MassChallenge, the Bay State's groundbreaking global startup accelerator and competition, is planning an extensive expansion that will include manufacturing facilities and outposts in Israel as well as potentially Europe, Asia and South America, according to its executives.
"We might launch a new office in London or Bogota toward the end of next year," said John Harthorne, MassChallenge's founder and CEO, "and it would launch its first competition in 2015."
The 4-year-old organization offers free incubator space, mentors and grants to innovative startups.
When it moves to the Innovation District's Boston Design Center next summer, its new digs will include for the first time space for manufacturing materials that its startups will be able to use to build prototypes, said Harthorne.
"One of our goals will be to add lots of equipment and tools," he said.
Lightspeed MFG President Richard Breault, who already has helped several startups build prototypes for free, will be donating the materials and expertise, Harthorne said.
MassChallenge, which saw more than 1,200 applicants this year, also will continue its international expansion by hiring a full-time executive director to head up the program it launched in Israel this year with the support of The Kraft Group and EMC Corp., he said.
It also will look to identify locations for new offices internationally and possibly in the U.S., Harthorne said.
Some options abroad include the United Kingdom, Colombia, Taiwan, Korea and Germany.
The organization, which will give its 2013 awards on Wednesday, is building on a startlingly successful track record.
The 361 finalists who completed its annual, four-month accelerator program from 2010 to 2012 raised a total of $362.5 million in funding, created 2,912 jobs and generated $96.1 million in revenue. Of those 361 finalists, 88 percent are still active, 3 percent were acquired, and 265 are based in Massachusetts.
The 78 winners raised a total of about $157 million, created 850 jobs and generated $35 million in revenue. Ninety-four percent of them are still active, 5 percent were acquired, and 59 are headquartered in Massachusetts.
Harthorne attributes these results partly to the expertise of MassChallenge's army of more than 300 mentors and judges, who include entrepreneurs, lawyers, investors, marketers, finance professionals and other executives.
"What we look for is how big is the idea and its impact on humanity, and how likely are you to achieve that," Harthorne said.
Jordan Fliegel won $50,000 in last year's competition for CoachUp, an online marketplace connecting young athletes with private coaches.
Today, the Boston company has nearly 20 employees, recently launched native IOS and Android apps, and has registered more than 12,000 coaches and 40,000 athletes.
"MassChallenge was super helpful for us," Fliegel said. "It really helped us raise money, develop our connections in Boston and in the great local startup ecosystem, and get us to where we are today."
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