Catalyst Labs

XRC Labs runs programs that bring together entrepreneurs, investors, brands and retailers to foster rapid innovation and unlock new opportunities in retail. We select startups that are positioned to create significant change in the retail or consumer goods industries. Startups receive capital, mentoring, operational support, and exclusive access to a prestigious network of entrepreneurs, investors, and seasoned industry leaders. They graduate from XRC Labs with solid business plans and a priceless new network. Mission Our mission is to foster companies and products that innovate the face of retail and consumer goods fulfillment in a rapidly changing marketplace using design thinking as a key driving process. Vision The XRC Labs vision is to be at the forefront of change, disrupting the conventional system of supply chain, promoting the best experience for consumers and producers, and creating an ecosystem that matches partners for success. At XRC We… Embrace sustainability so the Earth we leave to future generations is a better place than when we inhabited it Advocate for moderate consumption to promote a flight to quality and legacy - less is more, for a longer period of time Endorse economic well-being that fosters a global improvement in the economic condition of participants in the global economy Demand integrity, honesty, and fairness in our internal and external relationships Recognize and nurture excellence in people, technology and products Mentor the next generation of innovators Share and exchange ideas in an open forum to generate new solutions Encourage solutions from multiple sectors, applied to retail and consumer products Why It Matters Design really matters. Consumers are buying products and shopping at omnichannel stores that deliver a great experience. Disruptive companies are more likely to be founded by designers than by hard-core technologists. Even though the retail world still dwarfs ecommerce in size it will be more and more influenced by software and great design. The old bricks vs. clicks question isn’t relevant anymore. Customers want a single, well-designed experience for the products they use and the shops they visit, both online and offline. The facts speak for themselves: 71 percent of consumers want access to in-store inventory when shopping online 50 percent of consumers expect to buy online and pick up in-store Nearly 50 percent of in-store retail sales are influenced or start online, representing nearly $2 trillion in commerce An omnichannel, ubiquitous, and well-designed experience is the new norm. As companies like Warby Parker, Bonobos, and Athleta demonstrate, an online experience is not sufficient for many customers. Customers expect a common, branded, and engaging experience, everywhere. The new rule is: one brand, one experience. Despite the size of the opportunity, both building a brand online and selling to retail offline is really hard. The brand has to engage, resonate, and compel people to buy, immediately. And yet the needs of each channel – online, mobile, offline – are very different. New entrants into consumer and retail markets need specialized expertise and light-speed innovation. Failing hyperfast and nanosecond reinvention are just table stakes.

We’ve invested in hundreds of companies throughout over a decade of experience, creating products that have generated billions in enterprise value. Need an operating partner for your seed-stage startup? Our unique launch & scale playbook makes us the best partner for founders at all stages of their entrepreneurial journey, driving them towards sustainable success. Product: Ensure your product is not only functional but also irresistible to users Engineering: Empower your product with innovative technology solutions Admin & Finance: Optimize your financial strategy for sustainable growth HR & Talent: Build with you exceptional teams and foster workplace creativity Business Development: Open strategic doors and forge alliances to accelerate your growth Fundraising / M&A: Connect you with investors and successfully manage fundraising Legal: Protect your company and overcome obstacles with our expert legal advice Business Operations: Optimise your operations to allow a focus on growing the startup

At Toyota Research Institute, we believe the future of mobility lies in amplifying human ability through cutting-edge research and innovation. Our teams work across advanced robotics, energy and materials discovery, and human-centered AI, driven by a mission to improve quality of life for individuals and society. We foster a collaborative environment where researchers and engineers can push boundaries, experiment boldly, and translate breakthrough discoveries into tangible technologies. Our culture emphasizes scientific excellence, cross-disciplinary collaboration, and a commitment to solving complex challenges in automated driving, robotics, and sustainable energy. We value intellectual curiosity, rigorous inquiry, and the courage to tackle difficult problems that can transform how people live and move. By bridging fundamental research with practical applications, we create technologies that enhance human capabilities and contribute to a safer, more sustainable world.

First Analysis is a Chicago-based venture capital firm that has deployed more than $780 million over four decades into B2B technology companies. Led by CEO Oliver Nicklin, the firm operates a dual model: it invests venture capital while simultaneously providing advisory services to emerging growth companies and established technology leaders. Notably, First Analysis is the largest investor in its own funds, aligning its capital directly with portfolio outcomes. The firm concentrates on technology-driven sectors including cybersecurity, healthcare IT, infrastructure technology, Internet of Things, vertical SaaS, e-commerce optimization, enterprise productivity, and future of work solutions. Its investment approach is research-intensive, drawing on deep industry analysis and strategic partnerships to inform both capital deployment and advisory engagements. First Analysis emphasizes sustained engagement with portfolio companies rather than passive investment, positioning itself as an active partner in scaling B2B technology businesses. For professionals evaluating venture capital career opportunities, First Analysis presents a hybrid environment where investment evaluation intersects with hands-on advisory work. The firm's four-decade track record in B2B technology sectors and its dual operating model suggest roles likely involve both traditional venture capital functions - deal sourcing, due diligence, portfolio management - and direct strategic work with portfolio companies across enterprise software, infrastructure, and vertical-specific technology markets.

ERA combines seed capital, hands-on help and a great co-working location with an expert team to positively impact the trajectory of early-stage startups. ERA runs two, four-month programs per year. We are New York City’s largest accelerator program. ERA has NYC’s deepest and strongest mentor network with 500+ expert investors, technologists, product specialists, marketers, customer acquisition strategists, sales execs, and more, across all major industries represented in NYC. ERA companies gain direct access to leading members of the New York City tech community through the ERA mentor network and are also given access to the right investors, sales prospects and partners. We look for companies from anywhere in the world that are able to take full advantage of the NYC opportunity as a starting point to successfully enter the market for their product, service or application. To date, our alumni companies have raised more than $1B in investor capital and collectively exceed $6 billion in market capitalization. What’s the Deal? Located in New York City, ERA provides participant companies with an intensive four-month program with the goal of helping early-stage companies progress rapidly into exciting, viable, venture-scalable businesses. Each accepted company receives an initial $100,000 investment and the potential for follow-on funding from ERA’s Fund. ERA companies also receive the partner and sponsor benefits listed below: Up to $120,000 of Azure benefits for 2 years from Microsoft $100,000 in webhosting credits from Amazon Web Services $100,000 in webhosting credits from Google Cloud Platform $24,000 in webhosting credits from Softlayer $10,000 in webhosting credits from DigitalOcean $50,000 in credits from Stripe Special legal benefits from Dentons Law Firm One year free service from Phone.com Free access to the SendGrid Pro 300K Plan Free banking account and perks package from Silicon Valley Bank Free and discounted services from Shutterstock, WithumSmith+Brown, ZipCar, HubSpot, RelateIQ, RJMetrics, InVision, FreshDesk, ZenDesk A Day in the Life A typical ERA week looks like this: Founder Speaker Series–NYC’s most successful business builders from entrepreneurs to VCs discuss topics ranging from how they built their companies from idea to exit to details about acquiring customers and investment strategies to trends and what they mean–or don’t mean. Workshop Series–Outside experts and ERA alum cover wide-ranging and diverse specific relevant topic areas. Sample workshops include: Enterprise Sales Tools and Tactics, User Optimization and Testing, Data Science and Decision Making, Digital Marketing Best Practices by Channel, IP and Patent Filing, and more. Fundraising Sessions–ERA partners lead sessions that cover funding categories, cap tables, understanding and preparing to meet your potential investors, tracking and follow-up meetings, investor decks, etc. CTO Roundtable–Problem solve with your cohort and other CTOs in the trenches. Mentor Meetings–ERA’s 500+ mentors, who have expertise in every imaginable functional area. ERA mentors are generous with their time and resources, available to advise our companies for the duration of our program. Resident Expert Office Hours–consult with technologists and other pros on specific tactical issues you encounter. KPI Review–You and your cohort track and discuss weekly progress together in a lively game show atmosphere that fosters teamwork. Pitch Practice–Practice, revise and refine your pitch; get feedback from your cohort, entrepreneurs and investors. Open Door to Partners & Staff–Our partners and staff are always here to help build your business. Mentorship Mentorship is the heart of ERA’s program. ERA has the largest mentor network in New York, with more than 500 active for any one program. These are expert entrepreneurs, investors, executives, and others who are often the path to our startups’ firsts, including: first customer, first outside employee, first outside investment, first marketing program. Apart from these “firsts,” ERA mentors work with our startups on areas like product engineering, building a sales funnel, user testing, hiring, SEO, Google analytics, branding, and more. Mentors in our program can help startups focus on the right metrics to help get to product market fit. Through our deep mentor network, we connect you with the partners you need and provide you with critical access to the industries that comprise the New York opportunity. During the first week of the program, you are matched with a lead mentor, who helps you achieve key milestones, and works with you through the entire program. Many of our alumni continue to seek counsel from their lead mentor long after the program ends. We also pair our companies with one of our incredibly talented alumni mentors. Fundraising It takes real capital to build a real business, so you will need to raise money–and most likely, more money. Fundraising is complicated and frustrating; we provide you with the support and resources to needed to navigate the process from valuation and timing to presenting your investor message and creating your deck to scheduling and tracking meetings and evaluating the right/appropriate financial partners for your business. Alumni We strongly encourage the exchange of ideas with the other startups in your program and in the ERA alumni network. We formally pair you with alumni mentors; our 240+ alumni companies have created an active and engaged community, including the thousands of employees at companies in the ERA family. ERA alumni have been in your shoes; they are inspired and committed to their ERA family. We find that ERA startups learn as much from each other as anyone else and they thrive on the energy and innovation of working day in and day out with like-minded startups. Check out our video wall to hear what our founders have to say about the ERA experience. Events ERA kicks off every class with a launch event, where our companies meet mentors in an intimate setting. We give you the opportunity to bond with your fellow founders and ERA operating partners and staff at happy hours and mid-program investor pitch night. We host pitch events with angel groups and bring together current and alumni founders at our Summer BBQ and our Winter Holiday party. Demo Day Our program officially ends with Demo Day, a high-profile coming out party to ERA’s community of 700+ investors from New York and the wider investor ecosystem. Demo Day is an invitation-only event where accredited investors get the opportunity to see and meet with our companies. Each startup presents their businesses in what many of our founders have called the most meaningful and exciting moments of their professional career. The weeks preceding Demo Day are intense and focused. Founders are assigned a professional presentation coach to help hone their story. We hold practice sessions where founders are drilled on every aspect of their presentations until they are ready for prime time. After the Program: We Are Your Partners We are investors for the long-haul and the official program is just the beginning. We stay actively involved with your company as it grows, helping our founders build lasting businesses. Whether you’ve got a new product rollout, a major partnership or your next round of funding, ERA and its network are there to help you succeed.

Bosch operates as a global technology and services supplier with approximately 418,000 employees worldwide, organized across four primary business areas: mobility, industrial technology, consumer goods, and energy and building technology. Founded in 1886 when Robert Bosch opened a workshop in Stuttgart, the company has evolved into a diversified engineering organization that applies sensor technology, software, and connectivity capabilities to challenges spanning electrification, digitalization, and sustainability. The company's technical work ranges from sensors for automated driving systems to power tools for consumer markets and smart home systems designed for energy efficiency. Its stated approach centers on solving practical problems rather than technology development for its own sake, reflected in its "Invented for life" positioning. This philosophy extends across research and development teams as well as manufacturing operations, with quality and reliability forming core operational commitments. Under CEO Stefan Hartung, Bosch maintains its headquarters in Germany while operating on a global scale. The organization's structure balances hardware engineering and manufacturing - evident in its power tools business - with digital capabilities in software and connectivity. Its technical domains include automated-driving sensors, smart home systems, and industrial technology applications, positioning the company at the intersection of traditional manufacturing expertise and digital transformation across multiple industry verticals.