Patent Attorney and Founder
Hey everyone, welcome to Bold Patents Honolulu.
I’m JD Houvener, founder and patent attorney here at Bold Patents Law Firm.
If you’ve got an idea, maybe something you’ve been working on at home or with a small team, and you’re not sure where to start, this is for you. I know that early stage. It’s exciting but also kind of lonely. You’ve got this invention or concept, and it’s just you trying to figure out how to turn it into something real.
You’re not on your own, though. Honolulu’s got some amazing programs built to help inventors and small business owners move forward. So I put together my top five resources for 2025. These are real places where you can get help, connect with mentors, and actually start building.
1️⃣ Blue Startups
This one’s big. It’s a local tech accelerator that’s been around since 2012, founded by Hank and Maya Rogers and Chenoa Farnsworth. They’ve helped launch companies like Flowater, Sagely, and Volta.
It’s a 12–13 week program where you get office space, seed funding, and access to a ton of mentors, both from Hawaii and beyond. Before you apply, though, get your intellectual property covered, file that patent or trademark, and make sure your business is officially set up.
Why? Because in programs like this, you’ll meet a lot of people, advisors, mentors, investors, and not everyone signs an NDA. Protecting your idea early lets you focus on learning and growing instead of worrying who might run off with your concept.
2️⃣ Mana Up
This one’s close to home. It’s all about Hawaii-made products, things like food, fashion, or tourism-related goods. They started in 2018 and run a six-month program focused on mentorship and sustainable growth.
What’s cool is it’s not just about scaling fast. It’s about doing it right. You’ll meet other founders, share ideas, and connect with markets in Honolulu, Tokyo, and LA. It’s a great fit if your business is rooted in local culture.
3️⃣ Elemental Excelerator
If your idea helps the planet, this is where you want to be. Elemental focuses on clean tech and climate innovation, energy, water, agriculture, mobility, that sort of thing.
They’ve helped a ton of companies working on sustainability. Just make sure you’ve got your legal side ready first, your ownership agreements, operating docs, and IP protections. It’s not the fun part, I know, but it keeps you safe later when things start to grow.
4️⃣ XLR8HI
This is the University of Hawaii’s pre-accelerator. Think of it like a warm-up before you jump into the big programs. They help founders working in healthcare, environmental, and life science startups.
It’s a good spot to get early feedback, talk with other entrepreneurs, and figure out what’s working before you apply to Blue Startups or Mana Up. It’s kind of like getting your footing before the big climb.
5️⃣ HITTIDE (High Tide)
This one’s for the deep tech crowd, the folks working on serious engineering or science-heavy projects. It’s part of the HTDC and University of Hawaii ecosystem, and it connects you to grants from programs like SBIR and SBA.
And yes, grants mean free money, no giving up equity. It’s also tied to the Entrepreneur’s Sandbox, a great co-working hub here in Honolulu.
A cool success story: Sopogy, a solar energy company, started here before being acquired by Hitachi. Proof that big things can start small, even right here on the island.
So there you have it, my top five startup resources in Honolulu for 2025.
There are plenty more out there, but these are great places to start.
I’m JD Houvener with Bold Patents. If you’re ready to protect your idea and get moving, reach out to us.
Go big. Go bold.