Entrepreneurs Roundtable Accelerator (ERA) Research
Investment Thesis
Entrepreneurs Roundtable Accelerator (ERA) is New York City's largest and longest-running technology accelerator and early-stage venture capital fund. Founded in 2011 by Murat Aktihanoglu and Jonathan Axelrod, ERA combines seed capital ($150,000 per company on a post-money SAFE), hands-on mentor support, and a collaborative co-working community to transform early-stage startups into market leaders.
ERA's core thesis is that New York City has tremendous entrepreneurial talent but lacked a structured, supportive environment for early-stage founders. By providing capital, mentorship from industry experts, and access to a network of 500+ mentors and investors, ERA accelerates founder success across all technology sectors.
Program Structure
ERA runs two four-month cohort-based programs annually:
- Winter Cohort: January-April
- Summer Cohort: June-September
Each cohort selects 10-15 companies from 1,000-2,000 applications (approximately 1% acceptance rate). Companies receive $150,000 in seed capital in exchange for 6% equity on a post-money SAFE.
Investment Stage and Check Size
Primary Stage: Pre-seed and Seed
- Focus on companies with founding teams, early product, or initial traction
- Willing to invest in prototype stage through Series A
Check Size: Fixed at $150,000 per company
- Standard terms: 6% equity on post-money SAFE
- This is the initial investment; founders can seek follow-on funding from ERA's Expansion Funds
Sector Focus
ERA is sector-agnostic but has demonstrated particular strength across:
Enterprise Software & Developer Tools
- Business productivity tools
- Data analytics and intelligence platforms
- Cybersecurity and compliance solutions
Healthcare Technology
- Telehealth and digital health platforms
- Healthcare operations and admin tools
- Patient experience and outcomes solutions
Consumer Tech & E-commerce
- Direct-to-consumer brands
- Marketplace platforms
- Digital commerce solutions
Financial Services & Fintech
- Credit and lending platforms
- Payment systems
- Financial intelligence tools
Miscellaneous Technology
- Real estate technology
- Entertainment and gaming
- Travel and hospitality
- Food and beverage platforms
With 375+ portfolio companies across virtually all sectors, ERA's portfolio reflects NYC's diverse startup ecosystem.
Geographic Focus
Primary: New York City and surrounding Northeast region
- The program is based in Manhattan with daily in-person mentor and investor access
- Companies are expected to be based in or relocate to New York City for the program duration
Secondary: ERA Global - A dedicated arm supporting international startups entering the U.S. market, particularly from Europe and Asia
Lead Tendency
Lead: ERA leads their initial investments as the accelerator fund, writing the first check to portfolio companies
Follow-on: ERA operates Expansion Funds to support portfolio company follow-on rounds, demonstrating strong support for winners
Co-investment: ERA frequently syndicates their allocation with other venture investors in founder's networks
Recent Activity
ERA remains actively deploying capital:
- Winter 2026 Cohort: Recently announced (January 2026)
- Summer 2025 Cohort: Completed Demo Day in October 2025 (29th demo day event)
- Winter 2025 Cohort: Announced participants with $150K per company investments
- Recent Notable Event: UserTesting acquired User Interviews (an ERA portfolio company) in January 2026
ERA's fund status: Actively Deploying with multiple cohorts per year and continuous follow-on fund activity.
Portfolio Highlights
Notable Exits & Acquisitions:
- TripleLift (acquired) - Digital media and advertising platform
- Katapult (NASDAQ: KPLT) - Point-of-sale financing platform; public company
- User Interviews (acquired by UserTesting, January 2026) - User research platform
- Thirty Madison ($1B+ valuation) - Healthcare operations and telehealth
- Bespoke Post - Subscription commerce platform
- Scentbird - Fragrance subscription service
- CardFlight - Payment processing platform
- Glia - Customer experience platform
- Katapult - Buy now, pay later for point-of-sale
- Fund That Flip - Real estate analytics and education
Portfolio Statistics (as of late 2025):
- 375+ total investments since 2011
- 560+ companies in portfolio system (includes all tracking)
- 1 confirmed unicorn: Katapult (public)
- Multiple 4-unicorn valuations in portfolio (Katapult, TripleLift, Thirty Madison, others)
- 2 IPOs
- 33+ acquisitions
- $2 billion+ total capital raised by portfolio companies
- $10 billion+ collective market valuation of portfolio
Team
Leadership:
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Murat Aktihanoglu, Co-Founder and Managing Partner: Entrepreneur, investor, and technologist who founded the original Entrepreneurs Roundtable non-profit in 2007. Founded ERA accelerator in 2011. Previously founded location-based social network Centrel and worked in technology roles at Fortune 500 companies including Sony and AT&T. Computer Science M.S. from Bilkent University.
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Jonathan Axelrod, Co-Founder and Managing Partner: Technology and media entrepreneur with 20+ years in emerging technologies. Previously Co-Founder and Co-CEO of MusicGremlin (acquired by SanDisk), where the Gremlin player was named one of Time Magazine's "All Time Top 100 Gadgets." Also Co-Founder and President of Music123, which became one of the largest musical instrument retailers in the U.S. before being acquired by Guitar Center. Started career at McKinsey & Company. Harvard graduate (A.B. in Social Studies, magna cum laude).
Managing Partners: Jeremy Harper, Max Harrison, and additional managing partners (full details available on team page)
Program Management: Emily Bell and other program managers handle cohort operations and founder support
Mentorship Network: 500+ expert mentors across NYC industries, including resident CTOs, technologists, product experts, UX/UI experts, and communications coaches. Many mentors are successful founders and operators from prior ERA cohorts.
Decision Process
Structure: Investment Committee model with Managing Partners evaluating applications
Timeline: Rolling applications with cohort-based decision windows (Winter and Summer intake periods)
Approach:
- Portfolio companies are selected through a competitive application process
- Focus on founding team quality and product-market fit signals
- 1% acceptance rate indicates highly selective process
- Partnership-based with all founding teams during 4-month cohort
Investment Philosophy & Founder Preferences
ERA seeks:
- Exceptional founding teams: Technical founders with complementary skills
- Early-stage momentum: Working prototype, initial traction, or strong market signal
- NYC connection: Willingness to base in Manhattan for the program duration
- Sector diversity: Industry-agnostic approach welcomes innovators across all sectors
- Growth mindset: Coachable founders eager to leverage mentorship network
ERA supports:
- First-time founders and experienced entrepreneurs
- Founders from diverse backgrounds (program emphasizes supporting underrepresented entrepreneurs)
- High-ambition companies seeking to become market leaders
Involvement & Value-Add
Direct Capital: $150K SAFE investment
Hands-On Support:
- Daily in-person access to mentors at NYC headquarters
- Weekly curriculum and workshops
- Four-month intensive cohort program
- Access to 500+ mentors with domain expertise
- Investor introductions and fundraising support
- Operational guidance and product feedback
Network Access:
- Connection to other portfolio companies for potential partnerships
- Investor network for follow-on funding
- Customer and enterprise connection opportunities
- Talent recruitment support through mentor network
Expansion Funds: Follow-on investment opportunities for successful portfolio companies in subsequent funding rounds
Geographic and Stage Expansion
ERA Global: A dedicated division supporting international startups (particularly Europe, Asia) entering the U.S. market through NYC as the primary hub
Stage Coverage: While primarily seed-focused, ERA's Expansion Funds support companies through Series A and beyond for proven winners
Financial Scale
With 375+ companies invested at $150K each, ERA has deployed $56.25M+ in direct cohort investments. Additional capital deployed through Expansion Funds for follow-on rounds in successful portfolio companies.
Anti-Thesis
While sector-agnostic, ERA's structure and NYC-based model may not suit:
- Companies unwilling or unable to operate from NYC during program
- Mature companies seeking larger capital checks (Series A+ focused on different VC profiles)
- Companies seeking hands-off, passive investment
- Geographic markets outside US focus
Competitive Advantages
- NYC Ecosystem Leadership: NYC's largest and longest-running accelerator with unmatched mentor network in the city
- Proven Track Record: 15 years of success with 375+ investments generating $10B+ in collective value
- Demonstrated Exits: Multiple unicorns, public companies, and acquisitions validate model
- Hands-On Support: Not a capital-only play; daily mentorship differentiates ERA from passive investors
- Founder Alumni Network: 375+ portfolio company founders create powerful peer network and deal flow
- Portfolio Density: High concentration of companies in one ecosystem enables cross-portfolio opportunities
Recent Momentum
- Winter 2026 cohort recently announced (January 2026)
- Summer 2025 cohort completed successful demo day (October 2025)
- January 2026: ERA portfolio company User Interviews acquired by UserTesting
- Continuous program expansion with two cohorts annually
- Growing emphasis on founder diversity and international founder support through ERA Global
Conclusion
ERA is the definitive early-stage accelerator in New York City, combining capital, intensive mentorship, and network access to help founders build transformative companies. With a 15-year track record of successful exits, a 500+ strong mentor network, and a highly selective 1% acceptance rate, ERA has established itself as a premier destination for ambitious NYC-based startups and founders seeking intensive early-stage support.