# AccelerateKY

> AccelerateKY (Accelerate Kentucky) is a Kentucky nonprofit focused on unleashing the potential of Kentucky's innovators and entrepreneurs. Its mission is to engage people to dream what's possible for the Bluegrass State by connecting Kentuckians to one another and to needed resources, informing Kentuckians about opportunities, risks, and research, and inspiring Kentuckians with visions for the state's future.

AccelerateKY launched in 2021 after Kentucky became the first U.S. state accepted into the MIT Regional Entrepreneurship Acceleration Program (MIT REAP). Its origins date to 2017, when Kentuckians came together with labs at MIT to imagine the Future of Work in the state. The organization leads several of the commonwealth's major Civic Imagination and innovation-ecosystem programs, including the Civic Imagination Incubator (an 8-month storytelling and worldbuilding program run with the University of Southern California's Civic Imagination Project) and helped spark the Metals Innovation Initiative (MI2), a statewide metals-industry nonprofit. Sam Ford serves as Executive Director.

## Pages

- [Home](https://accelerateky.org/): Overview of AccelerateKY's mission and programs
- [About](https://accelerateky.org/about): Organization history, mission, and team
- [Civic Imagination](https://accelerateky.org/civic-imagination): The Civic Imagination Incubator and related worldbuilding programs
- [News](https://accelerateky.org/news): Press coverage and publications featuring AccelerateKY and Kentucky's innovation ecosystem
- [Contact](https://accelerateky.org/contact): Mailing address, email, and phone

## Contact

- Email: SamFordKY@gmail.com
- Phone: 270-535-2631
- Mail: AccelerateKY, 2413 Nashville Road, P.O. Box B12, Bowling Green, KY 42101
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/accelerateky/