Is AcceliCITY the World’s Best Startup Competition?
The Boston-based company, Leading Cities, launched an accelerator program that provides startups with international clients, capital from a global network of Smart City-educated investors, and the tools and best practices of doing business in cities. The goal of the program is to bridge the gap between startups, cities, and businesses by providing select startups with Leading Cities’ proven track record of successful policy implementation, Smart City tools, and a broad global network.
AcceliCITY leverages the Leading Cities network of forward-thinkers in the public, private, academic, and non-profit sectors for the benefit of cities on the rise. The program will lower the cost of innovation and open up a Smart City marketplace to startups. With operations in ten countries and an international network of mentors, investors, and partners with ready access to decision-makers in city governments, Leading Cities’ AcceliCITY program can connect startups’ smart solutions directly with business users and provide the proper channels and know-how to implement in the city.
AcceliCITY will also help Smart City startups speak the language of government, further bridging the gap between startups and municipalities. Not only will this help startups get funding and implement their solution, it will also help governments operate at the rate of innovation. The main component of the Smart City startup competition is the boot camp in Boston which facilitates productive interactions between investors, clients, and mentors. The winners of the competition will be showcased at the Smart City Expo, the world’s largest Smart City event in Barcelona, Spain at the completion of the program.
As seen with the launch of AcceliCITY, Boston is emerging as a global leader in Smart City innovation, a globally growing market at 20% a year, predicted to reach a $3.4T market in 2026. A Forbes article stated that Boston ranked #1 in social entrepreneurship noting that entrepreneurs innovating for social change found Boston to be the best place to get funding. In addition, Boston has been growing rapidly as a place of business with venture capital spending exceeding 6 billion dollars as well as mergers and acquisitions reaching their highest levels ever.
According to Michael Lake, founder, and CEO of Leading Cities, the new AcceliCITY model is unmatched in terms of need and potential reward. “Cities have an amazing opportunity to capitalize on a technological revolution but are finding it a challenge to implement and find incentive to adopt these new technologies. Our new program provides a common ground for growth by matching entrepreneurs with expert mentors, understanding best practices for doing business with governments, and gaining access to investment funding.”
Apply to AcceliCITY here