When Centrepolis Accelerator launched just over five years ago, it only had capacity to help a couple startups bring their products to market.

For more than 200 years, the 11th Street Bridge has connected Washington, D.C. with the historic neighborhood of Anacostia. There have been several redevelopment projects through the years, creating new spans for travel across the Anacostia River. Today, remnants of those earlier spans still stand as a reminder of the bridge’s long and storied history.

James Bradley is a second-generation commercial fisherman from South Carolina. He’s the owner of Bradley’s Commercial Fishing, a family-owned business on St. Helena Island. The company provides shrimp and other seafood items to local restaurants. Fishing has been a proud tradition for the Bradley family, which has been in the seafood business for more than 100 years.