LA Blue
Blue Economy
Accelerator

• The Accelerator follows a 90-day curriculum-based instructional and milestone approach, with 6 additional months of support
• We are focused on industries and adjacencies in the Blue Economy, where Braid Theory has been a long established leader and expert, with a proven track record of success with startups and scale-ups, and can provide exceptional value, domain expertise, and connections to industry
• Startups will work with a team of advisors and instructors on reaching milestones, to accelerate business growth, that puts teams on a path to commercialization
• Work with Braid Theory's market partners to find a path forward for your technology, including pilot project and partnership opportunities 
• Access to our unique waterfront facility, located at the AltaSea at the Port of Los Angeles campus, which includes access to the waterfront, test-beds and platforms for ocean observing and robotics, and a comfortable Coworking Space
• Access to our MOANA Investor Network, and other connections to seed and venture capital, and other funding including grants, and other sources of undiluted capital
• Package of services valued at over $250,000, including use of waterfront space and instruments, legal services package, perks and program support
• A 2% warrant is taken in each company accepted into the program with a 3-year vesting period
• No fees are associated with the program
• First-time Founders and Technology and Scientist Founders from Underrepresented Communities are strongly encouraged to apply!
• Startups may be selected from university teams conducting research or entertaining a commercialization pathway for their discoveries and ideas

Startups should be working on key scientific or engineering research, use-case and application around key areas:

🏄‍♂️ Surf and Sea: new materials, sustainable ocean recreation, coastal data, ocean observation, performance technology, gear and clothing, wearables, smart boating and marinas, collision avoidance, beach tech

🚢 Global Trade: trade documentation, port optimization, shipping and port decarbonization, tracking and traceability, cold chain solutions, digital twin, cybersecurity, occupational health and safety, maritime payments and insurance 

🍱 Future Food: packaging, tracking and traceability, value-added ingredients, lab-grown products, alt-proteins, water technologies, food supply chain, alt-seafood, food-water-energy nexus, kelp/seaweed

Startups should have a a strong technology and market readiness

• TRL 2-7
• MRL 2-7

Braid Theory concentrates on three key areas for company success. Teams should be prepared to focus on these three areas when accepted into the program:

• Strong and defensible IP
• Business model
• Product-market fit 

Teams should:

• Have at least one PI (Principal Investigator) co-founder
• Have at least one EL (Entrepreneurial Lead) co-founder
• At least one founder must be full-time
• Teams do not have to be located in the US to apply, and much of the program is hybrid-virtual, however, at least one founder should be prepared to be in Los Angeles for part or all the duration of the program (let’s discuss if you have travel issues)
• Have at least a beta/prototype and/or a proof-of-concept level product, to create an MVP (not just a procedure, protocol, or an idea phase)

Teams will be chosen on the basis of:

• Uniqueness of concept
• Be a digital, hardware or engineering solution to a real world problem