HAX Accelerator
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Startup accelerator, Venture capital |
| Founded | 2011 |
| Founder | Cyril Ebersweiler, Sean O'Sullivan |
| Headquarters | Newark, New Jersey , United States |
Area served | Global (Newark, Pune, Shenzhen, San Francisco, Tokyo) |
| Products | Accelerator programs for hard tech startups |
| Owner | SOSV |
| Website | hax |
HAX (previously known as HAXLR8R) is an early-stage startup accelerator focused on hard tech ventures, with its main base located in Newark, New Jersey. The center is equipped with machine workshops and laboratories designed to assist entrepreneurs working on sustainability innovations related to climate, industrial automation, and human health. Managed by the venture capital firm SOSV, HAX also operates additional offices in Pune, Shenzhen, San Francisco, and Tokyo.
History
Established in 2011 by Cyril Ebersweiler and Sean O'Sullivan, HAX initiated its inaugural program in Shenzhen during 2012. Since then, more than 257 startups have graduated from the accelerator.
In September 2021, the New Jersey Economic Development Authority collaborated with SOSV to commit $25 million over a five-year period to develop HAX’s Newark headquarters. This initiative aims to foster the creation of 100 hard tech startups concentrating on health technology, re-industrialization, and decarbonizing efforts within the United States. The facility officially commenced operations on April 30, 2024.
Participating startups receive pre-seed investments ranging from $250,000 to $500,000 from SOSV and engage in a residency program supported by expert design and engineering teams. Alumni commonly advance to seed funding and subsequent venture capital rounds, frequently involving SOSV as an investor.
Prominent companies associated with HAX include:
- Formlabs, specializing in 3D printing technology
- Opentrons, developers of open-source laboratory automation
- unSpun, creators of on-demand apparel manufacturing through 3D weaving
- Neptune Robotics, providers of robotic cleaning solutions for ship hulls
- Flow Neuroscience, offering depression treatments using transcranial direct-current stimulation
- Voltstorage, innovators in grid-scale energy storage utilizing redox flow batteries
- Allozymes, a platform for rapid enzyme development
- Smartex, delivering AI-driven inspection for circular knitting machinery
- Green Li-ion, experts in lithium-ion battery recycling
- SepPure Technologies, focused on sustainable chemical separation methods
- R-Zero, manufacturers of automated disinfection systems for air and surfaces