Brooklyn Urban-X Program Helps Startups to Transform Cities Through Design and Technology

The incubator program Urban-X invests up to $100,000 in startups and connects them with a network of investors, advisors and city officials to realize their visions of 'Smart Cities'

Urban-X, the venture accelerator headquartered at A/D/O in Brooklyn, is accepting applications for its fourth cohort of startups to take residence within its upcoming incubator program. Every six months, Urban-X invests up to $100,000 per company —  in up ten companies — to realize projects that develop and use technology and design to reimagine urban life and public spaces.

"Urban-X is part of our evolving portfolio of projects that seek to improve urban life through a rigorous design-thinking approach — which is at the core of all our initiatives," said Head of MINI Brand Strategy and Business Innovation Esther Bahne.

Launched in 2016 by car manufacturer MINI, Urban-X provides a five-month incubator program that connects entrepreneurs with a network of investors, companies, advisors and city officials. Company founders will be instructed in startup essentials from customer discovery to fundraising, and be guided by experts from MINI and BMW in design, manufacturing, engineering, marketing, community building and branding. Lastly, the startups reveal their concepts and prototypes to customers, prospective partners, media and investors on "Demo Day," after which they launch their fundraising efforts to fuel and grow their companies.

And once a startup has been accepted to the incubator, Urban-X continues to work with the companies' portfolios to achieve product-market fit and a strong foundation for scale - even beyond the initial 20-week program.

Smart cities made in Brooklyn.

Applications for URBAN-X Cohort 04 are now open through January 31, 2018.