Another dozen local companies have been accepted into Thryve Next, a business-expansion mentoring program offered by Startup Tucson under a federal contract.
Thryve Next is funded through a $1.44 million, five-year contract award issued last fall by the U.S. Small Business Administration’s ScaleUp America program, which is aimed at helping existing businesses to grow rapidly. The first dozen companies went through the program earlier this year.
Startup Tucson’s Thryve Next “accelerator” program focuses on the broader knowledge and skills needed to expand an established company, the group says. Local mentors for Thryve Next include successful startup executives, entrepreneurship educators, service providers, investors and industry professionals.
Starting their 10-week Thryve Next training this week are:
- 2Shoes Inc., an educational technology company currently offering conference and continuing-education session and document management via a mobile application;
- ABC Containers LLC, a corrugated cardboard packaging manufacturer seeking to expand regionally and internationally;
- AquaPure Hydration, a provider of water purification equipment, home water delivery and private-label bottled water;
- CPR2U LLC, which offers CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) training for emergency responders, health workers and the general public.
- Darling Environmental & Surveying, a technology company specializing in 3D modeling, scanning and technical surveying;
- Fed By Threads LLC, an online and brick-and-mortar clothing retailer that markets sustainably, U.S-made clothing and donates part of its sales to feed the hungry;
- G&H Industries LLC, a manufacturer of mat boards used for picture framing that is looking to expand sales in the art and hobby markets;
- iCropTrak, which offers custom analytics platforms to farmers to aid in crop management;
- Talon Radio Carriers LLC, which makes a line of specialty radio holster products;
- The Arizona Bilingual Magazine LLC, a bilingual newspaper in Southern Arizona and Sonora, Mexico;
- The Underestimated City, a clothing and design brand created in Tucson but spreading nationwide to other “underestimated cities and communities;”
- Yellow Brick Coffee, a fast-growing sustainable coffee-roasting business that plans to take its “origin-farmer relationship” focused brand into new products and markets nationally.
Founded in 2011, Startup Tucson offers a number of events and programs to help budding entrepreneurs start and grow businesses, including Startup Weekend, the CoLab co-working space and Thryve. Besides Thryve Next, the group offers Thryve Impact, a “social impact incubator,” and Thryve Express, a five-week incubator program.
For more information, go to startuptucson.org
