VentureWell in Massachusetts plans to roll out its Investor Readiness Training Program, Ascend, which is designed to prepare hydropower and marine energy startups for investment.

The N.J. Economic Development Authority’s wildly successful NJ Accelerate Program is getting two more years to help spur innovation in the state.Earlier this week, the board of the EDA announced it had approved a new two-year pilot period for the program, which encourages the participation of entrepreneurs in high-quality approved partner accelerator programs, helping increase the chances of success of innovative companies in the state.To date, 11 start-ups have received support through the program.EDA CEO Tim Sullivan obviously was thrilled.“Establishing New Jersey as a national leader in innovation by helping to advance entrepreneurs’ transformative ideas is a key priority for Gov. Phil Murphy,” he said. “The NJEDA is committed to providing New Jersey innovators with the tools they need to take their concepts from sketches on a paper napkin to commercialization. NJ Accelerate is an essential element of our suite of resources that is empowering New Jersey startups to revolutionize the global marketplace.”Through NJ Accelerate, the EDA seeks to provide NJ-based entrepreneurs access to best-in-class programs and in turn supply them with the tools and support to grow their businesses in the Garden State.An accelerator is a fixed-term, cohort-based “boot camp” offering educational programs for start-up founders, exposing them to a wide variety of mentors, including former entrepreneurs, venture capitalists (VCs), angel investors, and corporate executives.Recently approved accelerators focus on clean technology, digital health, information technology, hard technology, property technology, and educational technology.Under NJ Accelerate, eligible companies graduating from approved Accelerators can apply for an investment loan of up to $250,000, matched to their Accelerator’s cash investment on a 1:1 basis. In addition, start-ups renting physical space at approved co-working/incubator locations can access up to $25,000 in rent support

The program will culminate in a high-stakes pitch event in 2025 where teams will present their business models to Highway Ventures, an Arkansas-based venture studio, for potential incubation and funding.