Aleria Selected for Inaugural Techstars Equitech Accelerator
Over the last few years the Aleria team has leveraged science and technology to impact the way people think about diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace, and more importantly, what they do about it. Specifically, we drive change by focusing organizations on inclusion, working with them to measure it and helping them implement the right initiatives.
We’ve had the opportunity to work with organizations big and small from a wide range of industries around the world — validating our approach, refining our framework and developing our technology along the way. In 2021, we onboarded our first Fortune 500 company as a client, worked with our first nonprofit, and collected data from employees in over 40 countries.
Our unique approach to the work, our tenacity as entrepreneurs and this momentum has allowed us to attract new, exciting opportunities.
This week we’re thrilled to announce that Aleria was invited to participate in the inaugural Techstars Equitech accelerator in Baltimore.
Techstars itself is a mission-aligned organization focused on helping entrepreneurs create a better future for everyone. But the Techstars Equitech accelerator, in partnership with Upsurge Baltimore, is particularly aligned with our mission and the impact we’re looking to have around the world.
About Techstars Equitech
The Techstars Equitech accelerator focuses on transformational startups that are grounded in the values of diversity, led by founders from underestimated communities, or developing technologies that increase access and equity across society.
Companies selected for this accelerator are “breaking new ground, with both their company innovations and with the role they will play as pioneers building a new kind of startup ecosystem, one where ingenuity and diversity are an advantage, not just a DEI obligation.”
Not only does the accelerator set itself apart with a big vision, it was an incredibly competitive application process with only 3.1% of all applicants accepted into the program. The inaugural class represents 8 different industry verticals, and are coming to Baltimore from 5 countries and several states.
What does Equitech mean?
The Techstars Equitech Accelerator program launched in partnership with UpSurge Baltimore, an organization working to propel Baltimore into the top tier of innovation cities by building an engine to found, support, scale and celebrate high-impact startups. Uniquely, UpSurge aims to establish Baltimore as the first Equitech city.
In their own words: Equitech is about building an innovation economy where all belong. It recognizes diversity as a force multiplier, and works to build on the proven benefits of diverse teams, leaders and perspectives. As the cultural framework for UpSurge, Equitech provides a lens to attract, align and support transformational startups — not a filter to exclude them. And it takes into account the pathways, policies and practices needed to ensure every member of our community can choose to participate in the tech ecosystem and all Baltimoreans have the opportunity to prosper in place.
We’re grateful and excited to work with Techstars, the UpSurge Baltimore team and all of the mentors that have agreed to support our group of companies through this program. Even more, we’re certain that we’ll be a stronger company and better entrepreneurs as a result.
If you’re interested in following along, be sure to sign up for our weekly DEI newsletter or subscribe to our investor updates.
