--- title: "National Association of Realtors Debuts Startup Accelerator" id: "16609" type: "post" slug: "national-association-of-realtors-debuts-startup-accelerator" published_at: "2013-03-28T16:56:38+00:00" modified_at: "2026-03-15T19:55:55+00:00" url: "https://associationsnow.com/2013/03/28/national-association-of-realtors-debuts-startup-accelerator/" markdown_url: "https://associationsnow.com/2013/03/28/national-association-of-realtors-debuts-startup-accelerator.md" excerpt: "Six companies jumped on board the National Association of Realtors' new startup accelerator. What does it mean for the real estate industry?" taxonomy_category: - "Business Development" taxonomy_post_tag: - "AssociationsNow" - "Business" - "Business Development" - "Real Estate" - "startups" taxonomy_content_format: - "Article" taxonomy_role: - "Association CEO / Executive Director" - "C-Level" - "Executive Team" taxonomy_persona: - "Executive Leadership" --- [Home](https://associationsnow.com/) » [Articles](https://associationsnow.com/format/article/) » National Association of Realtors Debuts Startup Accelerator News that the National Association of Realtors (NAR) is debuting a startup accelerator program could be evidence that real estate is primed for an economic comeback and that companies are fully embracing the idea of [business incubators. (opens in a new tab)](http://associationsnow.com/2012/12/creative-spark-from-business-incubators/) > We want to help companies get an investment at the end. But the way we want to do it is by increasing the value of the companies by helping them to penetrate the market. Six charter companies—BombBomb, Lumentus, Planwise, Reach150, Updater, and Workface—were selected to join the [REach accelerator program (opens in a new tab)](http://narreach.com/) developed by Second Century Ventures, the strategic investment arm of NAR. “After a careful selection process, we are honored to announce the six companies that have agreed to become charter members of NAR REach,” said Dale Stinton, NAR chief executive officer and president of the REach accelerator, [in a statement (opens in a new tab)](http://www.realtor.org/news-releases/2013/03/nar-selects-six-start-ups-to-join-reach-accelerator-program) . “Each of these startups brings unique potential to serve the real estate market and beyond, underscoring our commitment to supporting the very best companies and technology that can benefit our industry and our membership.” REach won’t be organized like a traditional startup accelerator, according to a [news report in Bloomberg Businessweek (opens in a new tab)](http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-03-26/even-realtors-have-a-startup-accelerator) . The program will last nine months instead of the typical three, companies don’t get cash in return for the small equity gains they gave to Second Century Ventures to participate, and none of the companies chose to accept office space offered by NAR at its Chicago headquarters. While the typical accelerator is meant to help startups attract funding, that isn’t the ultimate goal of the REach program, according to Constance Freedman, managing director at Second Century. “We want to help companies get an investment at the end,” Freedman says in [Bloomberg Businessweek (opens in a new tab)](http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-03-26/even-realtors-have-a-startup-accelerator) . “But the way we want to do it is by increasing the value of the companies by helping them to penetrate the market.” What the startup accelerator will offer is education, mentorship, and market exposure to the participating companies. The companies will interact with highly regarded executives, entrepreneurs, and practitioners who run, manage, or have sold real estate companies with a combined multibillion dollars of revenues and marketing spend. The companies recently selected will also receive a full overview on the industry, insights into how buyers and sellers make decisions, and coaching on best practices for reaching and engaging real estate technology buyers. What effect do you think startup accelerators and business incubators have on the economy? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below. (iStockphoto/Thinkstock) [Daniel Ford](https://associationsnow.com/author/daniel-ford/) Daniel Ford is a contributor to Associations Now. [More articles by this author](https://associationsnow.com/author/daniel-ford/) Tags: [#Business](https://associationsnow.com/tag/business/) [#Business Development](https://associationsnow.com/tag/business-development/) [#Real Estate](https://associationsnow.com/tag/real-estate/) [#startups](https://associationsnow.com/tag/startups/) **Stay Informed** [Subscribe to our free newsletter](https://associationsnow.com/newsletter/) , *Associations Now Daily News*, to find out what’s happening in the association world every business day. ## You Might Like - [VideoPartnerships that Drive Success: ASAE Strategic Partnership AllianceAugust 26, 2025](https://associationsnow.com/2025/08/26/partnerships-that-drive-success-asae-strategic-partnership-alliance/) - [VideoGenerate Leads and Brand Awareness: Master the ASAE MarketplaceJune 18, 2025](https://associationsnow.com/2025/06/18/generate-leads-and-brand-awareness-master-the-asae-marketplace/) - [VideoWilliam Pate on the Importance of Associations for Atlanta’s BusinessSeptember 23, 2024](https://associationsnow.com/2024/09/23/william-pate-on-the-importance-of-associations-for-atlantas-business/) - [ArticleThree Tips for Making a Grant EffectiveOctober 13, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/10/13/three-tips-for-making-a-grant-effective/) ## Comments **Comments are for ASAE members.** [Learn more about comments on this site.](https://associationsnow.com/comments/) [Log in](https://associationsnow.com/login?redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fassociationsnow.com%2F2013%2F03%2F28%2Fnational-association-of-realtors-debuts-startup-accelerator%2F%23comments) to your member account or [join ASAE](https://my.asaecenter.org/select-a-membership-type/) !