Blueberry Boost Accelerator

Inez Be is the Director of Marketing at the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council and North American Blueberry Council. She is a marketing, PR, and communications expert who is passionate about food brands, having developed a career for many years working in food and agriculture, including potatoes, honey, almonds, rice, avocados and, of course, blueberries. Inez is responsible for the strategic execution of USHBC efforts in marketing, advertising and promotions of blueberries via B2C and B2B channels. She works closely with the VP of global marketing and communications and several agency partners to oversee and facilitate the day-to-day brand and marketing activities across consumer, retail/shopper, foodservice, ingredient, health/nutrition and digital areas.

With a deep expertise in corporate innovation, venture capital, and startup ecosystems, he brings over a decade of experience leading high-impact programs and scaling operations across multiple sectors. Currently the Director of Innovation & Partnerships at VentureFuel, he leads the strategy and execution of accelerator programs for Fortune 500 clients—including Comcast NBCUniversal and Dick’s Sporting Goods—as well as category-specific initiatives like the Blueberry Boost Accelerator and the Real California Milk Excelerator in the CPG and agriculture sectors.

Nicole began her career at Georgia-Pacific, driving commercialization of new-to-industry technology in the digital print space. From there, she held several roles at Inspire Brands, advancing innovation across multiple domains. Most recently, Nicole pioneered the development and commercialization of new menu, process, and technology innovations across brands like Dunkin', Jimmy Johns, and Buffalo Wild Wings on a global scale.

Nicole studied Chemical Engineering and Business Administration at Auburn University and is a graduate of the Morning Brew Accelerator program. She is passionate about human-centered design and scaling new ideas.

The future of fruit is about versatility and visibility. Can blueberries grab their share of stomach in a crowded industry?

In this episode of VentureFuel Visionaries podcast, Kasey Cronquist, President of US Highbush Blueberry Council and North American Blueberry Council talks about the new Blueberry Boost Accelerator and how innovation is a growth lever to move the industry “beyond the morning” by promoting the great taste, energy, fun and health halo to help find a “home for every berry” and grab their deserved “share of stomach."

Why Apply?

Accelerate Your Growth – Receive strategic guidance, expert mentorship, and tailored commercialization support to grow faster and smarter.
Boost and Amplify Your Brand – Receive support in developing professional video commercials and sales sheets and gain visibility in press releases and media activities.
Expand Your Network – Connect with buyers, investors, retailers, and innovation leaders who can help take your brand to the next level.
Refine Your Pitch – Work 1:1 with our team to develop and perfect your pitch in preparation for the live competition at the USHBC Blueberry Convention, Seattle, WA, Oct. 8-10
Early Industry Recognition – Build credibility and expand your network through mentorship and coaching sessions with top industry experts, then showcase your product at the USHBC Blueberry Convention, Seattle, WA, Oct. 8-10, attended by industry leaders and potential partners.
Win Up to $20,000 in Prizes – $20,000 for the grand prize winner and $10,000 for the runner-up, awarded at the USHBC Blueberry Convention.

About U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council

Established in 2000, The U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) is a federal agriculture research and promotion program with independent oversight from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). USHBC represents blueberry growers and packers in North and South America who market their blueberries in the United States and overseas, and works to promote the growth and well-being of the entire blueberry industry. USHBC was established by blueberry growers and currently has 2,500 growers, packers, exporters and importers. USHBC is committed to providing blueberries that are grown, harvested, packed and shipped in clean, safe environments. Learn more at ushbc.blueberry.org. Visit us at www.blueberry.org

About VentureFuel

VentureFuel is an independent innovation advisory firm that helps the world's best organizations commercialize innovation to ignite change by working with startups. Its innovation programs help enterprise organizations learn, test, build and invest in emerging technology to solve their biggest problems today and unlock new sources of growth. VentureFuel provides organizations like Hershey's, Comcast, Dick's Sporting Goods, AARP Foundation and the State of California the tools to drive transformative change with less risk, more speed, and greater proximity to the consumer than traditional innovation models. Learn more at: www.venturefuel.net, LinkedIn, X, and Instagram. You can listen to The VentureFuel Visionaries podcast on Apple, Spotify, Simplecast or wherever you get your podcasts.

June 2, 2025	Applications Open
June 25, 2025	Virtual Program Information Session
July 11, 2025	Applications Close
July 28 - August 8, 2025	Cohort Selection & Onboarding
August 11 - October 6, 2025	Accelerator Program
October 8-10, 2025	Final Pitch Event + Expo at the USHBC Blueberry Convention, Seattle, WA

Fueling Innovation with the

Power of Blueberries

Program Features

RSVP to our Upcoming Information Session!

Meet Your Hosts

Inez Be | Director of Marketing, U.S. Highbush Bluberry Council

Beau Bergman | Director of Innovation & Partnerships, VentureFuel

Nicole Payne | Manager of Innovation & Partnerships, VentureFuel

Why Blueberries?

Who Should Apply?

Areas of Interest

Why Apply?

Program Timeline

Program Timeline

Meet Your Program Leads

Inez Be

Beau Bergman

Nicole Payne

About U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council

About VentureFuel