A gBETA Program for Siskiyou, Shasta, and Trinity Counties
Grow Your Forest-Sector Business in Northern California
A 7-week accelerator for mills, contractors, manufacturers, and founders building across the forest and wood-products economy. Hands-on coaching, 25+ industry mentors, 20+ investors, and a network built to help you grow. No cost to participate. No equity taken.
- 7Week program
- 5Companies per cohort
- 25+Industry mentors
- 20+Investor meetings
About the Program
Built for the Businesses That Keep the Region's Forests Working
The Northern California Forestry Accelerator selects 5 companies from Siskiyou, Shasta, and Trinity Counties for a focused 7-week program. It is built for the whole value chain: harvesting, restoration, transportation, milling, manufacturing, biomass, and new wood products.
Whether you run an established mill or contracting business and want to expand, or you are commercializing a new technology or product, the program meets your company where it is and pushes it forward. It follows gener8tor's Alabama Forestry Accelerator, where the first cohort raised $810K and employs 56 people within months of graduating. See our track record.
- 467gener8tor cohorts run since 2012
- $4B+Raised by gener8tor alumni
- 42%Of gBETA alumni raise $50K+, join a follow-on accelerator, or exit
What Participating Companies Receive
Individualized Coaching
Two 1:1 sessions each week with your Program Manager on growth, operations, investor readiness, and the next milestone.
Weekly Group Workshops
Market validation, financial management, capital readiness, pitching, and commercialization, contextualized to the forest and wood-products value chain.
Mentor Swarms
Rapid 1:1 meetings with 25+ forestry professionals, industry operators, and business leaders who know your market.
Investor and Capital Connections
Pitch practice and 20+ investor meetings, plus guidance on equipment financing, working capital, grants, and public incentives tailored to forestry.
Industry and Supply-Chain Access
Introductions to timber companies, equipment manufacturers, research institutions, and regional buyers across the 3-county forest economy.
Perks and Alumni Support
$1M+ in vendor credits from IBM Cloud, Amazon AWS, Microsoft Azure, and HubSpot, plus Office Hours, Lightning Rounds, and the gener8tor investor network after you graduate.
Who Should Apply
Every Link in the Forest Value Chain
The program is open to existing businesses, startups, manufacturers, contractors, and entrepreneurs connected to any stage of the regional forest and wood-products economy.
Forest
Harvesting, restoration, fuels reduction, and land management
Transport
Logistics, hauling, and forest-sector supply chains
Mill
Milling, small-diameter timber, and secondary wood processing
Manufacture
Value-added wood products and related manufacturing
Byproduct
Biomass, wood utilization, and new uses for underused feedstocks
Not sure where you fit? Tell us what you are building. Our team can help identify where it belongs in the forest economy.
The Program's Home Region
Serving Siskiyou, Shasta, and Trinity Counties
The 3-county region is one of the most heavily forested areas in the country, with millions of acres of public and private timberland and a working economy built on harvest, milling, restoration, and manufacturing.
Weekly sessions run online so distance is never a barrier, and every session is recorded. The in-person kickoff and Showcase are hosted in the region, with hybrid support through Shasta College.
- Siskiyou CountyProgram lead, Siskiyou County Economic Development Council
- Shasta CountyRegional partner, Shasta Economic Development Corporation
- Trinity CountyFull access to all programming and in-person events
How the Program Works
7 Weeks From Kickoff to Showcase, Then Alumni for Life
Plan on 5 to 7 hours a week: a group workshop, two coaching sessions, and mentor time. Everything runs online except the 2 in-person moments that matter most.
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Week 0, in person
Kickoff
A 1 to 2 day gathering to set goals, meet the other companies and program partners, and hold your first 1:1 with your Program Manager.
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Weeks 1 to 6, online
Build
Coaching: Two 1-hour strategy sessions each week with your Program Manager.
Workshops: Weekly 1.5 to 2 hour sessions on market validation, financials, capital readiness, commercialization, and pitching.
Mentor Swarms: Rapid 15-minute meetings with 25+ forestry and business mentors.
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Week 7, in person
Pitch
Investor Swarms: Curated 1:1 meetings with 20+ investors and financing partners.
Showcase: Live pitches to investors, industry leaders, and the regional community.
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After graduation
Grow
Office Hours, continued mentor access, monthly dealflow reports to gener8tor's 6,000+ investor network, and Lightning Rounds investor matchmaking.
Ready to put your company on the calendar?
Apply TodayEligibility
What We Look For
We select 5 companies per cohort. Stage matters less than fit, commitment, and a real opportunity to grow within the regional forest economy.
Program Commitment
- Weekly
- 5 to 7 hours online: 1 group workshop, 2 coaching sessions, and mentor time
- Kickoff
- 1 to 2 days in person at the start of the program
- Showcase
- Pitch in person to investors and industry leaders in Week 7
- Cost
- No cost to participate. No equity taken.
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Rooted in the 3-County Region
You are located in, or serve, Siskiyou, Shasta, or Trinity County with a clear connection to the forest and wood-products economy. Strong preference is given to companies that can attend both in-person engagements.
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Established or Emerging
You might be scaling an existing mill, contracting, or manufacturing business, or commercializing a new product, technology, or business model. Both are a fit, and mentors are matched to your stage.
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Open About Your Business
You are prepared to discuss your company candidly with mentors and investors, knowing that not everything is proprietary. Capital is on your radar, whether equity, loans, grants, or equipment financing.
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Coachable and Responsive
You value outside perspectives, act on feedback, and can commit to the weekly schedule alongside day-to-day operations. The companies that show up consistently get the most out of it.
Applications Are Open
Join the First Northern California Cohort
5 companies. 7 weeks. No cost and no equity. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, so the earlier you apply, the earlier we can talk.
Apply NowQuestions first? Get in touch with the team.
- Application Deadline[DEADLINE]
- Cohort Announced[SELECTION_DATE]
- In-Person Kickoff[KICKOFF_DATE]
- Showcase[SHOWCASE_DATE]
FAQs
Before You Apply
Answers to the questions we hear most. If yours is not here, reach out to the team and we will get back to you.
Do I need to be a startup, or can an established business apply?
Both are a fit. The program serves existing businesses seeking growth, expansion, or commercialization as well as emerging entrepreneurs and startups. Mills, contractors, manufacturers, and forestry service businesses are just as welcome as technology and product innovators.
What types of businesses qualify?
Any business connected to the forestry supply chain, from harvesting and transportation to milling, manufacturing, and byproduct end uses. That includes value-added wood manufacturing, biomass and wood utilization, forest restoration and fuels reduction, small-diameter timber, and innovative wood products. If you are not sure, apply anyway and tell us what you are building.
Do I have to be based in Siskiyou, Shasta, or Trinity County?
The program serves businesses located in the 3-county region. You do not need to be near a single town. Weekly sessions run online, so the region's size and rural geography are not barriers to participating.
Do you take equity or charge a fee?
No. gBETA takes no equity and there is no cost to participate. The program is funded through the Accelerate California: Inclusive Innovation Hub (ACAHub) program in partnership with Siskiyou County Economic Development Council and Shasta Economic Development Corporation.
Is the program in person, online, or hybrid?
Hybrid. Workshops, coaching, and Mentor and Investor Swarms run online and are recorded. The kickoff at the start and the Showcase at the end are in person in the region, with hybrid support through Shasta College.
How much time will this take?
Plan on 5 to 7 hours each week during the 7-week cohort, plus the 2 in-person engagements. That does not include time you spend independently working on your business. The schedule is built for working business owners, and the companies that show up consistently get the most out of it.
Do I need revenue or a finished product?
No. We accept companies at a range of stages, from early concept to established operations. What matters is that you have a clear opportunity to grow and are ready to move on it.
Who is behind this program?
The Northern California Forestry Accelerator is run by gener8tor in partnership with Siskiyou County Economic Development Council and Shasta Economic Development Corporation, funded by the California Office of the Small Business Advocate (CalOSBA) through ACAHub. It builds on gener8tor's Alabama Forestry Accelerator and its California programs in Modesto and Moreno Valley.
Get in Touch
Talk With the Team Before You Apply
Exploring the program, checking eligibility, or ready to go? Book a time to connect or send a note by email.
