Introducing the 2023 WBENC Collegiate Accelerator Cohort!

WBENC is excited to announce the 26 female founders accepted into the 2023 Collegiate Accelerator cohort! Get to know these dynamic up-and-coming female entrepreneurs in advance of the WBENC National Conference.

The WBENC Collegiate Accelerator, previously the Student Entrepreneur Program (SEP), is a highly coveted and multifaceted entrepreneurial program focused on the advancement of collegiate female founders.

During the next two months, these founders will learn to grow and scale their businesses through a tailored entrepreneurship curriculum, focused on the fundamentals of growth, marketing, business strategy, leadership, and the essentials for an effective pitch. They will receive mentoring from some of the most successful women-owned businesses and America’s largest Fortune 500 companies, while also participating in a showcase of their product or service and pitch competition awarding $20,000 in seed capital grants at the WBENC Conference.

Collegiate Accelerator at the WBENC National Conference

At the 2023 WBENC National Conference in Nashville, TN, we encourage all attendees to look out for these female entrepreneurs and support their businesses! All founders, including 11 program alums, will have the opportunity to participate in the Collegiate Accelerator Showcase on the WBENC Arena floor.

The Collegiate Accelerator Pitch Competition at National Conference will further showcase the 2023 cohort of amazing founders through a two-round elevator pitch competition, during which they will compete for $20,000 in seed capital cash prizes. First place will receive $10,000, Second Place will receive $6,000, and Third Place will receive $4,000. Round 1 is an individual competition where each founder will present their 90sec elevator pitch to a live audience and judges on a WBENC Arena Stage. Finally, five finalists will be selected to compete onstage during Thursday’s Celebratory Dinner.

Be sure to check the National Conference schedule so you don’t miss these two awesome events and the chance to cheer on these founders! This is an unsurpassed pitch experience that the participants will never forget!

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