NextFab, one of Philly’s (kinda) lone wolves in the makerspace realm, is issuing a call for startups to join its 12-week RAPID hardware accelerator, but this time, things are a bit different.
Instead of just getting free office space and credit toward classes like before, the company is upping the ante for the four companies that will join the spring cohort 2017 with a seed investment of up to$25,0000. There’s also an opportunity for follow-on funding. NextFab will take equity, according to marketing manager Laate Olukotun.
“NextFab’s $25,000 investment will be in the form of an S.A.F.E. instrument, which stands for ‘Simple Agreement for Future Equity,” said Olukotun. “Using this type of investment keeps legal costs low allowing for each company to spend more on de-risking their product to attract future investment. In short, no equity will be initially exchanged for entrance into the RAPID program. NextFab’s investment will convert to equity once a company raises an equity round of financing.”
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