Cari Haught Coats

We are Central Florida’s only 501(c)3 nonprofit organization focused on accelerating tech and tech-enabled startups. We support founders through the early-stages of a startup, from validating their idea, developing an MVP or Prototype, building the infrastructure of a sustainable business, through first customer / first revenue, to preparing to meet with investors for pre-seed funding. We provide three world-class accelerator programs that offer tech founders the opportunity to learn the skills, competencies and business disciplines that help them address and mitigate the top 20 reasons 2 out of 3 tech startups fail in their first five years. The programs also provide founders with highly skilled coaches and subject matter experts, as well as personal introductions and connections into the broader tech ecosystem. We prepare pre-seed-ready starters to attract outside funding while also investing in eligible pre-seed-stage accelerator graduates through our own evergreen fund. StarterStudio is supported by donors and local governments as a stimulus to economic development and high-wage jobs.

venVelo is a venture fund and business accelerator focused on early-stage opportunities. venVelo was formally launched in 2012 and quickly established itself as one of the most active venture funds in central Florida. In addition to its investments, venVelo board members have been frequent speakers, panelists, and venture competition judges around the state. venVelo also has donated money to a variety of firms working to develop the central Florida entrepreneurial ecosystem.

We are Central Florida’s only 501(c)3 nonprofit organization focused on accelerating tech and tech-enabled startups. We support founders through the early-stages of a startup, from validating their idea, developing an MVP or Prototype, building the infrastructure of a sustainable business, through first customer / first revenue, to preparing to meet with investors for pre-seed funding. We provide three world-class accelerator programs that offer tech founders the opportunity to learn the skills, competencies and business disciplines that help them address and mitigate the top 20 reasons 2 out of 3 tech startups fail in their first five years. The programs also provide founders with highly skilled coaches and subject matter experts, as well as personal introductions and connections into the broader tech ecosystem. We prepare pre-seed-ready starters to attract outside funding while also investing in eligible pre-seed-stage accelerator graduates through our own evergreen fund. StarterStudio is supported by donors and local governments as a stimulus to economic development and high-wage jobs.

Accendo Leadership Advisory Group is a leadership development firm that leverages the deep executive experience of its partners to help companies drive business performance by coaching and developing leaders and their teams. Co-founders and managing partners, Cari Coats and Karen Dee, are highly accomplished C-suite level executives with proven track records of driving profitable growth. Accendo partners are certified in the Marshall Goldsmith Stakeholder Centered Coaching methodology, which has helped hundreds of Fortune 500 CEO’s and associated teams take their game to the next level. Goldsmith is widely recognized as a top leadership thinker in the world and is a Wall Street Journal and New York Times best-selling author with more than a million books sold.

venVelo is a venture fund and business accelerator focused on early-stage opportunities. venVelo was formally launched in 2012 and quickly established itself as one of the most active venture funds in central Florida. In addition to its investments, venVelo board members have been frequent speakers, panelists, and venture competition judges around the state. venVelo also has donated money to a variety of firms working to develop the central Florida entrepreneurial ecosystem.