Being in the Blue Startups Accelerator was a game changer for us. With Chenoa’s help, we sped up progress on an effective business model and after that, our revenue began to take off. Being in Honolulu amongst other passionate founders and mentors helped us focus and refine our strategy. I would recommend it for any early stage startup, especially first-time founders, who want to find their path to a great business.
Blue Startups is a Top 20 Accelerator in the US (Techcrunch) focused on helping scalable-technology companies compete globally. Blue Startups aims to stimulate economic growth in Hawaii and create new business opportunities by providing promising entrepreneurs with mentorship, access to business expertise, product testing, peer review, pitch development, introductions to investors, and seed funding.
Top 20
US Accelerator According to TechCrunch$500M
Follow-On Capital Across All Companies16
Cohorts230+
International MentorsFeatured Video
Blue Startups Cohort 16 Demo Day
East Meets West 2024
Blue Startups Cohort 15 Program Recap
Blue Startups Cohort 15 Investor Demo Day
East Meets West 2023
10 Year Anniversary Video
East Meets West 2020
Blue Startups Program Recap
Blue Startups Cohort 14 Demo Day @ Wilson Sonsini SF
Cohort 13 Demo Day Recap!
Eric Bjorndahl (Lead Mentor): Why Entrepreneurs Shouldn't Worry About Failure
Blue Startups Intrapreneurship Retreat
Founders
Blue Startups was founded by Henk Rogers and Maya Rogers of the Tetris Company and Chenoa Farnsworth of Hawaii Angels in 2012. Blue Startups is a public-private partnership funded by the State of Hawaii, Hawaii Technology Development Corporation, the Tetris Company and private investors. As a women-led organization, we have a deep and personal connection to leveling the playing field in technology for women. We strive for 50% of our companies to be female founded and led.
Press
Investment //
up to $250,000
Founder Priority //
Hawaii, Female, East-West
Perks //
Mentors, Co-Work Space, Networking, Beach
Accelerator Program
12 Weeks of Programming/Up to 10 Companies Per Session
Blue Startups follows a mentor-driven approach to acceleration. Lean product development and global go-to-market strategies are emphasized throughout the program and access to our extended international network is encouraged. We are focused on recruiting capital efficient and scalable technology companies, including:
Software
Travel & Tourism
Sustainability
Our headquarters are based in beautiful Honolulu, Hawai’i. Accelerate your startup in paradise: find out more about the program, benefits, mentors, and how to apply.
“
“
Chenoa Farnsworth and Blue Startups have been instrumental in advancing the start-up and entrepreneurial culture in Hawaii. As an early beneficiary of that network, we are proud to continue our involvement as a mentor to others recognizing the strength of this unique market.
“
Our experience with Chenoa, Blue Startups and their Entrepreneur in Residence, Patrick Lee was a defining moment in time for Instant Teams. We became laser-focused through their mentorship and six months after completing the program successfully raised a $1.5M seed round.
Events
Global Networking and Investor Events
Blue Startups annual signature events include the East Meets West global conference in Honolulu and our Cohort Demo Days in both Honolulu and San Francisco. In addition, we host multiple smaller events throughout the year for community building, recruiting, education and networking.
SAVE THE DATE April 15-16, 2025 for East Meets West 2025. eastmeetswest.co
Cohort 16
Cohort 16 was a huge success! We had an amazing group of founders that are creating the future in education, energy savings, communities and much more. Stay tuned as they continue the journey. Check out their websites for information on their products.
Mentors
Blue Startups is fortunate to benefit from the generous time of our mentors who work one-on-one with assigned companies throughout the program. With a broad range of experiences and skills including company building, marketing, investing, and sector specific expertise, we are able to match entrepreneurs with their perfect business coach.
Meet Some of the Incredible Startups We've Worked With:
Flowater
FloWater inspires the way the world drinks water, while eliminating single-use bottle waste from our environment.
Instant Teams
Instant Teams helps scale your company by hiring, building, & managing a remote workforce.
VANTA
Vanta helps schools build sustainable esports programs with its kid safe platform and unparalleled coaching.
Hostfully
Hostfully helps hosts create personal guidebooks for their guests, so they can make the most of every stay. Create yours today.
Turno
Turno helps vacation rental hosts and property management companies manage and schedule cleaning turnovers.
dataPlor
dataPlor helps global companies succeed in emerging markets by providing hand-collected data.
Shaka Guide
App and Platform for Location based Audio Experiences that connect stories with places.
We are a Proud Member Of:
Morrow Global Accelerator Network
We are a member of Morrow, an invite-only community of the world’s most respected organizations that provide startups with the best resources to create and grow their businesses, wherever they are. Startups accepted into a Morrow accelerator have access to a network of investors and soft landing spaces worldwide.
Let’s go global together.
Thrive with our accelerator program. Sign up for our newsletter to stay tuned with our journey.
Latest News
Cohort 16 San Francisco Highlights
Cohort 16 San Francisco Highlights 🚀✨ Demo Day Highlights What an unforgettable evening at our... Continue ReadingBlue Startups is going to San Francisco!
Blue Startups is going to San Francisco! 🚀✨ San Francisco Demo Day is NEXT WEEK!... Continue ReadingLiquiDonate Raises $3.75M Seed Round
Blue Startups is proud to share the exciting news of Cohort 14 alumni LiquiDonate, a... Continue ReadingCohort 16 Honolulu Demo Night
Blue Startups Cohort 16 Honolulu Demo Night Mark your calendars! 💙 Thursday, September 26, 2024 🌺... Continue ReadingMeet the Founders of Cohort 16
Save The Date September 26, 2024 Cohort 16 Honolulu Demo Day 5:00 – 8:00 pm... Continue ReadingContact Us Today
In Partnership With
