The Accelerator Centre in Waterloo has selected 26 companies to participate in the third cohort of the AC JumpStart program, which offers seed funding and 12 months of mentorship to startups.

The program started earlier this year and features three cohorts in 2015. There will be two cohorts per year launched in the coming years with the goal of supporting 180 companies over four years.

Funded through an $8 million commitment from the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario, JumpStart gives each company $30,000 in seed funding and $10,000 worth of mentorship from the AC’s team of industry experts.

"What really stands out about the companies coming into the program is how diversified they are," Andrew Jackson, Vice-President of Client Services at the Accelerator Centre, said in a statement. "As the ecosystem matures, we're really seeing a greater depth in our entrepreneurs, both in how they bring together hardware and software, and in the range of industries they're working in."

The companies in the third cohort are:

CoinValue — a coin valuation software and hardware developer;

Digital Governance Group —real-time political engagement software platform;

Dimples — customized 3D printed jewelry;

Eleven-X — cellular IoT hardware and software;

English Never Stops — cloud-based peer-to-peer language acquisition platform;

FishBuoy — Software offering real-time water and environmental conditions to anglers;

Fidget Toys — developers of a multifunctional stress-relief toy;

Find BoB — online marketplace easing the transfer of financial business ownership;

HealthIM — standardizing hospital admission processes for persons with mental illness;

HH Development — data management solution for professional motorsports;

Horizon Solutions — helping building owners improve energy efficiency;

InkSmith – Manufacturing filament for 3D printing using bioplastics and 100% recycled materials;

iSports Development — software platform connecting professional and amateur athletes;

Kineris — wearable devices that speed recovery from joint injury or surgery;

Local Line — connecting local food suppliers to customers;

Massuni — allows users to easily design customized furniture that meets their exact needs;

ONEIRIC — sports tech manufacturer;

Palette — platform of physical input devices for improving creative workflow;

Pressa — developing a water bottle allowing users to naturally flavour water;

Streetcast — mobile platform that allows organizations to communicate with local residents and visitors;

TaaCam — virtual reality and higher dimensional (3D/4D) digital image or video solution;

Thalo — revolutionizing the way information is displayed on portable devices;

UCIC — enables users to see any place in the world in real-time by connecting people;

Vidhub — platform for profs, students and researchers to have discussions in a sandboxed environment;

VIV Life Group — helps people discover meaningful experiences that are curated just for them;

And zpharm — medical tech company focused on smoking cessation;

AC JumpStart is offered in partnership with Conestoga College, Wilfrid Laurier University and the University of Waterloo.