresented groups
Los Angeles (January 4, 2022) — The Venture Accelerator at UCLA Anderson is proud to announce its 2022 Accelerate cohort, which includes startup companies in a variety of industries, including real estate, consumer packaged goods, fintech, cryptocurrency and blockchain.
An integral part of the nation's top public university, UCLA Anderson School of Management is committed to ensuring excellence and diversity in all educational programming, and advancing civic engagement by supporting companies and founders across the Los Angeles region.
“UCLA Anderson actively supports entrepreneurs from all parts of Southern California whose efforts help add jobs to the region,” said Trish Halamandaris (’92), director of the Venture Accelerator. “Diverse perspectives, new products and new approaches to our daily lives are part of what these new companies bring to our communities. We applaud the tenacity, focus and hard work that these founders have exhibited in the past few years, and we look forward to being part of their journey.”
The six-month, immersive Venture Accelerator program was created to help the next generation of startup founders launch and scale their companies, partly by leveraging the array of resources available on the UCLA campus. Program highlights include an in-depth mentoring program, proof-of-concept grants and 10,000 square feet of on-campus work space, which is open to the new founders every day, around the clock. The program culminates in the UCLA Showcase, a demo day program that provides founders with additional expert coaching and the opportunity to pitch to a curated audience of potential investors, venture capitalists and mentors.
In four years of operations, the Venture Accelerator at UCLA Anderson has supported more than 165 companies, which have collectively raised more than $150 million in venture funding. Companies that have participated in the programs are operating at an 85% success rate, which many credit to the Accelerator’s extensive mentoring and support.
“We are thrilled to collaborate with this exceptional cohort of companies in 2022,” Halamandaris said.
Meet the 2022 Venture Accelerator cohort:
Dachi: Founded by four current UCLA Anderson students, dachi is an omni-channel brand that carefully curates Asian snacks for nostalgic and novel discovery through vending machines and e-commerce.
REITIUM: Connected to Anderson by the Venture Accelerator’s VC entrepreneur-in-residence, REITIUM is a two-sided marketplace that democratizes real estate investing, allowing anyone to invest with as little as $100.
SupraFin: Founded by a UCLA Anderson alumna, SupraFin is the first smart wealth tech app that assesses hundreds of cryptocurrencies and recommends a portfolio based on the client’s risk preferences.
Vite.st: Providing a quick, affordable and painless COVID-19 test, Vitest Tech was co-founded by a UCLA Ph.D. and UCLA undergraduate.
Leap Snacks: Authentic good-for-you snacks delivered to you from Mexico at a value price. Founded by a current UCLA Anderson student, the company’s first product is a plant-based protein bar with Latin-inspired flavors.
Ricki Rum: Founded by a current UCLA Anderson student, Ricki Rum creates sustainably produced, reversible swimwear designed from the consumer’s perspective for women of all body types.
Wild Captives: With more than 550,000 followers, Wild Captives is an inclusive, modern urban scouting brand that offers products and courses to help make people more aware of and in touch with their surroundings.
Sparket: Co-founded by a UCLA Anderson alumnus, Sparket is a peer-to-peer wagering system that enables users to compete with friends in customized betting pools for e-sports, award shows and other live contests.
Capturely: Co-founded by a current UCLA Anderson student, Capturely provides companies and e-commerce businesses with photo and video marketing content at scale to increase conversions and engagement.
Ferret: Co-founded by a current UCLA Anderson student, Ferret empowers decision-makers with cutting-edge AI that provides proactive, real-time intelligence to evaluate relationships and avoid high-risk individuals.
VETAHEAD: An edtech company for veterinary professionals, VetAhead provides training in zoological medicine for exotic animals beyond cats and dogs.
Novalia: With an impressive client list that includes Google, Disney, SXSW and others, Novalia designs and manufactures low-cost, high-volume multi-touch surfaces as a B2B product for consumer retail.
About the Venture Accelerator at UCLA Anderson
The Venture Accelerator at UCLA Anderson is uniquely designed for UCLA startups to thrive. Boasting the breadth of expertise offered by the nation’s top public university and connections to the business and Anderson alumni communities, the Venture Accelerator is where companies-in-residence succeed as a result of continuous co-working and networking. Our Los Angeles location allows our companies access to the fastest growing venture capital market. With immersive and experiential programming and advisors provided by UCLA Anderson’s Price Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation, these startups enjoy a steady stream of insights and support to promote performance beyond projections. anderson.ucla.edu/accelerator
About UCLA Anderson School of Management
UCLA Anderson School of Management is among the leading business schools in the world, with faculty members globally renowned for their teaching excellence and research in advancing management thinking. Located in Los Angeles, gateway to the growing economies of Latin America and Asia and a city that personifies innovation in a diverse range of endeavors, UCLA Anderson’s MBA, Fully Employed MBA, Executive MBA, UCLA-NUS Executive MBA, Master of Financial Engineering, Master of Science in Business Analytics, doctoral and executive education programs embody the school’s Think in the Next ethos. Annually, some 1,800 students are trained to be global leaders seeking the business models and community solutions of tomorrow.