Forward Together

Port of Seattle and Find Ventures Create Accelerator for Minority and Women-owned Businesses

The Port of Seattle created the PortGen Acccelerator in 2021 to help small businesses scale up to prepare for Port procurement opportunities. It is focused on businesses with revenues of at least $500,000 and at least three years in operation and some previous experience with government contracts, and seeks to serve businesses located in South King County.

The PortGen Accelerator, which is run by Find Ventures, worked with twelve firms in its inaugural cohort in the summer of 2021. The accelerator connects participating firms with access to potential buyers, experts in finance and management, support in creating a growth plan, and mentors.

Outcomes

10 of the 12 firms in PortGen’s inaugural cohort are certified Women-Owned or Minority-Owned Business enterprises.