Open Innovation
Alaska Startup GPT Help (Requires Pro)
Where Do I Start ?? (Download a Summary – 2026 PDF)
If you have ever started a business, you know that question.
We kept asking that question ourselves when we started this project.
There is so much for startups locally and accessible worldwide; each startup and founder is unique!
It’s all about making a few connections… the first products become real… being willing to help those needing your help… and not necessarily in that order. Startup Community building works best with an authentic ‘give first’ approach.
You can get started with connecting and take your first steps in Alaska with the following:
- Sign up for the Alaska Startup Digest to receive weekly updates about events and news about the Alaska startup community.
- Go to Facebook and visit the AlaskaStartups Page to see what is happening. Next, join the AlaskaStartups Group and post in the Group what you are working on AND how the community can help you;
- Sign up with the AK Small Business Development Center for free and ask for suggestions on what/where/when to find the resources that will help you take your next steps toward your goal.
- Check the calendar of startup community events and sign up for alerts at www.AccelerateAK.com
With that… you will be on the right track to not just build your business where you want it, but also to build the Alaska you want.
Need more? Keep exploring this website to find additional info, resources, and connections.
Need even more? Send us an email.
One last note:
This page, like your business, keeps growing and evolving.
This page results from years of community effort and contributions so, please, keep helping you/us by contributing. Any suggestions, info that we missed, updates, etc. you may have are not just welcome, but are needed and very appreciated!
Resources:
INFORMATION GATHERING
Alaska Newsletters and Places to Visit for Information
- Alaska Startup Digest
- 1Million Cups (Paused)
- Alaska Startups – Also on Facebook.
- UA Center ICE (Jam) – Also on Facebook
- Launch Alaska
- HealthTie (Paused)
- Alaska Ocean Cluster (Blue Economy) (Paused)
- 49 State Angel Fund
- Alaska Angel Conference
- Alaska Small Business Development Center
- Spruce Root and Path to Prosperity
- Alaska Women’s Business Center
Community Building
- Alaska Entrepreneurship Week – Held each fall – 2026 is planned for September 14-18, Statewide.
- 49SAF All Call – Ecosystem Builders quarterly meetup to discuss major events. Contact 49SAF or check the AK Startup Digest for future meetings.
INNOVATION TO LAUNCH
2017 Holland and MillerIdea
- 1Million Cups – Weekly during the fall and spring – Present your early stage idea for feedback and crowdsourcing ideas and contacts.
- Arctic Innovation Competition An idea competition with cash prizes (Spring)
- Upstart Alpha Accelerator – UA student and community accelerator program.
- NSF I-Corps – UAF Site Program – UA Student and Community customer discovery program with funding.
Model
Startup Weekend (Tourism tentatively planned for 10/2-4 2026 in Girdwood or Seward)
gBETA Accelerator – Anchorage with openings for statewide participation. Cohort 8 underway spring 2026.Alaska Interior Business Accelerator
Alaska Healthcare Innovation Accelerator – Applications Open
Strategy
- Mentoring – No current formal mentoring programs available. Contact Ky for assistance (Kyholland@akv3.com).
- Innovation Summit – March statewide meet up in Juneau.
Planning
- Alaska Small Business Development Center – SBDC assistance with planning, funding and other business support resources and classes.
- Apex Accelerator – Procurment assistance for doing business with the government.
- UAA Business Plan Competition – Watch for updates on the deadlines that are expected to be in late January.
- Spruce Root – Path to Prosperity – Rural SE and SW Alaska small startup business assistance and seed funding.
- Best in the West – Bethel, AK – Business Plan and startup business assistance.
- NorthSlope Market Place – Business Plan and startup business assistance
- Alaska Cultural Tourism Business Plan Templates
Finance
- Alaska Small Business Development Center – SBDC assistance with planning, funding and other business support resources and classes.
- Alaska Investor Network – Alaska’s angel group that meets monthly in the fall and spring. Must apply to present. (link not working?)
- Alaska Angel Conference – An annual angel training fund providing about 100K in investment in the spring. Deadlines for applying and participating early in the year.
- 49SAF – Funding and community organizing
- UAF Center ICE Seed Fund – UA Faculty, Staff and Student funding, with some community funding for work with the University.
- Alaska Venture Fund – “…we pursue bold ideas, building new models of collaboration and collective action to create lasting change.”
- Tiaga Ventures – A local Alaska seed fund offering syndication structured deals for accredited Investors.
- Small Business Grants for Minorities
- Phase 0 SBIR/STTR Grants – Hosted by the AK SBDC – Check for current deadlines.
Out of State Funds Interested in AK Deals
Alliance of Angels (Seattle) – New AoA Innovation Fund open to AK seed investments. Contact innovationfund@allianceofangels.com cc Yi-Jian at yijian@allianceofangels.com
See below for accelerator programs that can be a source of funding and early launch support.
Launch
- Alaska Small Business Development Center – SBDC assistance with planning, funding and other business support resources and classes.
- Launch Alaska – Energy Accelerator Program providing assistance to late stage startups seeking pilot project opportunities related to food, water, transportation, and the environment.
Health TIE (Paused)- Anchorage Community Land Trust – Set Up Shop business and entrepreneurship support program
- Students to Startups Programs – UAF Program and UAA/CED UpStart Internships. Students placed with startup companies.
- Alaska Healthcare Innovation Accelerator The Alaska Small Business Development Center (SBDC), in partnership with the UA Center for Economic Development at the University of Alaska Anchorage, is launching the Alaska Healthcare Innovation Accelerator (AHIA), a free, cohort-based program designed to help Alaskans develop healthcare solutions tailored to the state’s unique needs. Applications closed February 20, 2026.
ACCELERATOR AND INCUBATOR PROGRAMS
Alaska
This is a partial list of programs in Alaska or with Alaska connections from AK startups attending the program:
- UpStart Alpha – Anchorage – Early stage ideation discovery/validation – run by UAA/Center for Economic Development. next cohort in the fall.
- gBeta Anchorage – Early stage validation and customer develop – run by Gener8tor.
- Launch Alaska – Later stage energy pilot projects. Next Cohort started for TDT.
- Madrona Venture Labs – Seattle
- ?Food Accelerator – ?Bend Oregon
- Center ICE Icorp – Discovery
- Center ICE Students to Startups – Student assistance and experience for students.
- Anchorage Community Land Trust – Set Up Shop business and entrepreneurship support program.
- Anchorage Community Land Trust – Online Boot Camp Set Up Shop is offering this FREE program to help businesses improve their online presence.
- UAF SBIR Accelerator, starting the spring of 2022. To apply visit the website and for more information email Evelyn at edjacome@alaska.edu
- Alaska Interior Business Accelerator
National
National, Out of state or virtual options:
- TechStars – General and topical programs
- YCombinator – General and topical programs
- Stella Labs – https://www.stellalabs.org/programs/
COWORKING SPACES
Idea
- The Boardroom – Anchorage
- Umoja – Anchorage 3001 Porcupine Dr, Anchorage, AK
- CoWork by RSD – Anchorage (new)
- Alaska CoWork – Anchorage
- Fairbanks UAF Center ICE – Fairbanks
METHODOLOGIES
Methods / Techniques
- Innovation to Launch – Holland and Miller
- Design Sprint Methodology – Google
GENERAL
Other General Resources
REPORTS RELATED TO ECONOMY
Sources
- Center for Economic Development (CED) – Reports
- https://labor.alaska.gov/trends/home.htmDepartment of Labor and Workforce Development – Economic Trends’ Reports