Join us for a transformative journey in the heart of Bentonville, Arkansas with our 10-week in-person HealthTech accelerator program. Tailored for startups pioneering breakthroughs in healthcare, this intensive program offers strategic mentorship, networking opportunities, and resources to propel your innovation to new heights. Immerse yourself in a collaborative ecosystem, leveraging the vibrant health and technology community of Bentonville, as you refine your product, scale your business, and forge lasting connections.
Join us in shaping the future of HealthTech innovation.
Ignite the future of AI/ML innovation in Bentonville, Arkansas!
Join our immersive 10-week in-person accelerator program designed for startups pushing the boundaries of artificial intelligence and machine learning. Gain access to strategic mentorship, collaborative networking, and cutting-edge resources to refine your product, scale your business, and connect with a dynamic tech community.
Take your AI/ML startup to the next level—apply now and accelerate your journey to success!
Meet The Team
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Grace Gill
FUEL PROGRAM DIRECTOR
As Director of the Fuel Accelerator, Grace oversees program strategy, execution, and growth. Since joining Fuel in 2022, Grace has helped deepen the program’s mentor network and strengthen partnerships across the region, having been a key member of the program team as it grew. She previously served as Fuel’s operations lead, where she supported cohort companies and built lasting relationships with advisors, collaborators, and enterprise partners. Grace brings prior experience in nonprofit and marketing from her time at the Mary R. Koch Arts Center in Wichita, KS. She holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Strategy, Entrepreneurship, and Venture Innovation from the University of Arkansas’ Walton College of Business, graduating with honors.
Outside of the startup world, Grace is a decorated competitive powerlifter: a 2x world record holder, 3x national record holder, Arkansas’ 2022 Best Female Powerlifter, and a 2023 American Pro competitor.
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Jeff Amerine
FOUNDING ADVISOR
Jeff Amerine is nationally recognized for the creation of lasting venture ecosystems, and co-authored in 2021 the Amazon bestselling book, Creating Startup Junkies – Building Sustainable Venture Ecosystems in Unexpected Places. Jeff has held senior leadership positions in nine startups and multiple Fortune 500 companies including American Freightways and FedEx Freight. He has made more than 90+ venture investments. Jeff is the founder and managing director of Startup Junkie Consulting, and co-leads Innovation Junkie and Cadron Capital Partners. Jeff served as Associate Vice Provost, Research and Economic Development, and Director of Technology Ventures at the University of Arkansas until leaving to pursue Startup Junkie Consulting full-time in 2015. Jeff graduated from United States Naval Academy in 1984, served as an Air Force Officer for 6 years, and holds a Master of Science in Operations Management from the University of Arkansas.
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Permjot Valia
ENTREPRENUER IN RESIDENCE
Permjot Valia is an internationally recognized facilitator who helps senior leadership teams cut through complexity, build trust, and move forward—together. Known for his sharp insight, dynamic presence, and signature sense of humor, Permjot brings a fresh, human-centered approach to leadership development. With deep experience across industries and continents, he specializes in creating energizing, action-oriented conversations that drive real change. He regularly supports teams in fostering trust and a sense of shared success, breaking down silos to improve collaboration, shifting to a mission-driven mindset, and strengthening both cohesion and clarity of purpose. The result is stronger, more aligned leadership teams that communicate better, lead with intention, and deliver together. -
Matthew Ward
PROGRAM CONSULTANT
Matthew Ward serves as a senior executive consultant with the Startup Junkie Foundation and a strategic advisor to the Fuel Accelerator. He helps startups quantify their ideas, refine their business models, and chart a path to enterprise readiness. A former Director of the Fuel Accelerator, Matthew played a key role in expanding the program across new verticals. He also serves as a venture partner with Cadron Capital Partners and supports Startup Junkie’s international growth initiatives. Prior to his work in the entrepreneurial ecosystem, he worked in equity research at Stephens Inc. Matthew holds an MBA in Finance from the University of Arkansas and dual degrees in finance and accounting from Ouachita Baptist University, where he captained the men’s basketball team and served as an equity research analyst in the Ary Fund, a $2 million student-managed portfolio.
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Caleb Talley
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Caleb Talley is the Executive Director of Startup Junkie Foundation, where he leads initiatives to empower entrepreneurs and grow innovation-driven ecosystems across Arkansas and beyond. Caleb joined the Startup Junkie team in 2019 and has had the privilege of being a part of the Fuel program since its inaugural cohort. Under his leadership, Startup Junkie has expanded its impact through programs like the Fuel Accelerator and others, supporting small businesses and scalable ventures with no-cost consulting, technical assistance, and access to capital, resources and mentorship. With a background in journalism, public policy, and community development, Caleb is committed to fostering regional economic growth.
Fuel is a program created and launched by Startup Junkie in 2018. Mentorship is provided by experienced entrepreneurs, investors, and subject matter experts from several of the largest enterprises in the world.
Startup Junkie has facilitated 15 previous accelerator programs with over 150 alumni companies. They engage thousands of entrepreneurs in the Northwest Arkansas region through a vibrant startup culture. Their clients have raised $664.2 million in private investment capital and scaled to a collective $924 million in annual revenue.
As an entrepreneurial support organization, Startup Junkie is the drumbeat for activity in the local startup ecosystem. Specifically, Startup Junkie helps entrepreneurs start and grow ventures through 1:1 consultation, events, workshops, and programs like this accelerator.
Startup Junkie knows what it takes to be a small team going after multi-million dollar enterprise contracts. Backed by the Walton Family Foundation, the U.S. Economic Development Administration and others, Startup Junkie has been awarded long-term funding to provide high-quality services at no cost to the entrepreneurs they serve.
Thank You To Our Sponsors
The Fuel Accelerator program is made possible by grants to Startup Junkie Foundation from the Arkansas Economic Development Commission and Walton Family Foundation
FAQs
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Startups who are passionate about the problem they are solving, have raised capital and/or have revenue traction, and are willing to relocate for the duration of the program. We are NOT an idea stage accelerator or VC funding accelerator. We are an operational, revenue based accelerator.
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There is no-cost and no-equity taken to participate in Fuel. Startups are responsible for travel and accommodations. The program is sponsored by the Arkansas Economic Development Commission, Walton Family Foundation, and Startup Junkie Foundation in order to foster more activity and innovation around the future of technology in Northwest Arkansas.
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Startups must participate in-person. No exceptions will be made.
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Fuel is based in Northwest Arkansas, home to four Fortune 500 companies and 1700 support enterprises. Each company will be provided access to our office at the Ledger in the heart of Bentonville, AR.