Supply Chain 2026 cohort to launch with kickoff event in Bentonville, bringing together companies building across supply chain, AI, and rare earth minerals
BENTONVILLE, Ark., May 20, 2026 – Fuse Ventures is bringing dual-use innovation to life in Arkansas, announcing today its Supply Chain 2026 cohort and a partnership with Arkade to host the accelerator program at Arkade’s Technology Greenhouse. The cohort will launch with an upcoming kickoff event, convening founders, mentors, partners, and members of the broader innovation ecosystem.
This partnership gives founders building dual-use technologies direct access to one of the world’s leading supply chain and trade hubs and the decision-makers they need to scale across both commercial and government markets. This strategic residency furthers Fuse’s goal to provide founders with a sustained advantage: In 2024, Northwest Arkansas recorded a 12.7% high-tech GDP growth, the second-highest among Tier 1 large cities in the U.S., while the state’s exports reached $6.9 billion.
The upcoming cohort includes companies building at the intersection of commercial and defense, addressing challenges across supply chain, AI, and rare earth minerals.
- Coulomb Technology
- Covisus
- Dirac Solutions
- EEARTH
- Ethicronics
- Logic
- Modus Operandi
- SeerAI
- TracePass
- Vannadium
- Vantage 9
- Vantive
“At Fuse, our mission is to position growth-stage companies within the ecosystems most critical to their long-term success,” said Tom Douglass, Fuse Founding Partner. “Through our launch of a dual-use supply chain cohort in Bentonville, as well as our strategic partnerships with organizations like Arkade, we’re advancing that mission while cultivating the distinctive environment for growth and innovation that defines Northwest Arkansas.”
The cohort kicks off on Tuesday, June 9, in Bentonville, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. CT, bringing together founders, mentors, partners, and the broader innovation ecosystem. Attendees will meet the companies, hear what they’re building, and connect directly with the founders driving this next phase of growth. Registration and additional details are available on the event page: https://luma.com/amv4ompk
“We built Arkade to help proven technology companies land in this market and translate opportunity into real commercial traction,” said Kathryn Carlisle, Director of Portfolio Operations at Arkade. “Northwest Arkansas is already a Tier-1 hub for supply chain innovation and education. By hosting the Fuse cohort at Arkade, we have the opportunity to support founders with direct access to the talent, potential customers, and real-world environments where these technologies can scale.”
About Fuse Ventures:
Fuse Ventures is a dual-use innovation platform. Through a suite of specialized programs and a global network of mission-aligned founders and partners, Fuse provides scale-stage startups with the mentorship, capital, and networks to win enterprise customers and government contracts. Learn more at https://fuseventures.com/.
About Arkade:
Arkade is a commercial growth platform for retail and supply chain technology companies seeking to secure pilots, partnerships and revenue inside the Bentonville retail value chain ecosystem. Built by Crisp Founder and CEO Are Traasdahl, Arkade provides proximity, curated introductions and commercially focused programming designed to accelerate enterprise outcomes. Learn more at arkaderetail.com.
Media Contact:
Melissa Silvia | Communications, Fuse Ventures