What our founder alumni and clients are saying.
Eric Hamrock: co-founder Stocastic, alumni ‘20, awarded all three phases of NSF I-Corps grants, sold for $10M cash
"From the first time I met Patrick, it was clear that he is a passionate advocate for founders. This advocacy became even more pronounced as he walked alongside our company through growth, scaling, and eventual successful exit in his role at the Towson StarTUp. Whether it was connecting us to needed vendors or consultants, opening doors to potential funding opportunities, or intros to potential clients, I always felt that Patrick had our best interest at heart. He has "lived" the experience of leading and building multiple successful companies and freely shares that information in a way that is actionable. Leading a startup can be lonely and uncertain but having an advocate like Patrick is an essential part of success."
Hunter Markle: co-founder BarTrack, alumni ‘18, Forbes 30 under 30, raised $25M+
"As a founder that has started a company from the ground up, which has raised over $25 million in capital and are trusted as the nation’s top draft beer inventory and quality system, I can confidently say we would not be where we are today without Patrick and his program. Patrick was the Sherpa to our entrepreneurial journey in our early days and led a key role in helping us raise investment, network strategically, and establish a go-to market strategy. Patrick is a great person and goes above and beyond for his students/mentees. His mission was to help us become as successful as we possibly could and he gave us the tools to do so. If you are starting a business and are looking for an advisor or mentor, Patrick has the real world success and experience to be able to take you to the next level.”
Connor Ferroce: co-founder Beatgig, alumni ‘17, Forbes 30 under 30
“Patrick has had a profound impact on my entrepreneurial journey. He’s the definition of “founder friendly”, not just offering advice from experience, but cutting through the noise with practical, real-world guidance in high-stakes situations. Whether it’s fundraising strategy, structuring equity and employment terms for key hires, or making thoughtful introductions to investors and prospects, Patrick consistently shows up with clarity and value.Startups are hard, and having someone like Patrick in your corner can make all the difference.”Dr. Anders Sideris: co-founder SomnAir, alumni ‘24, raised $4M Seed Round
“As a physician-entrepreneur building a medical device company I have been faced with the tremendous challenge of bridging the gap between the clinical/ scientific world and the world of company building. Patrick’s pragmatic and outcome driven approach has been pivotal in learning the things they don’t teach us in medical school. I’ve gone from using a stethoscope to being equipped with real world strategic entrepreneurial acumen - fundraising, cap table management, understanding the customer, building partnerships etc. Above all, he invests in you as a person. I flew thousands of kilometres from Australia to chase this dream; he went out of his way to make me feel at home in the U.S. Somnair and I would not be where we are today without his founder-first mentorship, guidance and mateship.”
Marcus Wang: Partner, Coda Ventures, Former Dir Econ Dev Baltimore County, funded the accelerator $150k annually
"Patrick McQuown stands out as one of the most effective entrepreneurial ecosystem builders I've encountered. Having scaled multiple ventures across borders myself, I can attest that Patrick's approach to venture acceleration delivers exceptional results. His track record of creating nationally recognized programming that consistently produces successful outcomes speaks volumes—transforming Towson University into 'the Most Engaged University in the Nation' while generating both significant funding rounds and acquisitions for portfolio companies.
Throughout my experience commercialising innovations and expanding businesses internationally, I've found that the right operational framework makes all the difference. Patrick's Accelerator as a Service offering excels precisely in this area—creating scalable systems that transform promising concepts into market-ready businesses."Kobby Osei-Kusi: Founder Pirl Technologies, alumni ‘22, Harvard MBA
"Most entrepreneurial support organizations (ESOs), advisors, and mentors unwittingly go from theory to practice, inadvertently hampering founders with ineffective and often bad advice. Patrick is singular because he goes from practice to practice. His guidance is superbly effective and consequential, and it comes from his long track record as an entrepreneur who has been in all kinds of trenches. What makes him uniquely influential is his ability to help founders scale from idea to growth. You can call on him at every stage. Even though my startup is generating revenue, I still go to him when we face knotty challenges, and I know we'll always get something insightful to help us move forward."
Nina Guise Gerrity: Founder getGFTD, alumni ‘23, Faculty Loyola University
"Patrick is a magnet for founders who want to gain confidence and wisdom about how to excel in their business. For existing founders, he is a resource and friend. Patrick will find the strangest connections between people and help them realize that they have just begun to tap into their potential. He is magic and dynamic, making you feel welcome and cared for.
As a business person, Patrick is serious. His “take-no-prisoners” attitude is beneficial for the founders in his programs. When you work with Patrick, you feel like he has your back and keeps your best interest front and center.
Moreover, once anybody is finished a program with Patrick, they are not only smarter, they are more resilient and have gained a network of friends.
If you wanna hear more details or funny stories about Patrick, connect with me over getGFTD! Will send each other a beverage and enjoy a conversation."Jal Irani: co-founder Flave, alumni ‘21, Faculty Towson and Johns Hopkins University
"As a faculty member at both Towson University and Johns Hopkins, and as a startup founder, I’ve seen a lot of entrepreneurship programs, but Patrick’s accelerator really stands out.
When I went through it with my own company, Flave, it gave me a clear and practical overview of everything I needed: cap tables, product-market fit, go-to-market strategy, team building, you name it. It wasn’t just theory; it was actionable, founder-focused, and grounded in real startup experience.
What makes Patrick unique is his ability to bridge the academic world and the startup world seamlessly. He’s built and exited companies, but he also knows how to teach and connect with students, faculty, and founders alike.
His accelerator didn’t just help our business, it made us sharper as a team and more focused as entrepreneurs"
ZACH CASEY: co-founder Kilsar, alumni ‘19, raised $3.7M Seed Round
"Patrick is a mentor that every startup founder needs. From developing confidence in selling, identifying and communicating one's value proposition and competitive moat, to structuring ones fundraise and truly learning how to read and create a cap table, Patrick's lessons are fundamental to the success I've had to date as a startup founder. Don't just take my word....his clear track record of founders and portfolio company successes speak for itself."
