Source: STRE.ME
February 11, 2021: Fort Wayne-based STRE.ME has been accepted into Cox Enterprises Social Impact Accelerator Powered by Techstars. Now in its second year, the Techstars program has shifted focus to support companies addressing social justice and systemic racism issues. The three-month program will provide virtual mentoring, funding and global connections to 10 for-profit, mission-driven companies.
STRE.ME is the first Fort Wayne company to be accepted into this prestigious and selective international program. STRE.ME creates and certifies cultures of aware, accountable, and engaged employees who promote equitable outcomes to improve safety, health, education, and innovation. Organizational leaders use STRE.ME’s implicit bias management (IBM) platform to scale individualized and confidential education experiences. STRE.ME participants learn what implicit biases they have, how to manage them, and are held accountable for applying what they learn. STRE.ME’s mission is to create cultures of awareness and accountability and its vision is to help the world promote equitable outcomes.
Strategic mentorships with Cox business leaders and experts will help bring Techstars participant’s ideas to market, boost their early-stage businesses, grow their networks and prepare them to pitch their company’s ideas to potential investors at a Demo Day presentation on April 29, 2021.
“There are many solutions that claim to help find and reduce implicit bias, but none of them help manage progress, engage employees regularly, and hold people accountable like STRE.ME does. I am super excited about the impact this product will have on the future of inclusion and equity in our workforce.” – Barry Givens, Managing Director for Cox Enterprises Social Impact Accelerator Powered by Techstars
Jack Patton, co-founder and chief executive officer, launched STRE.ME to simplify behavior change through accountability and has served in multiple leadership positions during his career. He is a graduate of Indiana University, Northwestern University, and the New School University. STRE.ME‘s Co-Founder and Chief Equity Officer Anne Marie Labenberg is a registered nurse, serial entrepreneur with multiple successful exits, and has trained over 15k individuals in implicit bias training, specifically in health, across the U.S. She is well versed in change management theory and application, advocates for under-served populations, and tackles health challenges as a practitioner
“It is exciting to be a part of Techstars and to be a part of an amazing cohort of innovative changemakers,” said Labenberg. “We will grow in ways we cannot even imagine and are grateful for this opportunity.”
“It’s exciting and humbling to join the Techstars network, especially with this group of incredibly smart, hard-working, and talented founders,” said Patton. “There’s so much to learn and do that focusing on social impact with Techstars has already expanded our knowledge, network, and reach in the best ways possible. Cox Enterprises and Techstars provide incredible advocacy, mentorship, and access to resources that are tremendously helpful to STRE.ME’s mission to create cultures of awareness and accountability.”
About STRE.ME
Everyone has implicit biases that never go away and contribute to significant human, social, and economic costs because of how they influence the way we think, behave, and communicate. This is why STRE.ME equips individuals to improve interactions, decisions, and communication with others by learning how to manage their implicit biases. STRE.ME enables organizational leaders to create cultures of awareness and accountability that promote equitable outcomes.
STRE.ME is the culmination of research and real-world applications from its leaders, all of whom have unique skill sets. When combined, the leadership team and advisors complement STRE.ME‘s mission to create cultures of awareness and accountability.
About Cox Enterprises
Cox Enterprises is dedicated to building a better future through our leading communications, automotive and media companies. Our major operating subsidiaries include Cox Communications and Cox Automotive, and we are strategically investing in new industries and emerging technologies, with sizeable interests in clean technology and health care. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, Cox is a global company with nearly $20 billion in annual revenues and brands that include Autotrader, Kelley Blue Book and Cox Homelife. Founded in 1898 by Ohio Governor James M. Cox, the company is a family-owned business committed to its people, communities and planet. To learn more about Cox, visit coxenterprises.com, view our Sustainability Report at coxcsrreport.com, or follow us on Twitter via @CoxEnterprises or @AlexTaylor_Cox.
About Techstars
Techstars is the worldwide network that helps entrepreneurs succeed. Techstars founders connect with other entrepreneurs, experts, mentors, alumni, investors, community leaders, and corporations to grow their companies. Techstars operates three divisions: Techstars Startup Programs, Techstars Mentorship-Driven Accelerator Programs, and Techstars Corporate Innovation Partnerships. Techstars accelerator portfolio includes more than 1,900 companies with a market cap of more than $25 billion.
Contact: Jack Patton
m: +1 (260) 602-0531
e: jack@stre.me
Link to press kit
