Startup Junkie’s Fuel Accelerator program is returning its two flagship cohorts across HealthTech and AI/ML tracks in 2026. The two cohorts will receive expanded program leadership and renewed support from public and philanthropic partners.
Fuel is once again made possible through the support of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission, having been awarded two of the twelve grants issued statewide through the 2026 Arkansas Business and Technology Accelerator Grant Program.
Fuel was the only accelerator in Arkansas to receive two awards this year. The Fuel Accelerator program was launched by Startup Junkie in 2018 as a direct result of the same AEDC accelerator grant program.
The program also received renewed support from the Walton Family Foundation, whose 2026 backing represents its largest single-year commitment to Fuel since it began investing in the program in 2022.
“We take these renewed investments in that work as validation of our team’s efforts and a responsibility to uphold the standard that’s been set and build on the program’s momentum,” Caleb Talley, executive director of Startup Junkie Foundation, said in a press release. “Fuel has always been a practical, founder-first program, and that will continue to be our focus even as we pursue strategic growth and deliver expanded offerings in 2026.”
New Hires
Fuel’s 2026 programming begins this spring with its HealthTech cohort, continuing the program’s focus on enterprise-ready innovation and real-world commercialization. Recruitment for the Spring 2026 HealthTech cohort is already underway.
A major update for the Spring 2026 HealthTech cohort is the addition of Diana McDaniel as entrepreneur in residence and program advisor. McDaniel brings decades of health care leadership experience across clinical operations, enterprise strategy, and system-level growth.
She currently serves as CEO of Prosper Med and managing partner of MedExcellence and CSymplicity, advising health care organizations on operational strategy and technology. She also serves as chief strategy officer for Community Clinic, a regional health care system.
“I’ve seen firsthand the tangible value Fuel delivers to the health care industry,”
McDaniel said in the release. “I’m excited to step into this role and support founders as they navigate the complexities of the enterprise market while building meaningful roots in our thriving Northwest Arkansas community. Connecting innovative health care technology founders from across the U.S. to Arkansas’s health care ecosystem creates the synergy needed to drive real advances in whole-person patient care.”
Fuel has also expanded its internal team with the addition of Danny Duong as operations manager, aiming to strengthen day-to-day execution and operational coordination across cohorts.
Duong, a certified Project Management Professional and experienced UX and visual designer, brings operational and entrepreneurial experience, having founded multiple ventures. Duong previously participated in Startup Junkie’s 2.7.0 Accelerator program, an early precursor to Fuel, with Bespoke Knots, and was also a member of the Conductor’s inaugural 10X Accelerator with Housecall Telemedicine.
In addition to McDaniel and Duong, Fuel will welcome back pitch coach, founder mentor and entrepreneur Permjot Valia, who returns as an entrepreneur in residence and adviser across both cohorts.
Also returning as a key adviser in 2026 is Jeff Amerine, Startup Junkie’s founder.
Program Impact
Across 11 cohorts, Startup Junkie’s Fuel Accelerator has recruited and served more than 90 ventures from more than 20 states and 11 countries, facilitated more than 150 enterprise pilots or commercial contracts, and supported companies that have collectively raised more than $260 million in funding.
As a result of participation in the program, 37 local offices have been opened by out-of-state participants, including 12 company headquarter relocations to northwest Arkansas, two of which happening in just the last cohort that concluded in October.
“Continuous program improvement and growth is at the core of the Fuel mission. With this additional support through funding and strategic talent, I am incredibly optimistic about the work we have in front of us for the coming year,” Grace Gill, director of Fuel Accelerator, said in the release. “This expansion allows us to deepen our commitment to positioning Arkansas on the world stage as a premier destination for technology and transformation, ensuring our state remains at the forefront of innovation.”
Gill, who has served the program in various roles since 2022, stepped into the director role last summer and enters her second year in 2026.
The Fuel Accelerator will once again be held fully in person from the University of Arkansas Collaborative’s Learning Lab facility at the Greenway Office Park, a multi-use campus that provides cohorts with a comfortable home base and access to classroom, conferencing, and coworking spaces within walking distance of downtown Bentonville, the Crystal Bridges campus and the new Walmart headquarters.
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