SEED SPOT

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SEED SPOT

OUR MISSION: To educate, accelerate, and invest in entrepreneurs who are creating solutions to social

Incubator with locations in Phoenix, AZ and Washington, D.C. Our mission is to educate, accelerate and invest in entrepreneurs creating solutions to social problems.

30/09/2026

If you are an early-stage founder in the DMV who has been thinking about applying to SEED SPOT’s DC Launch Camp, the info session is your clearest next step before the October 30 deadline.

In one free virtual session, you will get a clear picture of what the program covers, what a full day at Launch Camp looks like, and whether your venture is the right fit. You will also have the chance to ask questions directly and leave with everything you need to complete a strong application.

DC Launch Camp is a free one-day in-person program in Washington D.C. on November 6 for early-stage entrepreneurs who are ready to refine their pitch, build their customer profile, and connect with mentors who can help them grow. Every participant leaves with lifetime access to SEED SPOT’s mentorship and funding resources.

RSVP for the info session here: https://luma.com/6l3ufg4c

25/09/2026

SEED SPOT’s Emerging Retail Brand Accelerator Midwest is an 8-week accelerator for early-stage Midwest CPG founders who are ready to move into manufacturing and scale into retail. 🚀

Over 8 weeks you’ll learn from real retail buyers, established brand founders, and distributors — and walk away shelf-ready. 💪

What you’ll learn:
🏷️ Brand Strategy & Positioning
🛒 Retail Selling Environment
📦 Supply Chain & Manufacturing
👥 Building Your Team
💰 Budgeting, COGS & Funding
🎤 Live Pitch Practice with Real Buyers

📍 Chicago · NE Ohio · Michigan · Indiana · Wisconsin · Iowa

⏰ Priority Deadline: Sept 28th 2026 - APPLY TODAY 👆Link in Bio

18/09/2026

DMV mentors, partners, and founders — SEED SPOT is hosting a happy hour in Washington D.C. and you are invited. 🌱

Come connect with the DC community, meet people who are building something meaningful, and bring a friend who you think would love to know more about SEED SPOT.

Good vibes. Great people. Free to attend.

📆 September 24th
⌛5-8 PM EDT

RSVP at the link in bio to see the location and save your spot. ☝️

14/09/2026

Three programs. One mission. Founders who are ready to build something real.

SEED SPOT is now accepting applications from founders at every stage, and deadlines are coming up fast.

📌Emerging Retail Brand Accelerator Midwest
8-week virtual accelerator for Midwest CPG founders with revenue who are ready to scale into retail. Final deadline: September 28. Program runs October 19 through December 14.
Apply at https://ow.ly/SfRz50ZNtfc

📌Impact Accelerator
8-week virtual program for founders across the U.S. in any industry ready to build operational and financial skills and pitch with real feedback. Program runs January 25 through March 17, 2027.
Join the waitlist at https://ow.ly/MkAq50ZNtf8

📌DC Launch Camp — In Person
Free one-day program in Washington, D.C. for early-stage founders ready to refine their pitch and connect with mentors. Final deadline: October 30. Program date: November 6.
Apply at https://ow.ly/S0uN50ZNtfa

Learn more at https://ow.ly/NqlW50ZNtf9

07/09/2026

Applications are open for SEED SPOT's DC Launch Camp.

On Friday November 6th, 2026, SEED SPOT is bringing a one-day in-person program to Washington D.C. for underrepresented entrepreneurs who are ready to do the real work of building a venture. In a single day, founders deepen their understanding of the problem they are solving, build a customer profile, deliver a live pitch to mentors and peers, and walk away with a refined pitch and lifetime access to SEED SPOT's mentorship and funding resources.

This program is free, open to founders in any industry, and designed for early-stage ventures that have a minimum viable product and at least one customer.

Full participation from 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM is required.

Final application deadline: October 30, 2026. Space Limited.

Learn more and apply at seedspot.org/dc-launch-camp

31/08/2026

Last week, Chicago showed up.

The Made for Retail Chicago Pitch Competition brought together founders, retail buyers, investors, ecosystem builders, and community members at EDLI and Taste 222 Chicago for an evening that was part celebration and proof of what this city's entrepreneurship ecosystem can do when the right people are in the room.

Six founders took the stage after weeks of intensive workshops, coaching, and mentorship through SEED SPOT and Greenwood Archer Capital, and each walked up prepared, pitched with the conviction that comes from doing the real work, and left the room with something more than they came in with.

Congratulations to the winners:
🥇
🥈
🥉
To , , and you are going places.

To the marketplace brands who filled the room with energy, product, and community: Inspiro Tequila, babygami, Drink Nouvie, Tiny Tots Secret Sauce, BāKIT Box, Ruby Fine Hibiscus Tea, and Shukrah, thank you for showing Chicago what locally made looks like.

None of this happens without the partners who believed in it: Coleman Foundation, William Blair, Byline Bank, and EDLI. And a special thank you to Tristan Gandolfi for running the show with the kind of energy that made the whole evening feel alive.

SEED SPOT and Greenwood Archer Capital launched something in Chicago last week, and there is more ahead for this community.

24/08/2026

⏰ Last chance to apply for the UpTide Nonprofit Accelerator! Applications close August 31st.

If you're a U.S.-based nonprofit leader working to rebuild connection and strengthen community, this program was built for you.

You could receive:
💸 A $5,000 grant + additional funding opportunities
📈 A 3-year strategic plan
🤝 Expert mentorship + peer connection
🗽 A trip to NYC

Don't let this one pass you by. Apply today or share with someone who should.
👉https://ow.ly/9ijh50Zljs7

Created by 92nd Street Y Belfer Center for Innovation & Social Impact, in partnership with SEED SPOT.

20/08/2026

When Kathleen Wood Leverenz walks into a room with a CPG founder, she is bringing decades of experience on both sides of the retail table, as a marketer and as a buyer, and that combination makes her one of the most valuable voices a founder can have in their corner.

Kathleen is Mentor in Residence for SEED SPOT's Retail Brand Accelerator, with deep expertise in branding, retail sales, new product development, nutrition, and local food systems. She has built brands that needed to get on the shelf and made the purchasing decisions that determined which ones did, which means she can help a founder see their business the way a buyer sees it before they ever walk into that meeting.

What she has noticed after years in the industry is worth paying attention to: retail is a male-dominated field, yet the buyers making the decisions are largely women. That gap matters, because the founders who reflect the communities those buyers actually serve, women founders and underrepresented founders building products that reflect real lived experiences, are exactly the brands that shelves are missing. Working with those founders at SEED SPOT is not just meaningful to Kathleen. It is the work she believes the industry needs most right now.

Watch the full video to hear why Kathleen believes diverse products built by underrepresented founders are not just good for communities but essential for retail.

Learn more about SEED SPOT's Retail Brand Accelerator: seedspot.org

18/08/2026

SEED SPOT just launched the Emerging Retail Brand Accelerator Midwest — an intensive 8-week accelerator designed specifically for early-stage CPG founders who are generating revenue, ready to move into manufacturing, and serious about getting their product into retail.

Over 8 weeks you will learn directly from retail buyers, established brand founders, and distributors and walk away with the strategy, supply chain knowledge, and pitch skills to get your product on shelves and keep it there. 💪

What you'll learn:
🏷️ Brand Strategy & Positioning
🛒 Retail Selling Environment — straight from buyers and distributors
📦 Supply Chain, Manufacturing & Logistics
👥 Building Your Team for Scale
💰 Budgeting, COGS & Funding Projections
🎤 Live Sales Presentations — pitch directly to real retail stakeholders

Who this is for:
✅ Based in Chicago, NE Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin, or Iowa
✅ Generating $25K+ in annual revenue
✅ Currently making your product at home with steady sales
✅ Ready to move into manufacturing and grow your retail presence

Key Dates:
⏰ Priority Deadline: August 31, 2026
📅 Final Deadline: September 28, 2026
📅 Program: October 19 – December 14, 2026 | Hybrid, Chicago-based

Your product belongs on shelves. We will help you get it there. 🙌

🔗 Apply now: seedspot.org/emerging-retail-brand-accelerator-midwest

Questions? Reach out at [email protected] — we would love to hear from you!

14/08/2026

In Part 1, Kavita Shah shared how brands that break through make their products the obvious solution and focus on the consumers who need them most. Part 2 is about what happens next: how founders build a brand that consumers remember and recognize without having to think about it.

Kavita is a VP of Marketing Executive and SEED SPOT mentor for emerging retail brands, advising early-stage CPG founders on brand positioning, consumer connection, and scaling across DTC.

The third principle is owning one clear message. Liquid Death built its entire identity around one idea: Murder Your Thirst. Every touchpoint reinforces it. As a brand grows, there will naturally be more stories to tell, but the founders who break through never let additional messages distract from the one idea they want to own in consumers' minds.

The fourth principle is making the brand instantly recognizable. A distinctive logo is not enough. Graza challenged the traditional olive oil category with a squeezable bottle that made the packaging itself the brand, then carried that same personality across its color palette, illustrations, and tone of voice. Recognition builds familiarity, familiarity builds trust, and trust is what keeps consumers coming back.

Three things to do this week:

🎯Ask five people who have never bought your product what your brand stands for after 10 seconds on your website. Five different answers mean one unclear message.
🎯Lay your website, social media, packaging, and one email side by side. Do they all look and feel like they came from the same brand? If not, pick one distinctive asset and use it consistently everywhere.
🎯Write your brand message in one sentence. If you cannot, that is the first thing worth fixing.

The founders who build the strongest brands do not spend their time trying to sound different. They spend their time making choices that make their brand impossible to confuse with anyone else.

Thank you to Kavita Shah for sharing these principles with SEED SPOT's community of emerging retail founders.

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