Innovation Accelerator
We harness collective experience and resources to uncover, guide, and accelerate digital infrastructure innovation for startups
iMasons Innovation Accelerator
What it is
The iMasons Innovation Accelerator is where breakthrough ideas meet real industry power.
Designed for startups tackling the most urgent challenges in digital infrastructure, the program connects you directly with the operators, partners, and decision-makers shaping what comes next. This isn’t just exposure; it’s access to the ecosystem that can validate, champion, and adopt your solution.
Whether you’re refining your market fit or accelerating towards deployment, the Accelerator gives you the credibility, connections, and momentum to move faster—from idea to commercial reality.
Who It’s For
Expanding access to power and improving grid resilience
Advancing cooling efficiency and sustainable infrastructure
Enabling next-generation AI and high-density compute environments
Optimising operations, reliability, and infrastructure intelligence
Integrating energy systems, storage, and flexible power solutions
Addressing the talent gap and strengthening workforce capabilities
These priorities are aligned with the strategic challenges highlighted in the annual State of the Industry (SOTI) report.
How We Maximise Impact
The Accelerator supports you at every stage, from early positioning to commercial growth, by tailoring activities and deliverables to your maturity and objectives. Through the programme, you can:
Build visibility across the global iMasons ecosystem
Connect with operators, partners, and subject matter experts
Strengthen your positioning through targeted feedback
Accelerate credibility and commercial momentum
Present your solution to industry leaders and decision-makers
Develop thought leadership through podcasts, events, and content
This structured approach helps you turn relevance into relationships and relationships into outcomes.
Participation
The Accelerator is a selective, fee-based programme with a fixed duration of 12 months designed for startups committed to actively engaging with the ecosystem.
It is not a free listing or passive exposure opportunity—participants are expected to contribute, engage, and derive value through active involvement.
If you’re a startup looking to participate, submit your application through the form today.
Each submission is carefully reviewed based on relevance, maturity, and alignment. Shortlisted companies will be invited to an introductory call with the program Chair to explore participation in the next assessment cohort and determine the most suitable track.
What Alumni Say About the Program
“From Dragons’ Den to global panels and podcasts, the iMasons Innovation Incubator gave RE24 a launchpad into the data centre community, a network moving the industry forward.”
Current Startups
“The iMasons Innovation Incubator stood out for its genuine care and consistent overdelivery, fostering a collaborative community driving positive impact. It sparked new business, partnerships, friendships—and more innovation. Thank you to the iMasons team.”
“From Dragons' Den to global panels and podcasts, the iMasons Innovation Incubator gave RE24 a launchpad into the data centre community—a network moving the industry forward.”
With increasing constraints on power and efficiency, and growing concerns around data sovereignty, OctaiPipe is uniquely positioned to unlock up to 30% energy efficiency for data centre cooling systems with minimal disruption, and help critical infrastructure to optimise their performance without compromising their data."
"As demand for AI and high-density compute accelerates, it’s critical that we rethink how we design and cool data centers. This program gives us the opportunity to scale faster and smarter, with the right partners at the table."
"As we’re redefining sustainability in digital infrastructure by turning waste heat into pure water and cooler data centers. We’re thrilled to work with partners who share our vision for a sustainable, water-positive future for AI infrastructure.”
“The App Lab perfectly aligns with our innovation strategy, empowering passionate research teams to collaborate across disciplines and organizations. It provides an ideal environment to test our cutting-edge QLOE technology, ensuring technical excellence across a broad range of single-phase immersion cooling systems.”
"The grids are struggling to keep up with the amazing pace that this industry is growing, due to very large energy demands which, critically, can be incredibly volatile. That’s why we’re hugely excited to be a part of iMason’s Innovation Incubator Program, a platform that will guide us into the heart of the datacentre sector and connect us with the partners shaping its future."
Mentors
Supported by a network of expert mentors who help guide and accelerate participating startups.
Dragons’ Den meets Shark Tank… iMasons-style!
Dragons’ Den is iMasons’ signature Innovation Pitch, designed to spotlight emerging solutions and give our community a direct voice in championing the next wave of digital infrastructure innovation. Every session follows the same format—3 startups, a panel of Dragons, and real-time voting from members. The locations change, but the experience is the same: a fast, focused competition that surfaces the brightest ideas in the industry.
How it Works
Audience voting
Winners progress toward the end-of-year final at Yotta 2026.
Members of our iMasons community became investors for the day, casting their support through digital coins and deciding who would walk away with the win.
The Startups
The Dragons
Dean Nelson
Founder, Infrastructure Masons and Cato Digital
Princina Stone
Lead, Regulatory Management, Google
Julie M. Albright
Lecturer, University of Southern California, and acclaimed tech author.
Jonathan Freegard, Sr.
Solutions Director, Wesco
Dean Nelson, Founder, Infrastructure Masons and Cato Digital
Princina Stone, Lead, Regulatory Management, Google
Dr. Julie M. Albright, Lecturer, University of Southern California, and acclaimed tech author
Jonathan Freegard, Sr. Solutions Director, Wesco
And the crowd-favorite at Datacloud Cannes 2025?
OctaiPipe took the prize!
Their edge-AI platform won the hearts and investments of our member community.
Huge thanks to our sponsor Wesco Anixter, and to everyone who joined us for this energetic, idea-fueled moment. The passion for digital infrastructure innovation is real and growing.
Upcoming Dragons' Den
We’re currently planning the 2026 Dragons’ Den series, with regional events proposed for New York, MENA, Cannes, and Hong Kong—culminating in the end-of-year final at Yotta. Participating startups and confirmed dates will be announced soon.
2026 Event #X — Placeholder Title
Location TBD | Date TBDParticipating startups will be announced closer to the event.
2025 Dragons' Den Innovation Pitches
Datacloud Cannes | 2025
- Winner
Clear Decisions — Represented by Maximilian WeidlClear Decisions provides decision-support intelligence to simplify complex digital infrastructure planning and optimize investment outcomes.
OctaiPipe — Pitched by George HancockOctaiPipe applies AI-powered optimization to improve data-center cooling performance and reduce energy consumption across large-scale environments.
RE24 — Led by Dhanushka TennakoonRE24 focuses on renewable-energy optimization and digital tools that help operators integrate cleaner power sources into their infrastructure.
Dublin – Royal Dublin Society | 2025
- Winner
RISE/Hillstone — Jon Summers & Paula SmethurstRISE is developing a next-generation Chip Load Server Emulator to push the limits of cooling performance and collaborate with industry innovators.
Oleon — Maarten TrautmannOleon is launching a new demo and training space near Paris to showcase advanced liquid-cooling technologies and support hands-on innovation.
Super6 — Hector LancasterSuper6 is pioneering a breakthrough supercapacitor and working with iMasons to explore how their technology fits within the future of data center energy systems.
OctaiPipe — George HancockOctaiPipe uses AI-driven optimization models to enhance data center cooling efficiency and is scaling rapidly through the iMasons Innovation Incubator.
What’s Next for the Innovation Pitch?
The Dragons’ Den energy is only gaining momentum. Following the success of our debut at Datacloud Cannes 2025 and the dynamic DCD>Connect London session, the Innovation Pitch is heading to new stages across the globe.
Next Stop: EMEA – Dublin
Join us at the Royal Dublin Society on November 20, 2025, as three new startups take the stage to pitch their cutting-edge ideas to industry leaders and our iMasons community.
This next round of the Innovation Pitch continues our mission to spotlight innovators who are shaping the sustainable, inclusive, and efficient digital infrastructure of the future.
More Coming Soon
Two additional Innovation Pitch events are already in the works for 2026—stay tuned for announcements on dates and locations.
Interested in the Accelerator?
Schedule a time to connect with our Chair and share your innovation.
Past work with participants
Dalton Flory
The Innovation Committee embodies the spirit of Infrastructure Masons: "Connect, Grow, Give Back." Our mission for 2025 is clear—"Every Innovation is Realized."
Anna Bernas-Kelly
The Innovation Committee embodies the spirit of Infrastructure Masons: "Connect, Grow, Give Back." Our mission for 2025 is clear—"Every Innovation is Realized."
Jason Carter
The Innovation Committee embodies the spirit of Infrastructure Masons: "Connect, Grow, Give Back." Our mission for 2025 is clear—"Every Innovation is Realized."
Melanie Holguin
The Innovation Committee embodies the spirit of Infrastructure Masons: "Connect, Grow, Give Back." Our mission for 2025 is clear—"Every Innovation is Realized."