Accelerator program introduces five new companies
MISSOULA, Mont. — Blackfoot Communications, sponsor of the C2M Beta technology accelerator, announced the Winter 2021 cohort of companies participating in its 12-week intensive program. Blackfoot conceived the program to accelerate innovation and empower promising, early-stage Montana and Idaho startups to drive impact and value in the Rocky Mountain region.
C2M Beta adopts a startup studio-based approach designed to nurture good ideas into fundable ventures through its mentor-guided and structured innovation process. Mentors and industry experts coach founders through each stage of the venture-building process using the methodology and curriculum of guided learning modules curated from Silicon Valley’s best accelerator programs.
Hosted by seasoned entrepreneurs Stefanie Sample — CEO of The Insight Studio — and longtime Microsoft product executive Dave Danford, the program guides founders through the steps necessary to validate their ideas, prototype solutions, harness customer feedback, and prepare for discussions with seed round investors. The program’s cohort-design allows founders to interact with peers, experts, and investors to refine concepts and create viable companies.
C2M Beta recruited mentors and experts from Boise, Missoula, the University of Montana Blackstone Launchpad, New York, Portland and Seattle to help participating entrepreneurs. The C2M Beta accelerator utilizes an “equity-free and no fees” approach to provide early-stage companies with valuable access to program resources without the cost barrier that might otherwise prevent their participation.
In addition to the program, The Insight Studio will sponsor a startup community with weekly meetings and workshops for cohort founders to connect, learn, and collaborate among themselves and alongside seasoned founders and advisors from throughout Montana and other technology centers. C2M Beta is a member of the GAN and GSSN global startup and startup studio networks that provide the program access to hundreds of similar programs, mentors, and advisors.
The five cohorts were selected based on the prioritized criteria that they: (1) be led by female founders, (2) offer disruptive technology experiences, (3) impact the Montana and Idaho region.
Winter 2021 Cohort Members
ShopDot
ShopDot’s technology platform integrates with any front-end ecommerce platform and creates an ecosystem between brands and retailers to support end-to-end product and content distribution. ShopDot will enable small-to-medium-sized retailers to effectively compete with marketplaces like Amazon and to offer an enriched experience for their customers through omnichannel capabilities and personalized, data-driven engagements to deliver the right product at the right time.
- Founder: Michelle Huie
- Location: Missoula, MT
Svvarga, Inc.
Svvarga, Inc. is a technology company headquartered in Helena, Montana, and co-founded by siblings Ryan Rebo and Sharayah Clancy. Svvarga has built its flagship product Rubrikk, an AI-powered, cloud-native platform that transforms unstructured information from images and documents into clean, ready-to-use data.
- Founders: Sharayah Clancy, Ryan Rebo
- Location: Brooklyn, NY
- Website: https://www.svvarga.com/
Check This Out
Check This Out enables restaurants and other retail businesses to accelerate and amplify their word-of-mouth marketing and business growth through a text-based, incentive-driven, and highly trackable SaaS platform. They believe all good ideas and services should thrive and work hard to help customers achieve success through grit in integrity, custom attention in customer service, and the unity of purpose and working together in their customers’ community.
- Founder: Nicholas Wickes
- Location: Bozeman, MT
Inspired Classroom
Inspired Classroom builds bridges to connect learners to real-world experiences regardless of geographic isolation or opportunity. The company empowers individuals and organizations who have rich educational content to mentor learners. Inspired Classroom uses proprietary mentor-based, scenario-driven software supported by masterclasses to elevate teaching and learning.
- Founders: Alli DePuy, Kathleen Dent
- Location: Missoula, MT
- Website: https://www.inspiredclassroom.com/
406 Bovine
Using Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, 406 Bovine is revolutionizing the cattle industry by creating the most advanced cattle facial recognition software in the market today. This technology improves overall production and efficiency across cattle operations and increases food safety by offering reliable worldwide tracking and traceability.
- Founder: Bryan Elliott
- Location: Laurel, MT & Berlin, Germany