Startup 425 launched a 15-week accelerator in 2024 for entrepreneurs in six Eastside cities. Bellevue administered the program with support from Kirkland, Redmond, Bothell, Issaquah and Renton, in partnership with Founder Institute. The inaugural cohort included 37 entrepreneurs, and launch-era terms were free participation with no equity required.
What is the Startup 425 accelerator?
Startup 425 is a city-backed initiative offering entrepreneurs learning, resources and networking. Its accelerator was announced in August 2024 and began September 30 of that year. The launch announcement described a 15-week course combining educational events, entrepreneurial training, networking and connections to support services. Bellevue’s launch announcement and its Business Assistance page describe the program.
The six partner cities are Bellevue, Kirkland, Redmond, Bothell, Issaquah and Renton. Startup 425’s official site identifies the same cities and describes the wider initiative’s learning, resources and networking.
Who was the accelerator designed to serve?
The program was intended for both founders pursuing venture-scale companies and small-business owners. GeekWire’s August 2024 coverage reported that the curriculum was modeled on Founder Institute and included a track for businesses that were not venture-scale. The launch-era eligibility description said participating companies had to be located in or built in one of the six partner cities.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems#1 Best Overall
Bellevue reported that 170 entrepreneurs applied for the inaugural cohort, which had 37 participants and included at least five founders from each partner city. Program coordinator Levi Reed described about 35% of that cohort as small-business founders focused on underserved niches. These figures describe the first cohort, not later groups. Bellevue’s 2024 announcement provides the figures and Reed’s characterization.
Was it free, and did founders give up equity?
At launch, Bellevue said the program was funded by the Port of Seattle and Amazon, with no participant fee and no equity requirement. Those are the inaugural program’s launch-era terms; available later announcements do not establish whether subsequent cohorts kept the same funding or participation conditions. Bellevue’s announcement explains the initial terms.
Rank #2
- If you want to build a better future, you must believe in secrets.
- The great secret of our time is that there are still uncharted frontiers to explore and new inventions to create. In Zero to One, legendary entrepreneur and investor Peter Thiel shows how we can find singular ways to create those new things.
What happened after the inaugural cohort?
Bellevue reported that the inaugural group graduated in February 2025. Five businesses presented at a Demo Day held January 22. The city said a second cohort was scheduled to begin February 24, 2025, and that four more cohorts were planned through the end of 2026. Those dates and plans were reported at the time; they do not confirm the status of current applications or later cohorts. See Bellevue’s graduation announcement.
Startup 425’s blog search result indicates that Cohort 3 was announced and applications were open, but the available information does not establish application deadlines or cohort dates. Check the official program blog for current notices rather than relying on the 2025 schedule.
What do the early results show?
The documented early milestones are applications, participation and a Demo Day: 170 entrepreneurs applied to the first cohort, 37 joined, and five businesses presented at the January 2025 event. These figures show initial interest and program activity, but they do not establish long-term business survival, fundraising, job creation or the accelerator’s comparative effectiveness.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
