Kayon Partners, in partnership with AmherstWorks, launched The Kayon Accelerator located in downtown Amherst, Massachusetts.

The Kayon Accelerator will act as a nexus for new businesses and entrepreneurs, combining a range of in-kind services, hands-on help and a co-working location with an expert team focused on positively impacting the trajectory of early-stage businesses.

"The Kayon Accelerator is bringing extensive expertise in developing early stage companies to Amherst," said Geoff Kravitz, Amherst's Economic Development Director. "Kayon's decision to locate here reinforces the strength of Amherst's innovation ecosystem. I look forward to their success, as well as the success of the disruptive companies they will cultivate at their AmherstWorks location."

"Kayon Partners bringing their experience and focus to this project will be an incredible boon for the local economy and advances the development of our community as an innovation hub.", said Sarah la Cour, Executive Director of Amherst Business Improvement District (BID). "The Amherst BID has been working closely with many in the valley to create opportunities for starting and retaining new businesses and this is an enormous step forward. The Kayon Accelerator program provides energy and expertise that will spur increased interest in local investment and vitality. The BID welcomes Kayon Partners to downtown Amherst."

"This is a genuinely exciting opportunity for innovators in the Amherst area to leverage the expertise Kayon Partners brings to the entrepreneurial equation," said Tim O'Brien, Executive Director of the Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce. "The ongoing research at our educational institutions and our regional culture of ingenuity make this presence a strong fit for our economy. We're always working to help new businesses take flight and foster job expansion right here in the Amherst area, and the Kayon team will help identify and nurture rising operations ready to grow."

Steve Garrow, Amherst College graduate and Managing Partner of Kayon Partners, added, "The support of the local community has enabled us to try and fill this need in the marketplace. We look forward to working with all stakeholders in developing a thriving accelerator program in the heart of Amherst."