SoftBank Investment Advisers and WeWork have partnered to launch EMERGE, a virtual program intended to foster diversity in tech and entrepreneurship by providing the tools and network needed to scale a business. Three Seattle-based startups are among the first cohort selected.
- With support from the early-stage incubating platform WeWork Labs, the equity-free, 8-week program, which began April 27, aims to address the lack of access and mentoring faced by underrepresented founders and help companies develop innovative solutions.
- Of the 14 startups selected, the three from Seattle include: Game Jolt, a platform for gamers to follow 100K+ games while they’re still in development; Node, which builds houses fast with their proprietary assembly kit; and Rebellyous Foods, a novel production stack for plant-based meat. (The rest of the companies are listed on the EMERGE site.)
- “Now more than ever, small businesses and startups globally are being tested for their ability to adapt to the new realities our world is facing post COVID-19,” said Prabhdeep Singh, global head of WeWork Labs. “We are thrilled to be working with 14 incredibly talented founders and can’t wait to see what they will accomplish.”
