ARK Challenge Dates, Application Deadlines for LR, NWA
By Mark Carter
The ARK Challenge, the mentorship-driven startup accelerator in Fayetteville, ran its federally funded course last year but will continue on as a state/private venture.
This year, of course, it expands to Little Rock.
All the details concerning its downtown Little Rock presence aren't ready for release just yet, but it'll occupy ground-floor space in the Block 2 building directly across from the Statehouse Convention Center on East Markham.
Meanwhile, following the closure of the Iceberg co-working space, the ARK in NWA has settled on second-floor space in the East Square Plaza on the downtown Fayetteville square.
The 2014 NWA version will run June 9 through Sept. 10, and the Little Rock installment will run Aug. 4 through Nov. 13. So, some overlap.
Here's more info on each installment:
The ARK Challenge, NWA summer session
- June 9-Sept. 10
- Application deadline is May 12
- Apply here
- The summer session will focus on advanced startups with some traction in the retail and logisitcs sectors.
- Up to five teams will be chosen, each of which will receive $50,000 in funding with the ARK retaining a 6 percent equity stake
- Jeannette Balleza Collins of Scribe Marketing and Startup Junkie Consulting will remain as director of the ARK in NWA.
The ARK Challenge, Little Rock fall session
- Aug. 4-Nov. 13
- Application deadline is July 8
- Apply here
- The fall session will focus on early-stage startups in the health, finance and government sectors.
- Up to 10 teams will be chosen, each of which will receive $20,000 in funding with the ARK retaining a 6 percent equity stake
- Warwick Sabin of the Arkansas Regional Innovation Hub will serve as director.
More to come, and more info available at ARKChallenge.org.