A design-focused accelerator has been launched by the California Institute of Technology (CalTech) and the Art Center College of Design.
Housed at Caltech’s California-based incubator IdeaLab, The Design Accelerator (TDA) will support early-stage design-driven tech firms over the course of a three month programme. Applicants will have office space at IdeaLab, access to mentoring and seed investment through TDA’s Seed-Stage Investment Fund. The ultimate aim of the programme is to have start-ups that will attract further funding rounds from angel and venture investors.
Lorne Buchman, Art Center president, said: “In today’s economy, artists and designers play a vital role as creative leaders and catalysts for innovation and change. Integrating technology, design and business, The Design Accelerator creates an opportunity for Art Center and Caltech alumni to expand on what they learned as students and provides a stimulating space for their concepts to become viable businesses.”
Fred Farina, Caltech’s chief innovation officer, added: “We know that making connections across different areas fuels innovation, and that’s why we’re excited about this collaboration. The combination of our complementary but very different perspectives in a startup team promises powerful results.”
