Commerce Catalyst (Salt Lake City, UT) launches Basecamp, a free 10-week accelerator and $25,000 pitch competition for female founders of consumer brands with under $1 million in revenue, running this summer in Salt Lake City.
Salt Lake City, Utah — April 23, 2026
The 10-week program offers free mentorship, peer community, and a shot at $25,000 for women-led companies under $1M in revenue — with applications open through May 1
Commerce Catalyst, the Salt Lake City-based organization at the center of Utah's ecommerce community, has opened applications for Basecamp — a new 10-week accelerator and pitch competition built specifically for female founders of consumer brands.
The program will accept 30 women-led companies for an in-person cohort running May 20 through July 22, meeting Wednesday evenings at the Anata building in Salt Lake City. At the end of the summer, 10 finalists will advance to a live pitch competition on August 25 at the Hilton Salt Lake City Center, where the top three founders will split $25,000 in cash prizes. Participation is free.
Basecamp targets companies with under $1 million in lifetime revenue — a stage where Commerce Catalyst founder Matt Holman believes the right resources can meaningfully change a company's trajectory.
Holman made the Basecamp announcement at Ecom Elevated, Commerce Catalyst's conference that took place on April 15–16, 2026 at Le Méridien Downtown in Salt Lake City. The event brought together founders, operators, and industry leaders for two days of connection, tactical learning, and growth. Ecom Elevated emphasized community and collaboration. Its goal was to provide both inspiration and practical tools. It positioned itself as a must-attend gathering for Utah’s ecommerce sector.
"Utah has an incredible ecommerce community, but women founders don't always get the same access to capital, mentorship, and the rooms where deals actually happen," said Holman. "Basecamp exists to change that — to give female founders a direct line to the operators, expertise, and stage they need to scale."
Women-led startups continue to receive a disproportionately small share of venture funding. Basecamp was designed to address that gap by pairing structured mentorship and peer community with a high-stakes pitch stage that creates real visibility for participating companies.
The program has an early proof point in its corner. Mallory Stevens, founder of Tuff Pops and winner of Commerce Catalyst's 2025 pitch competition, offered a direct message to founders on the fence: "Winning last year was a turning point. The visibility and connections opened doors I couldn't have opened on my own. Apply. You'll be in a room with people who genuinely want to see you win."
Finalists from the 2025 pitch competition are automatically accepted into Basecamp without re-applying. Participation in the accelerator is not required to compete in the pitch finale, though Commerce Catalyst recommends it.
Key dates:
To be eligible, companies must be female-founded and led, have under $1 million in lifetime revenue, and commit to in-person participation. Finalists must be present to pitch.
Applications and more information are available at www.ccatalyst.co.