Loading organizations...
Key people at SKU.
SKU operates as a premier consumer products accelerator, offering a rigorous 12-week program designed to propel emerging brands within the consumer packaged goods sector. This structured program provides a comprehensive curriculum, connects participating founders with dedicated teams of seasoned industry mentors, and grants access to critical resources including retailers and investors, effectively equipping startups with the necessary tools for scalable growth.
The organization was established in 2011 by founder Shari Wynne Ressler in Austin, Texas. Ressler identified a significant void in the startup ecosystem for specialized support tailored to the unique complexities of consumer product businesses. This foundational insight led to the creation of SKU as the nation's first accelerator singularly focused on the distinct challenges and opportunities inherent in developing and expanding consumer brands.
SKU’s clientele primarily consists of ambitious founders of early-stage consumer product companies, alongside a broad network of over 700 industry experts who serve as mentors, and various strategic partners. The accelerator’s long-term vision centers on fostering enduring transformation within the CPG landscape, empowering innovative brands to not only achieve substantial market penetration but also to evolve into impactful, household entities.
Key people at SKU.
SKU is the leading accelerator program for consumer product startups, specializing in consumer packaged goods (CPG) brands with market-validated products.[1][5] Founded in 2011 and based in Austin, Texas, it provides wraparound support including seasoned entrepreneurial mentors, customized educational content, advanced operations assistance, and funding access to help startups scale into household names.[1][5] SKU has made 59 investments, achieved 3 portfolio exits (latest being Aura Bora in February 2025), and fosters a strong community of executives, founders, and investors dedicated to CPG innovation.[1][3]
Its mission centers on equipping early-stage consumer brands for breakout success through accelerator cohorts, mentor teams of 6-8 industry rockstars (e.g., executives from Coca-Cola and successful founders), and nationwide expansion beyond its Austin roots.[1][3] Key sectors include CPG such as beverages (e.g., Mortal Kombat Kombucha, Omni Bev) and pet products (e.g., Springland), with a track record of empowering founders to navigate marketing, operations, and scaling challenges in the competitive consumer startup ecosystem.[1][3][5]
SKU was founded in 2011 in Austin, Texas, by Shari Wynne Ressler, a legal expert with experience at firms like McDermott Will & Emery, Fried Frank, and the U.S. Department of Labor, initially as an Austin-based accelerator for consumer product startups.[1] It began with in-person mentorship and resources tailored to market-validated CPG companies, evolving by 2019 into a nationwide program with expanded virtual capabilities and broader mentor networks.[3]
A pivotal shift came around 2019 when the board recruited Michelle Breyer as Chief Marketing Officer, a serial entrepreneur who helped scale it from local to national, emphasizing customized mentor teams over generic advice.[3] This evolution positioned SKU as a community hub for CPG innovation, with early traction through investments like its 59 deals and exits, humanizing its role via stories like Springland Pets, founded by design-minded dog parent Shannon Ross to bridge gaps in modern pet products.[1][5]
SKU stands out in the accelerator landscape through these key strengths:
SKU rides the wave of CPG innovation and direct-to-consumer (DTC) brand resurgence, capitalizing on post-pandemic shifts toward health-focused, premium consumer products like functional beverages and pet essentials amid e-commerce growth and retail shelf competition.[1][3][5] Timing is ideal as more entrepreneurs secure initial shelf space, but need scaling expertise—SKU's mentor-driven model addresses this by bridging early validation to national distribution.[3]
Market forces favoring SKU include rising demand for innovative, purpose-driven brands (e.g., modern dog parenting via Springland) and investor interest in consumer startups, despite VC slowdowns.[1][5] It influences the ecosystem by creating a "beautiful" community of alumni and mentors that accelerates talent flow, sets marketing benchmarks for breakout success, and shapes trends like next-decade CPG categories through empowered founders.[3]
SKU is poised to deepen its dominance in CPG acceleration, expanding mentor networks and cohorts amid trends like sustainable, health-oriented brands and AI-driven consumer insights. With recent exits like Aura Bora and investments in emerging players, expect more unicorns from its pipeline as retail digitizes further.[1][3] Its influence will evolve by mentoring the next wave of category-defining innovators, solidifying its role as the go-to hub for turning validated products into world-class brands—echoing its founding promise of breakout success for stellar consumer startups.[5]
