The University of Nevada, Reno Innevation Center will host the gener8tor Reno-Tahoe Accelerator, a nationally ranked venture-capital firm and accelerator. Applications are open through July 10, 2022, for this 12-week, in-person, investment and mentorship experience for high-growth startups. Each selected startup will receive an investment of $100,000 and access to gener8tor’s global network of mentors and investors.

Gener8tor has operated across the U.S. for the last 10 years and brings together startup founders, investors, corporations, job seekers, universities and more. It includes more than 75 programs from startup accelerators to speaker series and fellowships.

The arrival of gener8tor to Nevada was announced in spring 2022 by Governor Steve Sisolak, who noted the accelerator program “will diversify Nevada’s economic development system by investing in home-grown innovation and ensuring businesses survive and thrive here in Nevada.”

The chosen startups will receive co-investment from Nevada’s State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) program, operated by the Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED).

“We are grateful to UNR for stepping up and housing gener8tor’s Reno accelerator at the Innevation Center,” said Karsten Heise, GOED senior director of strategic programs & innovation and SSBCI program administrator. “This marks another milestone in GOED’s collaboration with UNR in the areas of entrepreneurship and startups. We have been supporting this through GOED’s administered Nevada Knowledge Fund and are now able to also link Nevada’s SSBCI program to the University and the Innevation Center which will have a tremendous positive impact on the evolution of the northern Nevada innovation and startups ecosystems.”

Located in downtown Reno, the University Innevation Center is a collaborative space developed to stimulate innovation and entrepreneurship. The Innevation Center includes co-working areas, a Makerspace and meeting space, and its members enjoy access to business mentorship and networking opportunities.

“We were excited about gener8tor’s expansion to Nevada and are pleased to be hosting it at the Innevation Center,” said Grace Chou, the University’s chief innovation & commercialization officer. “Our model of putting startups and entrepreneurs at the heart of our regional innovation ecosystem is aligned with the gener8tor’s mission.”

The gener8tor program is seeking five early-stage startups for this year’s cohort, that currently have a product and some traction with either customers or revenue. Each startup will have the opportunity to build relationships within the cohort and the community of gener8tor alumni. Startup teams will receive individualized coaching from the gener8tor team and will connect with 100+ mentors that include serial entrepreneurs, industry experts and investors. Weekly programming for the cohort features topics on understanding market size, choosing revenue models and how to pitch investors.

Gener8tor Reno-Tahoe Accelerator at the Innevation Center will kick off Sept. 8, 2022. Learn more or apply online by July 10, 2022.