Land O’Lakes, Inc. is now accepting applications for the second year of its Dairy Accelerator program, which launched in 2017 and provides support and mentorship to dairy entrepreneurs. The deadline for applications is June 29.
“The inaugural Land O’Lakes Dairy Accelerator was a tremendous success in our eyes. We were thrilled to share our knowledge and expertise with the five participating companies and, in turn, learned equally as much from them, especially about the importance of creativity and agility in innovation today,” said Raquel Melo, vice president of Innovation and New Business Development at Land O’Lakes, Inc.
The Land O’Lakes Dairy Accelerator is looking for United States-based entrepreneurs passionate about moving their companies to the next level. The company must utilize dairy as a primary ingredient but can use any aspect of dairy including but not limited to: yogurt, cheese, whey or other milk-based proteins or ingredients. However, it’s highly encouraged that new innovations not focus on butter.
Selected participants will receive a $25,000 stipend in order to attend, and contribute to the three-month accelerator program in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area. The accelerator program will provide mentorship and seminars that focus on several areas, including finance, brand building, manufacturing, sales and leadership development. At the conclusion of the program, participants will be able to present their proposals and new business ideas to Land O’Lakes, Inc. leadership.
Participating companies of the 2017 Dairy Accelerator included Beehive Cheese, Petit Pot, Dreaming Cow, Jouzge and Yooli. Of the experience, Petit Pot founder Maxime Pouvreau said, “In a short period of time we really transformed our business. We were ready to make changes, we just didn’t have the framework. The Dairy Accelerator provided the seed.”
The deadline for applications is 11:59 p.m. CDT June 29. Applicants accepted into the program will be notified in late July. The accelerator program runs from mid-September to mid-December 2018 and will be held in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area. Selected participants must agree to all terms and conditions in order to participate in the Land O’Lakes Dairy Accelerator program. Land O’Lakes does not require equity from the participating companies. More information can be found at www.dairyaccelerator.landolakesinc.com.
