Cleveland offers a supportive setting for new businesses, with a clear focus on health and software startups. Local accelerators are a central part of this system, offering money and guidance to founders.
JumpStart Inc. is a major player, having funded over 160 companies. North Coast Ventures is another key contributor with nearly 100 investments of its own.
Below is our list of the best 5 accelerators and incubators in Cleveland.
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2,189 Accelerators & Incubators
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1,600+ Unicorns
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250 BioTech & Health Investors
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250 AI Investors
List of 250 startup investors in the AI and Machine Learning industries, along with their Twitter, LinkedIn, and email addresses.
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250 Fintech Investors
List of 250 startup investors in the FinTech and Finance industries, along with their Twitter, LinkedIn, and email addresses.
Get the Sheet for $50This non-profit provides development assistance and non-dilutive capital to entrepreneurs, aiming to invigorate the Northeast Ohio economy. They primarily support software and health tech startups, allowing founders to scale their businesses without giving up equity.
| Year Founded | 2003 |
| Founders | Ray Leach |
| Investment Amount | Trailblazer Software: up to $125K non-dilutive; Trailblazer HealthTech: $50K covered |
| Equity Taken | 0% |
| Nº of Investments | 165 |
| Nº of Exits | 17 |
| Duration (Weeks) | 12 |
North Coast Ventures brings together over 250 investors and entrepreneurs across six contributed capital funds to invest in early-stage companies. Beyond just capital, their portfolio companies gain direct access to this extensive network of seasoned operators for mentorship and strategic guidance.
| Year Founded | 2006 |
| Founders | Todd Federman, Claiborne Rankin |
| Nº of Investments | 92 |
| Nº of Exits | 9 |
Bizdom operated as a non-profit accelerator, offering seed funding and intensive mentorship to web and tech-based startups. Its core mission was to help launch and grow innovative businesses to fuel entrepreneurship in Detroit and Cleveland.
| Year Founded | 1997 |
| Founders | Dan Gilbert |
| Nº of Investments | 29 |
| Nº of Exits | 4 |
Flashstarts operates as a dual accelerator and venture fund, supporting early-stage software startups in sectors like healthcare IT and digital media. Their unique model, powered by a combination of experts and interns, provides founders with hands-on guidance and crucial seed capital.
| Year Founded | 2013 |
| Founders | Jennifer Keiser Neundorfer, Charles Stack |
| Nº of Investments | 26 |
| Nº of Exits | 2 |
BioMotiv functions as a therapeutic accelerator, advancing breakthrough discoveries from research institutions into novel medicines. They build a portfolio of companies in the life sciences and medicine sectors to bring new treatments to patients faster.
| Year Founded | 2012 |
| Founders | — |
| Nº of Investments | 6 |
| Nº of Exits | — |