The Heritage Group Accelerator Welcomes 2022 Cohort

Companies will receive financial, business development, and R&D mentorship at Indianapolis innovation hub during immersive 13-week program

INDIANAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Heritage Group (“THG”) Accelerator today announced that seven companies have been selected to participate in its 2022 hard tech accelerator program at THG’s innovation hub in Indianapolis. The chosen companies are focused on building a sustainable future through innovation in specialty chemicals, advanced materials, infrastructure and construction, environmental solutions, and industrial systems.

Throughout the program, each participating startup will receive mentorship from executives, scientists, industry professionals, and successful entrepreneurs, and will be able to access THG’s 30+ operating companies to gain critical industry insights and opportunities to pilot their technologies. The program will conclude on November 15 with a public event in which the startups will demonstrate their technologies and pitch their businesses to a global audience of leading investors.

“The need for innovators interested in a greener future has never been more clear. At The Heritage Group Accelerator, we pair innovators with hand-selected resources and expertise to scale their transformative technologies and write the next chapter in sustainable manufacturing, materials, infrastructure, waste and water treatment, and other hard tech verticals,” said Nida Ansari, Managing Director of the THG Accelerator. “We are thrilled to welcome these seven promising companies to Indianapolis for our program.”

Each company was selected to be part of the 2022 THG Accelerator program after a rigorous application and review process. The selected startups are:

• Allium Engineering (Cambridge, MA) has built a proprietary rebar technology to eliminate steel corrosion and create more resilient, affordable, and sustainable material. Structures that would last 30 years with traditional rebar can be built to last 100 years with Allium’s innovative solutions.
• ZILA Works (Renton, WA) is developing a novel industrial bioplastic to help product manufacturers lower their carbon footprint. The company’s patented process uses vegetable oils to create a bio-epoxy resin system that reduces carbon emissions by as much as 60% compared to petroleum-based epoxies.
• Nanode Battery Technology (Edmonton, AB) has invented a next-generation high-performance material that optimizes rechargeable lithium and sodium-ion batteries. Batteries utilizing Nanode’s technology have 5x the energy density of traditional batteries at 40% the cost.
• SeaChange Technologies Inc. (Raleigh, NC) offers a patented water treatment technology that eliminates toxic sludge from industrial waste water, reducing both costs and impact on the environment.
• Sirionix Renewables (Seattle, WA) creates high-performing plant-based cleaning products that are sustainable, nontoxic and perform better than incumbent chemical-based brands.
• SusMaX (Philadelphia, PA) uses a thermodynamics-based technology to transform waste coal ash into lightweight construction aggregates. This technology promotes landfill diversion, extends the service life of construction materials, and reduces transportation costs by 50%.
• Ourobio (Charlottesville, VA) turns industrial byproducts into low-footprint, performance-enhancing, biodegradable plastic additives. Plastics incorporating the company’s technology are less expensive, more sustainable, and easier to manufacture.

The 2022 Heritage Accelerator cohort will be greeted today by more than 150 industry, technical, and business professionals during a Welcome to Our Ecosystem event at THG’s innovation hub, The Center. Following that event, cohort founders will continue building relationships with Indiana’s startup professionals while packing meals for food-insecure Hoosiers during an interactive networking event in cooperation with Pack Away Hunger.

With the addition of this cohort, the THG Accelerator portfolio now includes 36 startups. In the past three years, THG Accelerator alumni have conducted 25+ pilots and raised more than $28 million in follow-on funding. Three Accelerator companies have relocated their headquarters to Indiana or opened significant operations in the Hoosier state.

About HG Ventures:
HG Ventures is the corporate venture arm of The Heritage Group, headquartered in Indianapolis. HG Ventures supports innovation and growth across The Heritage Group by investing and partnering with innovative, high-growth companies to support a sustainable future. The team leverages the world-class expertise of The Heritage Group operating companies and a research center to offer a unique value proposition to its portfolio company partners. Learn more at www.hgventures.com. More about The Heritage Group Accelerator at https://hgaccelerator.com/.

About The Heritage Group:
Founded in 1930, The Heritage Group (THG) is a fourth-generation, family-owned business managing a diverse portfolio of companies specializing in heavy construction and materials, environmental services, and specialty chemicals. Companies within the THG portfolio include Heritage Environmental Services, Heritage Construction + Materials, and Monument Chemical. With more than 6,000 employees and 30 operating companies worldwide, THG aims to build a safer, more enriching and sustainable world by harnessing the power of family.