Eric Wagner, co-founder, Converge Technologies, to lead virtual 10-week session for aspiring STEM entrepreneurs

DAYTON, OH, USA, January 5, 2021 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Following up on the success of previous sessions of the program, Converge Technologies is excited to announce the February 2021 tech-track cohort of Early Risers Academy, a free, 10-week course designed to take aspiring entrepreneurs from startup idea to business launch. The 10-week pre-accelerator will start February 9, 2021 and will be held every Tuesday through April 13 from 5:30 to 8:30 pm Eastern Time. All sessions will be conducted online via Zoom.

The tech cohort is designed for inventors and creators looking to launch innovative technology-based items into the marketplace. The program, part of Launch Dayton, the city’s startup community, falls under the tutelage of Converge Technologies co-founder Eric Wagner. Participants in the accelerator will receive hands-on, interactive training in a variety of areas vital to bringing tech to market. An experienced instructor and mentor to engineers, Wagner has served as the associate director for the Center for Design and Manufacturing Excellence at the Ohio State University and as an adjunct instructor for the I-Corps@Ohio program.

Topics to be covered include the lean startup method; rapid prototyping; how to develop a product to fit the needs of the customer; how to find and apply for seed and early-stage funding; and how to identify and acquire sources of non-dilutive capital. Based on Kauffman FastTrac, a business-building curriculum designed by the Kauffman Foundation, the country’s preeminent entrepreneurship-building organization, weekly assignments will be tailored to each potential founder’s technology, helping to ensure specialized education. Participants will also be able to avail of one-on-one videoconferencing sessions to exchange ideas and receive guidance on the product development and business formation process.


“We are excited to be facilitating this second session of the technology accelerator,” says Wagner. “As an added component this year, in partnership with the Ohio Gateway Tech Fund, accelerator winners may be given the option to receive as much as $400,000 in pre-seed investments.”

Throughout the course of the program, Early Risers Academy will also feature guest facilitators to speak and share information on their given fields of expertise. The roster of guest speakers so far includes Kimberly Gibson of Columbus-based 3D printing studio IC3D Printers; Matthew Weltman, a longtime engineer with the US Army to speak on procuring government contracts; and Harry Friedberg, partner with New York-based BX3, a firm that helps startups get situated with funding and advisory services. BX3 and Converge Technologies are partners in Converge Ventures, a high-tech start-up model that helps early-stage companies fund, develop, and commercialize their products, and of which Wagner is the CEO.

“Last year’s teams have significantly advanced their commercialization efforts as a result of the program,” Wagner continues. Case in point: Dr. Luis Estevez, the winner of the spring 2020 Early Risers Academy tech cohort, has garnered numerous positive headlines for his company Advanced & Innovative Multifunctional Materials’ groundbreaking nanoparticle technology, which has myriad use cases to benefit public health, including the development of self-disinfecting N95 masks and preventing waterborne disease.

Early Risers Academy is supported by Launch Dayton, Parallax Advanced Research, and Converge Technologies. To learn more or apply for the program, please visit daytontechguide.com/early-risers-academy. Applications are open now; space is limited.

About Converge Technologies:
Converge Technologies is a commercial engineering and business advisory services firm created to support efficient commercialization of innovative technologies. The company was created around the efficient utilization of leveraged resources, both internal and external, to support successful design, prototyping, product development, and manufacturing of novel innovation. Converge Technologies, along with BX3, recently established Converge Ventures, an innovative new start-up creation company founded by successful and seasoned technology commercialization professionals. Converge Ventures’ proprietary model addresses the problems that commonly plague start-ups with a proven, repeatable process that curates the key elements needed for successful and profitable ventures. More at convergetechs.com and convergevc.com

About Launch Dayton:
Launch Dayton is a community of regional entrepreneurial support organizations. The Launch Dayton partnership believes everyone, regardless of their background, should have the opportunity to determine their own economic prosperity and therefore exists to support and inspire all Daytonians who are building businesses. Launch Dayton partners collaborate to build an easily accessible environment, run high-caliber programming, and connect a network of champions, mentors, and resource providers.

Media contact:
Anne Szustek Talbot
BX3
anne@bx3.io

Anne Szustek Talbot
BX3
+1 833-293-8326
email us here
Visit us on social media:
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn

Legal Disclaimer:

EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.