A New World of Higher Education
Starts With YouAll students around the world should have access to an affordable, equitable, and high-quality education that leads to a meaningful career.
The accelerator is an initiative of the Michelson 20MM Foundation. Ultimately, the goal is to serve as the bridge that connects institutions, innovators, and policymakers solving the most pressing issues in postsecondary and vocational education.
The Michelson Runway EdTech Accelerator program is designed to help entrepreneurs build relationships with institutional decision-makers in postsecondary education, perform research and testing for product-market-fit, and attract follow-on funding through our network of investors and corporate partners. We believe in user-centered design and adapt our programming to the needs of accepted startups.
Our program lasts for 4 months and is a combination of in-person events in San Francisco, CA and virtual workshops. The accelerator kicks off in person in February and ends with an in-person Demo Day in May. Select startups will receive a $25K-$150K equity investment via a SAFE note (an agreement popularized by Y Combinator) with up to an additional $150K investment in follow-on funding.
Best of all, cohort companies will join our invigorating community of 200+ startups, with hundreds of entrepreneurs working on products and services that will power the future of education for generations to come.
Program features include:
- Over $400,000 in partnership benefits and perks from services like Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud, FounderSuite, Zipcar, and more;
- Legal advisory services support from the program’s legal partner;
- Up to four months of desk space for team members at Runway’s co-working space in downtown San Francisco;
- Product feedback and guidance from best-in-class entrepreneurs, educators, researchers, and other experts;
- Advice on best practices in user testing, customer acquisition, and product delivery for the postsecondary education landscape;
- Access to a virtual entrepreneur community and our web-based presentations on topics like intellectual property, monetization, fundraising, and more.
