NMotion Accelerator targets KC startup founders for new venture studio backed by gener8tor; deadline extended to Nov. 2
October 15, 2020 | Austin Barnes
Editor’s note: This article is sponsored by the NMotion startup accelerator, but was independently produced by Startland News.
Moving startups forward, faster, has long been the mission behind Lincoln, Nebraska-based NMotion Accelerator — but it’s just one perk of the program that’s generating next-level entrepreneurial growth as it debuts a new venture studio.
“We’re focused on category creation. We want to find founders who want to create a company that actually creates a whole new category in the world,” said Scott Henderson, managing director of the program, fueled by gener8tor — a hub for the creative economy that connects founders, musicians, artists, investors, universities and corporations.
NMotion helps accomplish such work, alongside corporate programming that includes conferences and fellowships. Click here to learn more about the Wisconsin-grown organization.
“The accelerator studio came from insights that we had looking at the gener8tor portfolio and realizing the companies that have outperformed the rest are the ones that leveraged the unique expertise and talent of the founders to unearth new market opportunities,” he explained.
The 16-week program is currently recruiting its first cohort of co-founders and aims to engage forward-thinking entrepreneurs with real-world experience and technical expertise to co-found and launch brand new startups.
“We’re looking for founders who are curious about trends, insights, and opportunities — and want to explore it with our team,” he continued, citing the program’s wealth of resources that includes a global network of investors and mentors. Through the program, each founder will meet at least 100 mentors and at least 85 investors.
Click here to apply for the program before its Nov. 2 deadline.

gener8tor meeting
Founders selected to participate in the NMotion Studio Accelerator — set to launch Dec. 3 — receive $100,000 in investment capital and work alongside NMotion and gener8tor team members to build, design, launch, and iterate new products or services in the first month of the program, with its second and third month dedicated entirely to product build.
“These founders can really benefit from the wide variety of people that have had success building and scaling companies, as well as having unique industry experience,” Henderson added.
“They’ll spend the fourth month meeting at least 85 unique investors who will give them market feedback — from an investors perspective — as well as give them the opportunity to raise more capital.”
Startups created through the program are subject to certain equity agreements with gener8tor, the organization noted on its website.
“I think the best silver lining is it’s so much easier to get people from around the country and around the world to Zoom in, to video chat in and be part of these conversations,” he said.
“An interesting, unexpected upside is it’s simpler to ask high quality mentors and investors to spend time with you because everyone’s kind of slowed down on their travel.”
Kansas City founders are especially encouraged to apply to the program, Henderson said, citing its significant reach in the Midwest and ability to inspire regional connections.

gener8tor Premiere Night
“No one has done more deals in the Midwest than gener8tor and we are doing more programming in the Midwest. We have operations across the region – Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, and beyond,” he said, reiterating the NMotion and gener8tor commitment to creating impact for founders.
“Anybody who’s creating a company, there’s tremendous opportunity to plug into all of these programs. … These are all available to Midwestern startup founders [no matter their industry] and we want to make sure they take full advantage of it.”
Click here to read about the success of NEER, a Kansas City startup that recently completed another gener8tor accelerator program.

2020 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
mySidewalk CEO: Partnership with National League of Cities will ‘unlock’ hidden data for thousands of communities
A veteran Kansas City tech startup has partnered with the National League of Cities to help its members “bring actionable data to every community,” mySidewalk’s CEO announced this week. “Together, we will provide data to unlock funding, guide investments, and improve neighborhoods,” said Stephen Hardy, leader of the KC-based govtech company, describing NLC as “the…
How one of KC’s earliest Esports leaders is leveling up inclusive gaming (and why it’s C-suite or bust for his next plays)
Change comes through leadership, said AbdulRasheed Yahaya, announcing he’s acquired co-ownership of one of the largest Esports facilities in the nation — positioning him to take the controller and level up on his long-standing commitment to make the industry a fair game for all. “To do this, I’ve always known I have to be at the…
Premiere: In the span of 11 minutes, you’ll watch one entrepreneur fight for his life (and win)
DJ Stewart beat the odds — and his prognosis — in a health battle chronicled by friend and Kansas City filmmaker Ryan Lovell. The intimate documentary they created together premieres today. “Rare Enough” captures Stewart at his most raw during the Journey Pro Wrestling founder’s fight against Grade 4 glioblastoma — a rare malignant brain tumor…
Wichita support org for startups lands nearly $1M in funding — including $300K in Kauffman backing
Startland News’ Startup Road Trip series explores innovative and uncommon ideas finding success in rural America and Midwestern startup hubs outside the Kansas City metro. This series is possible thanks to the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, which leads a collaborative, nationwide effort to identify and remove large and small barriers to new business creation. New…


