BURLINGTON, Vt. (February 23, 2026) – LaunchVT, a division of the Lake Champlain Chamber (LCC), is now accepting applications for its 2026 Accelerator. The selected startups will be the 14th cohort through LaunchVT’s flagship acceleration program.
Entrepreneurs selected for the cohort will work with a dedicated business coach and strategic advisors to address their startup’s most pressing needs. They will also participate in peer sessions, office hours with business advisors, and workshops with content experts throughout the program, which begins in April and concludes on June 16.
The highlight of the program is Demo Night on June 16 at Hula, when the cohort of founders will pitch their businesses to investors and the public. Each entrepreneur will leave the program with a refined and polished pitch deck, a Launch Report, and extensive connections to advisors, investors, service providers, and other local founders.
Last year’s LaunchVT participants included Cardchain AI, Heron’s Marine, Kitty Badhands, Rugged MicroPower, TukTu Inc., Vship, and Xander Medical. At Demo Night, Xander Medical took home the $5,000 audience choice award, while Vship received the $15,000 grand prize.
“Since 2013, LaunchVT has delivered on the Chamber’s mission to create economic opportunities by providing strategic support, education, and coaching to high-growth startups statewide, spurring job growth, innovation and investment in Vermont’s economy,” said LCC President and CEO Cathy Davis.
Applicants will be selected for the LaunchVT cohort based on viability, scalability, and impact:
- Viability – quality of the product, business model, and team;
- Scalability – market opportunity and revenue growth potential;
- Impact – job creation and positive economic impact on Vermont.
Noragh Devlin, director of LaunchVT, emphasized the accelerator’s role in driving Vermont’s promising startups. “LaunchVT is uniquely positioned to support Vermont-based startups taking their next giant leap. With our tight-knit network of early-stage investors, top strategists, and world-class mentors, startups get the resources, know-how and confidence to scale and thrive.”
Applications will close on March 18, 2026, at 11:59pm. To learn more about LaunchVT or apply, visit launchvt.com. Contact Director of LaunchVT Noragh Devlin with questions at [email protected].