About
The Anchor Accelerator is a University of Missouri–St. Louis-based program operated by the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center that provides grant funding, business education, and investor network access to early-stage entrepreneurs in the St. Louis region. The program awards competitive grants to cohorts of emerging businesses, with the 2026 cohort receiving $90,000 distributed across nine companies. Participants engage in a structured curriculum covering business plan development, financial modeling, and investor pitch preparation, culminating in presentations to diverse capital providers including angel investment groups, venture capital firms, private equity investors, and traditional lenders. Upon program completion, founders receive an Entrepreneurship Certificate from UMSL alongside their grants, positioning them to identify their optimal funding sources and understand the specific steps needed to access their preferred capital. The accelerator explicitly targets underrepresented entrepreneurs with solutions addressing inequities in the greater St. Louis area, reflecting a diversity and inclusion focus across its selection criteria and mission. Key partners include Schnucks Markets (through the Schnucks Springboard initiative), WEPOWER, Arch Grants, and Edward Jones, each contributing resources and expertise. The program has made 24 investments across multiple cohorts and maintains an internship program offering immersive entrepreneurial experiences to UMSL students. Program leadership is directed by Scott Morris, who oversees the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center's strategic vision and curriculum development. Founders benefit from mentorship, business development resources, direct investor access, and a structured pathway to growth-stage funding. The application cycle for cohorts is annual, with selection based on innovation, business viability, and alignment with the program's equity-focused mission.