ST. LOUIS – After a successful first year, Saint Louis University’s Chaifetz Center for Entrepreneurship is opening up applications for its second New Venture Accelerator (NVA). The NVA, which offers students and young alumni an opportunity to launch their businesses with financial support, resources, and mentoring from SLU experts, launched in 2024 with an initial cohort of four businesses. 

The New Venture Accelerator (NVA), with funding support from Saint Louis University alumni, offers current SLU students and alumni who have graduated within the last five years equity-free investments of up to $50,000. At least one co-founder or owner of 10% or more of the company’s equity must be a Saint Louis University undergraduate junior or senior student, graduate student or recent alumni (up to five years) from any SLU degree program.

Students and young alumni have until March 14 to apply for the NVA. As part of the application process, interested participants need to provide a high-level two-minute pitch, detail their product or service, and offer their insights on their target market and competition.

The top 10 finalists will be named on April 7 and invited to compete in a pitch day on April 14. The second cohort of up to five businesses will be announced on April 25. 

“Our accelerator is an excellent opportunity for students and alumni to launch their new ventures with support and guidance to increase their chances of success,” said Lewis Sheats, Chaifetz Center for Entrepreneurship executive director.

The cohort will launch in May. Teams must be able to meet weekly, in person, during the 14-week accelerator program. During that time, participants will receive funding, resources, access to advisors, and guidance to realize their business idea.

Each team will receive between $5,000 and $50,000 in investment funds.

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In the first year, each of the four participants grew their business and their skills. The businesses in SLU's first NVA cohort include EMBr, GenAssist, Moii Coffee and Posie Pots.

EMBr

EMBr is an innovative wearable device designed to detect opioid overdose symptoms and alert bystanders and emergency medical services (EMS) in real-time. Founder Kirti Madhu began her entrepreneurial journey through the MEDLaunch program at SLU. She is currently a senior at SLU, double majoring in medical sciences and women's and gender studies at SLU.

She has participated in several programs through the Center for Entrepreneurship, rising to be the first president of SLULaunch, a newly formed student-led entrepreneurship incubator. The incubator builds on the foundation of predecessor MEDLaunch, which focused on medical and biomedical entrepreneurship, while broadening opportunities for students with interest in other businesses. 

She was named the 2024 Student Entrepreneur of the Year during the Chaifetz Center for Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame. 

This fall, EMBr was selected to be a part of the fall Cambridge Innovation Center Social Impact Cohort. 

GenAssist

GenAssist is developing MyoMatrix, a regenerative biomaterial to treat Volumetric Muscle Loss (VML) and other muscle conditions. MyoMatrix is designed to replace lost muscle tissue following severe injuries. MyoMatrix is comprised of proteins that mimic the natural extracellular matrix, supporting the wound and stimulating stem cells. When implanted or injected, MyoMatrix encourages the growth of skeletal muscle stem cells. These cells then differentiate into muscle cells, forming new muscle tissue as MyoMatrix reabsorbs.

Founding partner Gabe Haas was an undergraduate researcher working in the lab of Koyal Garg, Ph.D., associate professor of Biomedical Engineering in SLU’s School of Science and Engineering, under a CURE grant. The company was founded by Haas, Garg and Joe Beggs. 

Haas was named the 2024 Young Alumni Entrepreneur of the Year at the Chaifetz Center for Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame.

Moii Coffee

Moii Coffee is a coffee company working towards bridging the gap between coffee farmers and consumers. The company’s mission is to passionately deliver the highest quality, ethically sourced coffee with a personalized touch. Moii strives to deliver a unique and exceptional coffee experience.

Founder Firaol Ahmed began by importing green coffee beans from Ethiopia. The entrepreneurship major would roast small batches weekly at First Crack, a commercial roastery near the Missouri Botanical Garden, before shipping to out-of-town buyers and making hand deliveries for any orders within a 15-mile radius of SLU. Within months, Moii attracted customers in 32 states and recognition from the St. Louis business community.

In fall 2024, Moii pivoted its business model. Ahmed partnered with SLU alum Andy Irakoze and moved the business from roasting to a supply chain and logistics firm connecting coffee farmers in Africa with roasters in North America. Ahmed credited his time in the NVA to helping him focus on what Moii could be.

“We did an exercise where we went out and talked to our customers, really interviewing them about what we were doing and what services we could provide,” he said. “That’s when I realized there is a better and more scalable solution to continue to help African coffee growers sell their product.”

Posie Pots

Posie Pots is an innovative agricultural technology concept that provides sustainable planters through a unique water-once-a-month system. The patented system uses 95% less water and one-third of the soil or growing medium, allowing plants to grow up to 10 times more than in a traditional flowerpot. This self-contained subirrigation system is the first one-piece, closed-loop subirrigation self-watering planter on the market, making it incredibly easy to use and a game-changer in the industry.

Posie Pots is founded by Kay Wells, who holds a bachelors degree and a post-baccalaureate certificate from SLU. 

In November, Posie Pots was one of 20 businesses to receive seed funding from Arch Grants, the St. Louis-based nonprofit, as a part of its13th annual cohort. Each business in the cohort will receive between $75,000 and $100,000 to help grow their businesses.

The NVA program is led by Sheats, with content delivered by SLU faculty, industry experts, and mentors. Several of the experts and mentors are SLU alums.

About the Richard A. Chaifetz School of Business

Founded in 1910, the Richard A. Chaifetz School of Business at Saint Louis University has shaped the future of industry for more than a century. As one of the oldest business schools west of the Mississippi, the Chaifetz School has built a reputation as a leader in business education committed to innovation, inclusion and impact and recognized with eight undergraduate and graduate programs nationally ranked by U.S. News & World Report.

About Saint Louis University

Founded in 1818, Saint Louis University is one of the nation’s oldest and most prestigious Catholic institutions. Rooted in Jesuit values and its pioneering history as the first university west of the Mississippi River, SLU offers more than 15,200 students a rigorous, transformative education of the whole person. At the core of the University’s diverse community of scholars is SLU’s service-focused mission, which challenges and prepares students to make the world a better, more just place.