BURLINGTON, Vt. (April 6, 2026) – LaunchVT, a division of the Lake Champlain Chamber, has selected eight Vermont startups to participate in its 2026 Accelerator. This is the 14th cohort to come through LaunchVT’s flagship program. Since 2013, LaunchVT has provided business development support, strategic coaching, and over $1.4 million in cash and services to accelerate 95 Vermont startups statewide.
Cathy Davis, president and CEO of the Lake Champlain Chamber, said, “LaunchVT’s mission is to empower the entrepreneurs who are driving Vermont’s economy forward. I’m inspired by the talent in this year’s cohort and proud that the Chamber continues to be a home for the startups and ideas that shape our state’s future.”
The startups and their participating founders selected for the 2026 LaunchVT Accelerator Cohort are:
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Thicket Adventure – Kara Hardman
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Abgentic – Brian Marrier
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Height of Land LTD – Robert Kelly and Adam Howard
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Agrilab – Brian Jerose
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Aligna App – Reddhi Patel
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NEK Biosciences – Kenneth James
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Oru – Neil Shah
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Giftdrive – Logan Vaughan
Participants were selected through a rigorous application and interview process with an independent selection committee.
These entrepreneurs will each 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 kicks off this month and concludes with Demo Night on June 16. Celebrate the official start of the accelerator, meet the selected founders, and network with the LaunchVT community of stakeholders at reception hosted at Zero Gravity Craft Brewery on Wednesday, April 8 from 4-6pm.
Demo Night, LaunchVT’s culminating event, will be held in Burlington on June 16 from 5-8pm. The cohort of founders will pitch their businesses to investors and the public. Hula will host the event and Tom Messner will serve as the evening’s emcee. Each entrepreneur will leave the program with a refined and polished pitch deck, an executive summary for investors, and extensive connections to advisors, investors, service providers, and other local founders.
“I am incredibly excited about this cohort,” says Noragh Devlin, director of LaunchVT. “This group is developing thoughtful and innovative solutions to important problems and building very exciting startups along the way. They are a great representation of the energy and spirit of Vermont’s entrepreneurial community.”
LaunchVT is made possible thanks to a robust network of support, including sponsors, business coaches, and the many other partners who champion our startup community.