Cox Enterprises Social Impact Accelerator Powered by Techstars Announces Inaugural 2020 Class

Ten companies working to address today's most pressing problems capture coveted spots

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Jan 27, 2020, 08:00 ET

ATLANTA, Jan. 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Cox Enterprises (Cox) today announced the inaugural class of the Cox Enterprises Social Impact Accelerator powered by Techstars. The three-month program will provide hands-on mentoring, funding and global connections to 10 for-profit, mission-driven companies focused on addressing environmental, social and sustainability issues.

Strategic mentorships with Cox business leaders and experts will help bring the entrepreneurs' ideas to market and boost their early-stage businesses, grow their networks and prepare them to pitch their companies at a Demo Day presentation on April 29, 2020.

"This class represents a rich diversity of creative thinkers, practical problem-solvers and committed entrepreneurs who are driven by purpose and compelled to make a difference," said Barry Givens, managing director of Techstars Social Impact. "It is precisely this kind of diversity of thought, perspective and conviction that powers sustainable change."

The 2020 Social Impact Accelerator class includes:

ACT House: A premier co-living incubator enabling young innovators to grow their skills, develop entrepreneurial mindsets and create new products and services.
BestFit: An app that provides students with the resources and insights to find colleges that are an academic, social and financial fit.
Blue Studios: Provides STEM classes for kids on their schedules in the convenience of their homes.
Civic Dinners: Offers a thoughtfully designed series of conversations on key topics that can help organizations build a more inclusive culture with employees, stakeholders, customers and the greater community.
Kai XR: Creates inclusive and accessible mixed reality spaces that allow kids to explore, dream and create.
EnMass Energy: A micro-utility focused on generating baseload electricity using
agricultural waste products, designed to reduce energy poverty and mitigate climate change.
Forefront: A premier training provider helping Fortune 1000 firms and emerging tech companies adapt to the future of work and its diverse workforce.
Healthy Hip Hop: Encouraging students and teachers to get active through music, movement and a message.
Invincible: Inspiring families living with health issues through creative approaches to solve old problems.
Make Music Count: An innovative math curriculum that teaches students how to master fractions, graphing and algebra through popular music on the piano.

"The future of business is solving environmental and community challenges that have the potential to make the world a better place," said Maury Wolfe, senior director of Corporate Social Responsibility and Public Affairs at Cox Enterprises. "By partnering with entrepreneurs, we help scale their impact, build companies and products that matter, and drive innovation that will be a force for good."

The Social Impact Accelerator is the second accelerator in partnership between Techstars and Cox Enterprises. Cox also funds and supports startups and entrepreneurs through other Atlanta-based partnerships, including Techstars Atlanta, Engage, Endeavor and Startup Runway.

For more information about Cox Enterprises' involvement in the venture ecosystem, visit www.coxenterprises.com/innovation.

About Cox Enterprises
Cox Enterprises is dedicated to building a better future through our leading communications and automotive services. Our major operating subsidiaries include Cox Communications and Cox Automotive. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, Cox is a global company with $21 billion in annual revenues and brands that include Autotrader, Kelley Blue Book and Cox Homelife. Founded in 1898 by Ohio Governor James M. Cox, the company is a family-owned business committed to its people, communities and the planet. To learn more about Cox, visit coxenterprises.com or view our Sustainability Report at coxcsrreport.com.

About Techstars
Techstars is the worldwide network that helps entrepreneurs succeed. Techstars founders connect with other entrepreneurs, experts, mentors, alumni, investors, community leaders, and corporations to grow their companies. Techstars operates three divisions: Techstars Startup Programs, Techstars Mentorship-Driven Accelerator Programs, and Techstars Corporate Innovation Partnerships. Techstars accelerator portfolio includes more than 1,900 companies with a market cap of more than $25 billion.

www.techstars.com

SOURCE Cox Enterprises