Founded in 2010 and headquartered in Boston, MassChallenge is a network of accelerators that support early stage startups. The organization just kicked off its 2018 cohort, selected by more than 800 experts in the startup space.
High-potential startups of all kinds were represented, but the retail and consumer goods industry led the charge. Twenty-nine percent of the chosen startups fell into this category, followed by high tech at 28 percent.
Of 1,600 applications from startups around the world, judges chose 128. See which Boston-based e-commerce companies made the cut.
MAKOMAS is an early-stage food and beverage startup that gives people an authentic taste of West Africa. The company uses sustainably grown fruits, flowers, leaves and roots to create juices inspired by regional cultures. President and founder Magbè Savané started the company to pay homage to her West African upbringing and to help women in those communities. MAKOMAS’s philanthropic initiative, Makomas Foundation, supports women who harvest and process baobab fruits.
Anyone who’s had to wear a cast knows the hardship of finding clothing that covers it. Co-founders Nikki Puzzo and Joanne DiCamillo discovered this when one of their daughters underwent hip surgery and was forced to wear casts on two of her legs, which made dressing and undressing a challenge. The pair used this as inspiration to start befree and invent zipOns: pants with side zippers that span from top to bottom and adjust to any width. They’re available in youth and adult sizes.
Collettey’s Cookies was founded by Collette Divitto, a baker with a passion for helping those with disabilities. Born with Down syndrome, Divitto was inspired to work toward this mission after discovering how challenging it can be to find work. Through her business of selling cookies, she aspires to open production facilities across the country and hire others with disabilities. Her company has been featured on CBS, MSNBC, Good Morning America, Chronicle and CNN.
The 1854 Cycling Company is an electric bicycle and apparel brand that employs people who were previously incarcerated. The startup, which got its name from the year that the Anti-Slavery Society met for the first time, has been featured by Bloomberg, Ebony Magazine, Bicycle Retailer and Industry News and other media outlets. By fall 2018, the company aims to move into a new office and train and certify individuals to help with production.
Finding fresh, local food can be a challenge regardless of where you live. Natured is a service that connects New England food makers and consumers and delivers products across the Greater Boston area, directly to people’s doorsteps. The idea is to support local farmers and make it easier for people to know exactly where their food is coming from.
