The third annual Innovate Raleigh Summit, a full day event for entrepreneurs, government officials, and university stakeholders, concluded with an announcement from Raleigh Mayor Nancy McFarlane on Wednesday evening.

The big news?

Red Hat will partner with Citrix to launch a first-of-its kind startup accelerator housed within the new Citrix/Sharefile offices in Raleigh’s Warehouse District.

The city of Raleigh was “honored” to be selected as the pilot program for Citrix’s Innovators Program, said Mayor McFarlane, “and Red Hat is now a part of that exciting endeavor.”

Just how much or what Red Hat is contributing was not spelled out.

Recent WRAL TechWire coverage of Raleigh startup efforts:

  • Inside the Innovate Raleigh Summit: Planning city’s next steps for entrepreneurship development.
  •  Citrix making $25,000 grants available for startups
  • City of Raleigh commits $100,000 to startup program
  • HQ Raleigh fills to capacity in a week of opening

The Citrix Innovators Program, created by California-based Citrix managing director John McIntyre, is a three-month residency where small entrepreneurial teams receive training and coaching in collaborative, lean startup approaches.Some $25,000 in grants is available for 10 selected startups.

The partnership with Red Hat – and with the city of Raleigh, which will help fund the startup teams, said McFarlane – ensures that Raleigh’s entrepreneurs will work alongside expert product teams.The city recently committed to a $100,000 funding program.

“It’ll make entrepreneurship even easier,” said McFarlane, “supporting the most vibrant entrepreneurs in our region.”

The mayor’s sentiment was shared by DeLisa Alexander, chief people officer at Red Hat, who ensured that the partnership would “make our ecosystem more vibrant.”

“Citrix and the city of Raleigh showed the spirit of collaboration,” said Alexander, by extending the invitation to partner on the program. “We’re so thrilled to help be a catalyst for this community to move forward the work started through Innovate Raleigh,” said Alexander.

Citrix is in the process of screening the first startups for the program.

Jesse Lipson, the Triangle entrepreneur who sold his startup (Sharefile) to Citrix, is deeply committed to the region’s startup community. He and his wife, Brooks Bell, are part of the founding and owning team of HQ Raleigh, which is a shared office space endeavor in the Warehouse District.

Lipson also advocated within Citrix that the company expand its Raleigh presence, a result being the construction of the new headquarters which is only yards away from HQ Raleigh.