By Maria Cook
eCeptacle, a Carmel startup which offers cloud-based waste management, has been selected to participate in the 2018 MassChallenge Boston Accelerator Program.
The four-month program works to strengthen the global economy by offering startup companies a chance to connect with top corporate partners, learn via mentorship and compete for shares of $1.5 million in cash prizes, all at zero cost and for zero equity.
eCeptacle founder and Sales Manager Grant Jenkins said MassChallenge offers a unique chance to grow a company’s visibility and customer base.
“MassChallenge links you up with mentors that are wildly successful business owners and introduces you to investors that you wouldn’t have a chance to talk to without that ‘MassChallenge participant’ in the subject of your email,” Jenkins said.
eCeptacle was one of approximately 130 companies selected to participate in this year’s MassChallenge. More 1,600 companies applied. Jenkins said the selection was due, in part, to the company’s wide appeal.
“We are an IoT company, an ‘internet of things’ company,” he said. “We look at trash as data and information. It’s a business idea that people get. There are so many bright ideas out there and startups that are so complex, but this is a simple industry, waste management. It’s an industry that has a lot of innovation but that hasn’t seen a lot of advancements.”
To date, MassChallenge alumni have generated more than $2 billion in revenue and created more than 80,000 jobs. According to Jenkins, eCeptacle is already growing, thanks to its participation.
“We’ve secured five customers locally in the past 30 days, so it’s already adding some visibility to us,” he said. “We’re very excited and honored and blessed to be a part of it. It’s been very cool so far.”
