RCL Accelerator Announces next cohort, BNE4
Less than 30 days from completing their last cohort, BNE3, RCL Accelerator (powered by muru-D) has kickstarted their next cohort, BNE4.
Although the recruitment period was record-short (6 weeks instead of the usual 3-4 months) over 130 startups from 8 countries applied. Each application was carefully reviewed by a panel of Industry experts from leading organisations including muru-D, Startup Catalyst, Transition Level Investments and River City Labs. After conducting 20+ hours of of Founder interviews and an intense one-day bootcamp, RCL Accelerator selected eight budding teams to participate in the 6-month intensive growth-program.
Head of Accelerator, Cristo Pajust announced that the program this time around was targeting later-stage startups who have established a solid base for rapid growth.
Each joining startup receives $100,000 in cash-investment, which is a considerable increase compared to previous investment of $60,000. This change is reflecting the growth needs of the businesses and is a sign of the Accelerator’s fund Investors confidence to back founders with an existing track-record.
“Australia has seen an increase in the quality and number of programs in recent years. The majority of those Programs focus on very early stage companies who haven’t yet launched or have customers/users yet. We have seen an opening in the market to focus on later stage ‘scale-up’ companies that have a level of proven customer traction, product already in market and capable founding team but still require support on how to rapidly scale or level-up their companies.” – Steve Baxter, Founder of River City Labs and RCL Accelerator Fund Manager
As well as funding, teams will enjoy a variety of benefits on offer from muru-D and River City Labs extensive networks and gain exclusive access to support from a wide team of local and international mentors, fellow founders, alumni and corporate partners.
“I’m excited to welcome the BNE4 cohort to the muru-D family and looking forward to seeing how the founders grow and develop over the next six months in the program. It’s great to see how the startup ecosystem in Brisbane is continually growing and producing such high quality companies.” – Julie Trell, Head of muru-D
Of the eight startups embarking on BNE4, all teams are solving a variety of world-wide problems; from bringing efficiency to education and aged care, to B2B technologies for real estate, insurance and aviation industry heavyweights. Teams also seek to address needs common across developed markets.
The eight startups heading into the RCL Accelerator powered by muru-D program are:
Conpago – Conpago provides a digital solution for aged care providers to better connect with their clientele, and provides a platform for home care and village residents to interact with one another while creating transparency to the family and friends of people receiving care.
Edoome – Edoome is a social-learning platform that provides tools for effective communication and collaboration between teachers and students and tools to help teachers save time in planning, assessing and measuring students’ progress.
Flightsuit – Flightsuit is the easiest way to manage business travel. Our platform empowers staff to quickly book and manage upcoming work trips while helping companies understand and optimise their travel spend.
FloodMapp – FloodMapp is an intelligent flood alert solution which provides users with more warning time and personalised messaging, allowing them to protect their safety, save valuables and minimise flood damage. FloodMapp helps insurers reduce their flood-related losses, whilst improving safety and resilience for policy holders.
Icosian – Icosian is a business in a box that streamlines workforce and appointment management processes in the aged care and disability sectors.
Monarc Global – Monarc Global is a online booking interface for private aircraft charter.
Orbmaps – Orbmaps translates complex constraint data into an easy to digest ‘risk heatmap’ to visualise where development opportunities are possible.
World’s Biggest Garage Sale – World’s Biggest Garage Sale is a digital platform enabling communities globally to hold large scale recommerce events. By activating dormant goods for good through the circular economy, we provide positive impact for people, for planet, for purpose.
The program will run from June to December 2018.
About RCL Accelerator
The RCL Accelerator, powered by muru-D, is a 6 month program operating out of River City Labs in Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley. Each cohort the program takes up to 12 Startups and provides them with capital funding, office space, mentorship, workshops and the necessary tools that will propel them to become investment-ready businesses.