MassChallenge Welcomes Babson Entrepreneurs into 2017 Accelerator Program

WELLESLEY, Mass., May 24, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Two Babson graduate alumni businesses—DropZone for Veterans and GEMS Boxes—have been named finalists in the 2017 MassChallenge Boston accelerator program.

Applications poured in from around the world, including 12 countries and 16 U.S. states. Of the more than 1,500 businesses MassChallenge reviewed, only 128 were ultimately selected.

Through a global network of zero-equity accelerators, MassChallenge helps the world's highest-impact, highest-potential startups successfully launch, grow, and create impact across industries. This proven model has accelerated 1,211 alumni that have gone on to raise more than $2 billion in funding, generate approximately $900 million in revenue, and create more than 65,000 direct and indirect jobs.

"The quality of this year's applicant pool is a real testament to the community's efforts to inspire and support individuals who are working to solve some of the world's biggest problems," said Kiki Mills Johnston, Managing Director, MassChallenge Boston. "I'm excited to welcome the 2017 cohort to Boston this summer. This is just the beginning!"

Babson MassChallenge Finalists

DropZone for Veterans—Courtney Wilson MBA'17

DropZone for Veterans is an online directory of over 50,000 independent benefits that connects veterans and their families with the private businesses that want to support them. Ranging from PTSD focused healing retreats to resume-workshops hosted by Google, DropZone for Veterans is the only place for America's military community to discover and connect with benefits customized to their individualized preferences.

GEMS Boxes—Annie Feldman MBA'16, Andrew Schwartz, Jeffrey Lipton, and Ted Liao

Bystanders can be an invaluable resource in emergencies, but current products are limited to call stations and AEDs. Few technological solutions exist to empower bystanders. GEMS will provide remotely un-lockable stations with life-saving supplies such as naloxone, EpiPens, and hemorrhage control products. In an emergency, a bystander will call 911 dispatch; the dispatcher can then direct the caller to a station and walk them through the steps to help save the victim's life before EMS arrival.

About MassChallenge

MassChallenge is the most startup-friendly accelerator on the planet. No equity and not-for-profit, we are obsessed with helping entrepreneurs across any industry. We also reward the highest-impact startups through a competition to win a portion of several million dollars in equity-free cash awards. Through our global network of accelerators in Boston, the UK, Israel, Switzerland, and Mexico, and unrivaled access to our corporate partners, we can have a massive impact—driving growth and creating value the world over. To date, 1,211 MassChallenge alumni have raised over $2 billion in funding, generated approximately $900 million in revenue, and created over 65,000 direct and indirect jobs. For more information, please visit masschallenge.org.

About Babson College

Babson College is the educator, convener, and thought leader for Entrepreneurship of All Kinds^®. The top-ranked college for entrepreneurship education, Babson is a dynamic living and learning laboratory where students, faculty, and staff work together to address the real-world problems of business and society. We prepare the entrepreneurial leaders our world needs most: those with strong functional knowledge and the skills and vision to navigate change, accommodate ambiguity, surmount complexity, and motivate teams in a common purpose to make a difference in the world, and have an impact on organizations of all sizes and types. As we have for nearly a half-century, Babson continues to advance Entrepreneurial Thought & Action^® as the most positive force on the planet for generating sustainable economic and social value.

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SOURCE Babson College

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