MassChallenge, already the world’s largest startup accelerator and competition — with programs in Boston, Israel and, in the coming months, the U.K. — continues to push the envelope of international expansion, exploring the possibility of similar programs in Russia, Germany, Switzerland, France, Mexico and Colombia.
“Part of the vision is that we can demonstrate Boston is the global leader in innovation and entrepreneurship,” John Harthorne, MassChallenge’s founder and CEO, told the Herald from Berlin, one of his stops on a three-week business trip to Russia and Europe.
“In most places around the world, resources like mentors, lawyers and investors for startups are missing or poorly coordinated. We have a good system in the U.S. I think we can help create huge growth, as well as open up new avenues for investment and trade between Massachusetts and these countries.”
MassChallenge announced earlier this year that it had secured initial funding to launch its first London program. Harthorne said he hopes to announce new partnerships and sponsorships Wednesday for the program, which could begin accepting applications next spring or early summer. Within 18 months to two years, MassChallenge also may open an office in Russia, where Harthorne and MassChallenge mentors were on hand to offer training to 12 IT startups that recently won a competition in Skolkovo, home to Russia’s largest accelerator. That training will continue for five weeks via Skype before the entrepreneurs pitch their ideas in late October in Boston, he said.
In Berlin, Harthorne met with partners who are trying to market the program, with a tentative launch in 2016. He also has planned stops in Switzerland and France.
“Right now, we’re focused mostly on Europe, but there’s also interest in Mexico and Colombia, both of which have been paying us for mentorship and training,” Harthorne said. “When we started MassChallenge, we did plan for expansion. But we didn’t expect this much excitement and interest. The challenge is keeping up with the demand.”
This article appeared in the Boston Herald
Harthorne also spoke to sk.ru in an interview in Moscow