John’s Crazy Socks Selected for MassChallenge Boston 2017 Accelerator Program
John’s Crazy Socks joins global network of startups
John Cronin, a 21-year-old man with Down Syndrome, founded John’s Crazy Socks with his father because he loved socks and did not consider his Down syndrome an obstacle to success. Five months later, their father-son business is flourishing and now John and his business have been selected to participate in MassChallenge's 2017 accelerator program. Only 8 percent of the over 1,500 startups that applied were accepted into the four-month accelerator located in Boston.
John said, “I’m so excited to join the Mass Challenge. I love showing that I have Down syndrome and can make my business a success.”
MassChallenge is one of the strongest business development programs in the world. John’s Crazy Socks will participate in MassChallenge’s Boston accelerator program, where it will receive access to MassChallenge's global network, world-class mentoring from industry experts, tailored programming, free co-working space, and unrivalled access to corporate partners. The accelerator culminates on November 2nd at the MassChallenge Boston Awards Ceremony, where selected startups will pitch for the opportunity to win a portion of over $2 million in no-equity awards.
John’s Crazy Socks is the one-stop shop for all sock needs and now offers over 1,200 different styles with more added every day. As a company co-founded by a man with Down syndrome, John’s Crazy Socks has developed socks to raise awareness about people with Down syndrome, Autism, Williams syndrome and other special needs. Their Awareness socks both increase visibility of these populations and raise money for charity partners. In addition, John’s Crazy Socks donates five percent of its earnings to the Special Olympics. After all, John is a Special Olympics athlete. Since opening in December 2016, John’s Crazy Socks has shipped over 16,000 orders and has raised over $20,000 for its charity partners.
Mark X. Cronin, John’s father and co-founder, said, “We’ve grown rapidly since opening in December 2016 and Mass Challenge will help us develop the skills and relationships to both manage our growth and continue to fuel it. Every day, John demonstrates what is possible and we expect our participation in MassChallenge to help us stretch our limitations.”
About John’s Crazy Socks
John’s Crazy Socks opened its online store in December 2016 with a mission to spread happiness through socks. It offers an ever-growing selection of colorful, fun and crazy socks with over 1,200 different styles at its website. They provide same day shipping so most customers receive their orders within two days. The service has a personal flair: every package gets a thank you card from John and some candy. Plus, the company gives back 5 percent of earnings to the Special Olympics. In addition, John’s Crazy Socks has released a series of Awareness Socks that raise money for charity partners supporting people with Down syndrome, Autism and Williams Syndrome. John’s Crazy Socks has been featured in Money Magazine, ABC News and The Mighty among other media outlets.
About MassChallenge
MassChallenge is the most startup-friendly accelerator on the planet. No equity and not-for-profit, we are obsessed with helping entrepreneurs across any industry. We also reward the highest-impact startups through a competition to win a portion of several million dollars in equity-free cash awards. Through our global network of accelerators in Boston, the UK, Israel, Switzerland, and Mexico, and unrivaled access to our corporate partners, we can have a massive impact - driving growth and creating value the world over. To date, 1,211 MassChallenge alumni have raised over $2 billion in funding, generated approximately $900 million in revenue, and created over 65,000 total jobs. For more information, please visit masschallenge.org.
