By Audrey Ingram

The Early Risers Academy pre-accelerator program, designed to take participants from a business idea to a business launch within 10 weeks, will resume in January 2020.

There are six cohorts slated for 2020, three of which are industry agnostic. Any team or individual with an idea for a business can apply. Two of the cohorts will focus on entrepreneurs with ideas for tech-based businesses. The final cohort will be for students who are in between their senior year of high school and their freshman year of college.

One graduate from each cohort will win $1,000 to infuse into their business.

“We are intentionally carving out space for minority founders and business owners to access resources that help build solid foundations and provide hands-on support in order to create successful businesses,” program manager KeAnna Daniels said. “We are committed to reaching non-tech and historically underrepresented founders who haven’t always felt seen in Dayton’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.”

• The dates for each cohort are as follows:
• Jan. 14 - March 17, 2020 — general
• Feb. 5- April 8 — tech-based
• April 7 - June 9 — general
• June 3 - Aug. 5 — student
• Aug. 26 - Nov. 4 — general
• Oct. 6 - Dec. 8 — tech-based

The Early Risers Academy pre-accelerator application will be open on a rolling basis. Applicants should indicate which cohort they want when they apply. Up to six places are available in each cohort.

Cohorts will meet for 10 weeks with in-person meetings on Tuesday or Wednesday evenings from 5:30-8:30 p.m. in the Nucleus Coworking Space in the Kuhns Building, 15 W. 4th St., Dayton. Applicants should be able to commit at least four to six hours per week to coursework for the duration of the academy.

During the 10 weeks, participants will move from developing an idea to founding a business through coursework from the Kauffman Foundation, the country's preeminent entrepreneurship-building organization. Aspiring founders will receive pitch coaching and hands-on mentoring, weekly discussions with successful entrepreneurs and experts, access to Dayton's entrepreneurial ecosystem and alumni support after graduating the academy.

Graduates who pursue a business launch will also have a chance to pitch for a $1,000 grand prize at the conclusion of their cohort’s programming. Pitch events will be organized with Launch Dayton, a collaborative effort to connect entrepreneurs to peers, resources, and supporters, and to tell the stories of our region’s thriving startup community.

This pre-accelerator is supported by The Entrepreneurs Center and Wright State Research Institute, collaborators on the region's Entrepreneurial Services Provider grant which is funded by Ohio Third Frontier.

Apply for the program here. For more information, contact KeAnna Daniels.

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