In 1987, Melinda French Gates joined Microsoft Corp. and helped grow the technology company into the $2 trillion-dollar powerhouse it is today.
French Gates and her ex-husband, Microsoft Founder Bill Gates, grew the business into one of the most valuable and successful companies in the world.
French Gates has been considered a powerhouse in her own right, consistently ranking on the Forbes list of the most powerful women in the world. Since her split with Gates in 2021, she has been spending more time on her own goals and advancing ideas she believes are important.
She started Pivotal Ventures, a venture studio partnering with some of the biggest names in the startup investing world. Pivotal Ventures partnered with Techstars, the world's second largest startup accelerator behind Y-Combinator, to create the Future of Longevity Accelerator in 2020.
The accelerator is a 13 week program that selects 10 of the most promising startups in the space. Startups must undergo months of sourcing, screening and interviews to be accepted. They will have engaged with over 100 mentors, hit several business milestones and mastered the ability to communicate their visions once finished.
ABBY is a new standard for wheelchair users around the world, created by GoGoTech. Many basic wheelchairs can cost thousands of dollars, but the best options aren't meeting the needs of people with reduced mobility. ABBY is creating a high-tech wheelchair that raises the standards for mobility at an affordable cost.
After graduating from the accelerator, ABBY is raising funds on Wefunder to meet the demand for its wheelchairs, so anyone can invest in ABBY for a limited time. The company has more than 1,000 people on its waitlist.
Wave Therapeutics, Vivo, HealthHive and MyFitPod are among the other companies that are currently open for investment by the Future of Longevity Accelerator class. These startups include everything from software-as-a-service platforms for eldercare management to interactive fitness programs for older people to stay healthy.
You can find more information on Benzinga's investment.