Atlanta’s WEI Graduates Latest Cohort, Continuing Legacy Of The Nation’s Only Municipally-Funded Accelerator For Women Founders
ATLANTA, June 11 (Hypepotamus) - Over 100 entrepreneurs have graduated from WEI (the Women’s Entrepreneurship Initiative), the Nation’s only municipally-funded women-focused accelerator. And to date, those entrepreneurs have gone on to raise $6.29 million in capital while creating over 750 new jobs.
Its latest cohort, which celebrated graduation this week at Atlanta Tech Village - Buckhead, is now ready to meet investors, land customers, and scale in the city and beyond.
Meet The Latest Cohort
Cathy Huyghe, co-founder of Enolytics
Enolytics helps wine brands make more money through the power of DTC + depletion data analytics.
Kashi Sehgal, founder & CEO of Retaaza
Retaaza serves as a connector between farmers and a variety of consumers to ensure a steady, diverse supply of locally-produced food to communities across Georgia.
Tara Hamberger, founder & CEO of RootedCarePlus
RootedCare+ delivers 24/7 emotional support, care navigation, and micro-assistance for patients and family caregivers through conversational AI over SMS.
Loren Mount-O’Brien, co-founder & CEO of Mirour
Mirour's platform powers personalized experiences that convert customers throughout their in-store journey and beyond.
PlayerZero is an AI production engineer that builds a living model of how your software actually works.
Coach KB - Ceal Hoskie-Starks, founder & CEO of The Sensory Reset
The Sensory Reset™ (Formerly Ready to Live Soap Therapy) is an experiential sensory wellness company specializing in immersive, research-backed experiences that help individuals and teams regulate stress, restore emotional balance, and reconnect with themselves in real time.
Nyah Chapman, CEO of LUXE AI
LUXE AI is a lifestyle operating system that delivers hyper‑personalized recommendations across travel, dining, and experiences.
Charreah Jackson, Shine Army
A platform helping leaders and changemakers claim their spotlight and amplify their impact.
Brooke Terrell, founder & CEO WBT Therapy Works
Empowering children through expert speech, occupational, and physical teletherapy — partnering with schools and families to expand access to care.
Janai Walters, co-founder &CEO inSIDEkonnect
inSIDEkonnect is a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) platform at the intersection of Inclusion, Technology, and Innovation.
Desiree Booker Sharpe, founder &CEO of Savvix
A SaaS co-pilot for creative agencies, ,Savvix watches your stack 24/7 and catches unused seats, surprise charges, and shadow tools before they quietly erode your margins.
Chlorey Campbell, president of The Baby Pantry
The Baby Pantry is a nonprofit organization committed to supporting underprivileged children and their families for the betterment of the community.
Eunice Shelley, founder & CEO of CineSPARQ
A marketplace unlocking production funding for the film industry.
Jessica Myers, CEO of Pocket Sound Bath
Pocket Sound Bath is a wellness technology company creating adaptive sound experiences that help you clear your mind, refocus, and recharge — anytime, anywhere.
WEI’s Impact On Atlanta
WEI’s new leader, Tope Mitchell, Ph.D., is taking over the program from Jennifer Bonnett this summer. For Mitchell, it is about expanding on WEI’s successes to date. In fact, WEI graduates boast an 85% five-year survivability rate…a statistic that is closer to 50% across the wider startup ecosystem, according to data available from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
“The 85% five‑year survivability rate is not accidental; it is the result of a very intentional vision when WEI was created. From the outset, WEI was designed to be more than a traditional accelerator—it is a city-backed ecosystem of support,” she told Hypepotamus via email. “A major factor is that WEI is the only municipally funded incubator of its kind in the nation, which changes the experience for founders in meaningful ways. Participants aren’t just joining a program—they feel that the city itself is investing in their success. That level of validation, combined with direct access to public-sector resources, creates both confidence and accountability.”
Partners and supporters of the program include Thompson Hine, Arnall Golden Gregory LLP, WIPFLI, Humans Doing, and Trevelino / Keller.
