The Brandery, a nationally-ranked accelerator that invests in high-growth startups, recently announced the five companies selected from 697 applicants for its Batch 10 cohort, a program that helps startups grow and get exposed to the startup ecosystem. Among them is EVAmore, founded by Belmont alumnae Channing Moreland and Makenzie Stokel.
EVAmore is a technology-driven platform connecting event planners with vetted, live entertainment. Its SaaS platform automates booking professional entertainment for corporate and private events. Entertainment and events are matched based on the company’s analytics and a custom bidding process. EVAmore facilitates the contract and payment process from start to finish. Notable companies using EVAmore include DELL, ESPN, BMW and Pearson.
In addition to being selected for the Batch 10 cohort, Moreland and Stokel were recognized for EVAmore by the Thomas F. Cone Center for Entrepreneurship at their inaugural event honoring the Top 100 Alumni Entrepreneurs on Oct. 10. Overall, Belmont entrepreneurs represent more than 500 businesses in 74 cities and five countries.
“Neither one of us expected to start a business at Belmont, but we were so inspired by the support here that we decided to take our idea and run with it,” said Stokel at the Top 100 event. “As entrepreneurs here tonight, we all understand each other. We understand what it takes. It’s one of the best communities to be a part of.”
The companies selected for the Batch 10 cohort will relocate to Cincinnati, Ohio, for the duration of the 12-week program. The cohort features company from Nashville, Cincinnati, Charlotte, Tampa and Toronto. Including EVAmore, 60% of the cohort is led by a female founder and CEO.
In the beginning of the program, each startup is paired with one of The Brandery’s Batch 10 agency partners. Managing Director of the Brandery Jeff Boeh said, “This partnership continues to be a hallmark characteristic of The Brandery’s program and, combined with the large network of investor and mentors, has been critical in maintaining our national ranking as one of the ‘Top 25’ accelerators in the country.”
Throughout the first three weeks, the five startups will meet with more than 100 mentors and supporters. The program concludes on December 18 with “Demo Day.”
Also at the Top 100 Entrepreneurs event, Moreland said, “We get asked all the time ‘why did we do it?’ It’s because it’s what we love the most. And we hope we can inspire others to do what they love the most, as well.”
About The Brandery:
The Brandery is a seed stage startup accelerator that leverages the expertise of the Cincinnati region, namely branding, marketing and design. We believe that building your brand—and not just a product—is a way startups can be more resource efficient and increase their probability of success. In addition to anelite mentor list, startups will be paired with world-class creative agencies and have access to some of the biggest companies in the world, including Procter & Gamble and Kroger. The Brandery runs one, 12-week accelerator program a year for a group of 5-7 startups selected from a highly competitive applicant pool. Startups receive a $100k equity investment, a year of free office space and over $200k in additional benefits. The Brandery is a SILVER-tier accelerator in the U.S. as ranked by the Seed Accelerator Rankings Project.
