News from Westchester’s Entrepreneurial Ecosystem

Featuring news, entrepreneur profiles, and mentorship and growth opportunities

Waju Launching in Sprouts Nationwide

Waju, a new water sourced 100% from fruit, which is produced from Element 46 graduate Blue Yonder Brands, is stepping into the retail space with a launch in more than 400 Sprouts locations nationwide in March.

Waju is the only water sourced exclusively from the naturally occurring water within real fruit. This allows it to take on the delicious essence of fruit along with its powerful antioxidant benefits which support immunity.

Launch1000 Alums Featured on

CBS News New York's Shop Local Saturday

The team behind Croton-on-Hudson's Orchid & Elm, which sells recycled and repurposed furniture, as well as homemade goods, was recently featured on

CBS New York's Shop Local Saturday segment. Orchid & Elm bloomed from a friendship that started between Rose Marie Melda and Leigh Fludd-Smith in 2021 when they participated in Westchester County’s Launch1000 entrepreneurship education program. Leigh then brought in Diandra Sklar and Lorraine DeMaio, and this diverse group not only sells their own restored furniture in the boutique, but also supports other entrepreneurs and small businesses in the process.

Through Orchid & Elm’s Visiting Artists program, local artisans are given space in the shop and are able to sell their products. Anne Wilson, another Launch1000 graduate, is featured in the segment alongside her Mimi Blackstone Signature Collection.

It's Time to Start Something New!

Get Your Business or Nonprofit Off the Ground

with Launch1000

Launch1000 is a free program offered in English and Spanish to any Westchester County

resident who is looking to launch a new income stream or pivot an existing venture.

This action-based accelerator provides a step-by-step framework to test, validate, de-risk, and/or launch your venture. Participate in live workshops each week and tap into weekly office hours with coaches. You'll receive feedback from experienced entrepreneurs during every step of your journey, expand your network and gain support from a vibrant community of hundreds of early-stage entrepreneurs.

More than 365 ventures have gotten off the ground with Launch1000 and yours could be next. Apply today!

Submit a Project Pitch to America's Seed Fund

America’s Seed Fund powered by NSF funds startups to create the next game-changing technologies — often based on fundamental science or engineering — in need of research and development to create new products, services, and other scalable solutions. Each year, they award $200+ million in R&D funding to about 400 startups across the US.

Click here to learn more and get started on your Project Pitch. Chosen startups can get up to $2 million to develop deep technologies. The projects they fund must have the potential to positively benefit society and to lead to significant outcomes in the commercial market. Most of the startups they fund have fewer than five employees, are recently formed and haven't received funding from the government before.

America's Seed Fund is a program within the National Science Foundation and housed within the Directorate for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships.

Time is Running Out: Apply Today for Element 46!

Deadline to Apply: March 6

Are you a tech startup in Westchester County? You have until March 6 to apply for the Spring 2023 cohort of the Element 46 Tech Accelerator Powered by Cela. The program offers a 12-week virtual curriculum, pitch and networking events for founders, access to a mentor network of investors and successful technology entrepreneurs, corporate and technology partnerships, and cutting edge technology and business skills. Apply today.

Upcoming Info Sessions:

Monday, February 27 (5 PM) - for founders interested in learning more about the accelerator

Tuesday, February 28 (5 PM) / IN PERSON - for investors interested in becoming mentors only

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