What is Catalyst?
Catalyst is Blue Ridge Labs' (BRL) five-month accelerator program at the Robin Hood Foundation, designed to support early-stage tech startups working to solve poverty and improve economic mobility in New York City. Through our Design Insight Group (DIG), you’ll engage in collaborative co-design sessions, informed by data and the lived experiences of New Yorkers, to refine your solutions and maximize your impact. We provide the funding, mentorship, and community you need to scale solutions that create permanent pathways out of poverty.
Who are your founders?
We have helped over 135 founders, incubated 33 companies, and raised $150M by Catalyst alumni to fight poverty. Our founders come from diverse backgrounds, but they share a common goal: building tech-driven solutions that tackle poverty and the most pressing urban issues. Some are experienced entrepreneurs, while others are new to the startup world but deeply committed to creating meaningful change. Whether they have backgrounds in engineering, product management, policy, or grassroots community work, all our founders are passionate about using their skills to make life better for low-income New Yorkers.
What is the distinction between the Robin Hood Foundation and Blue Ridge Labs? Will I get access to Robin Hood if I’m part of Catalyst?
Blue Ridge Labs is Robin Hood’s social impact venture studio, focused on supporting, incubating, and scaling community-driven tech solutions that address the problems of people experience poverty.
As part of Catalyst, you’ll benefit from the expertise and networks of both. While BRL is your primary home during the program, you’ll also have access to Robin Hood’s vast network of domain experts and community-based organizations who are dedicated to advancing economic mobility. The two organizations work hand-in-hand to drive impactful solutions.
How does BRL weigh its core values of social impact and financial returns when reviewing applicants?
We carefully balance social impact and financial return when evaluation applicants for Catalyst. While our main focus is on ventures that have the potential to make a meaningful difference for low-income communities in NYC, we also seek startups with a strong, scalable business model that can generate sustainable financial returns.