GR tech firm accepted into renowned California accelerator

Published on June 28, 2022

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Grand Rapids, Mich.- A Grand Rapids-based tech startup is leveraging a potentially game-changing opportunity as it enters a nationally renowned accelerator program.

Payload LLC was founded by local developers Dan Ribbens, Elliot DeNolf, and James Mikrut to provide web and app developers with a cutting-edge and versatile content management system (CMS). The trio has worked on developing the product since 2018, bootstrapping the venture the entire way.

The company recently announced that it was accepted into the Y Combinator tech accelerator, which is headquartered in Mountain View, Calif., and has hosted prominent tech names like Airbnb, Dropbox, and Reddit.

“Any tech entrepreneur’s aspiration when they start a tech company is to get accepted to Y Combinator because the network they provide — all the connections they provide that come from their accelerator program — are like basically connecting you to everyone you need in the industry,” Mikrut said. “It’s a huge deal.”

Payload CMS is one of the startups that used resources available through the SmartZone program. They received a $20,000 reward in the initial Start Garden 100.

Read the full article from MiBiz here.