Charlottetown-based Startup Zone is launching a new early-stage accelerator program to help high-growth companies with product development, branding and sales.

The Prince Edward Island startup house is starting the accelerator so that entrepreneurs will have in-person mentoring and benefit from a sense of community. It is looking for entrepreneurs with a sense of urgency, who will strive to build their products promptly and get them into the market.

“This is what the community has asked for,” said Startup Zone CEO Patrick Farrar in an interview on Thursday. “I think there’s a space here for any entrepreneur who’s super competitive and wants to grow really fast. So we’re creating that program for the entrepreneur who wants to have an MVP, branding and sales by the end of the year.”

The 12-week, in-person program includes all of the benefits of Startup Zone’s Resident Company Program, he said, and offers participants weekly workshops, accountability sessions, and other curriculum.

Farrar said the entrepreneurs will receive weekly meetings with Startup Zone Growth Coach Pat Sebastien, who previously held a senior position with Silicon Valley-based health and wellness startup 7 Cups.

Propel, which runs the pan-regional virtual accelerator Incite, will also help with the new accelerator by allowing participants to access LeanStack, a program devised by Ash Maurya, one of the creators of the lean canvas. Leanstack combines the lean canvas and traction model to make projections of a company’s success rate over three years.

You can apply here. The deadline for applications is Aug. 25. There is no application or admission fee, and the organizers expect the cohort will begin with about 20 teams.

“The Startup Zone is a great space for new and experienced entrepreneurs to learn, build, and grow,” said Farrar in a statement. “We've seen strong success from entrepreneurs over the past three years and we've listened to islanders to identify the gaps and barriers in the ecosystem. The community wants to learn, build, and grow faster which is why we've created the Startup Zone Accelerator. This accelerator program equips entrepreneurs with the knowledge and connections in product development, branding, and sales."