Fast Forward (startup accelerator)

Fast Forward is the first startup accelerator to focus solely on nonprofit-based technology enterprises, it was founded by Shannon Farley and Kevin Barenblat in 2014.[1] The accelerator provides support, mentorship, and access to financial capital for emerging companies that aim to improve the world, by focusing on poverty, education access, improving health, and environmental degradation.[2][3][4]

Fast Forward
Founded2014
FoundersKevin Barenblat, Shannon Farley
OwnerFast Forward
Key people
Kevin Barenblat, Co-founder and President; Shannon Farley, Co-founder and Executive Director
Websitewww.ffwd.org

Funding

Fast Forward attracted in $1.25 million of funding in 2016, notable backers at that time include AT&T, BlackRock, Google and the Omidyar Network.[5][6][7] In September 2014, Google partnered with Fast Forward during a funding event for its first cohort, giving $20,000 to each nonprofit, and matching the donations up to $100,000.[8] The first cohort raised a combined $150,000 during the event and 1 million dollars during its time with the accelerator.[8] In July 2019, Fast Forward raised $5 million in funding.[9]

Fast Forward was also funded by Sal Khan of Khan Academy, Premal Shah of Kiva, Charles Best of DonorsChoose, and Leila Janah of SamaSource, Andrew McCollum of Facebook, Josh Reeves of ZenPayroll, Joe Greenstein of Flixster, and others.[10]

References
  1. Ruth McCambridge (5 May 2014). "New (and Only) Accelerator for Tech-based Nonprofits Announces its First Class". Nonprofit Quarterly. Retrieved 24 November 2015.
  2. Georgia Wells (9 October 2015). "Tech Startups Chase Something Other Than Profits". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 24 November 2015.
  3. Liz Gannes (13 May 2014). "Fast Forward Launches a Silicon Valley Startup Accelerator for Nonprofits". ReCode. Retrieved 24 November 2015.
  4. Kathleen Kelly Janus (14 July 2014). "The New Social Innovators". Stanford Social Innovation Review. Retrieved 24 November 2015.
  5. "Google.org, Omidyar Network backing Fast Forward, the accelerator for tech nonprofits". TechCrunch. Retrieved 2021-07-24.
  6. KGO (2017-09-27). "Fast Forward is Silicon Valley startup accelerator for nonprofits". ABC7 San Francisco. Retrieved 2021-07-24.
  7. Kia Kokalitcheva (10 November 2015). "Inside The One Startup Accelerator That Only Works With Non-Profits". Fortune. Retrieved 24 November 2015.
  8. Sommers-Dawes, Kate (2014-09-12). "Google-Backed Nonprofit Startups Tackle World's Toughest Problems". Mashable. Retrieved 2021-07-24.
  9. "Fast Forward raises new war chest to fight Silicon Valley's inequality machine". TechCrunch. Retrieved 2021-07-24.
  10. Kia Kokalitcheva (12 September 2014). "Meet the five Google.org-backed startups that are part tech startups, part non-profits". VentureBeat. Retrieved 24 November 2015.

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