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Startup Accelerators. A Field Guide. Edition No. 1

  • Book

  • 368 Pages
  • March 2020
  • John Wiley and Sons Ltd
  • ID: 5840965

The must – read guidebook for entrepreneurs looking to get into accelerator programs and to build and scale their startups with speed

Accelerator programs have become one of the most powerful and valuable resources for entrepreneurs seeking to learn rapidly, build powerful networks, raise capital, build their startups and do this at speed and scale. In recent years, the number of accelerator programs around the world has grown at an incredible rate, propelling startups such as AirBnB, Uber, DropBox, Reddit, and others - many to billion-dollar valuations. The number of accelerators, the differences in accelerator program offerings and the unique benefits and costs of different accelerator locations makes choosing the right accelerator a challenge. Selecting the wrong accelerator, failing to be accepted in the right one, or not fully taking advantage of all the accelerator has to offer can be costly, sometimes fatal. With the stakes so high, entrepreneurs need to understand all their options, choose carefully and do the right things to maximize their chances of success.

Startup Accelerators is the go to guide for any entrepreneur, providing a firsthand look into the acceptance criteria and inner workings of different accelerator programs. Written by entrepreneurs for entrepreneurs, this indispensable resource explains what different accelerator programs offer, how to get accepted, what to do during the program, how to raise money during accelerators, what to do after the program ends, and much more. Packed with real-world case studies and advice from leading experts on startup accelerator programs, this one-stop resource provides step-by-step guidance on the entire accelerator process.

  • Reveals how accelerators help founders navigate different challenges in the startup journey
  • Describes the differences in the benefits and costs of different accelerator programs
  • Explains how to prepare accelerator applications
  • Discloses what actions to take during an accelerator to make the most of it
  • Depicts case studies of entrepreneurs’ accelerator applications, experiences and outcomes across different accelerators
  • Features interviews with accelerator program managers, founders who went through accelerators, and investors in companies going through or having gone through accelerators
  • Includes insightful data and reflections from entrepreneurship education researchers and academics

Startup Accelerators: A Field Guide will prove to be invaluable for startup founders considering or going through accelerators, as well as aspiring entrepreneurs, educators, and other startup accelerator stakeholders.

Table of Contents

About the Authors

Acknowledgments

About the Website

Preface

Introduction

Chapter 1 The Emergence of Startup Accelerators

Emergence

Ascendance

Expansion

Impact

Future

Chapter 2 What Happens in an Accelerator

Accelerator Programs

Accelerator Curriculums

Accelerator Coworking Spaces

Accelerator Mentors        

Accelerator Program Managers

Accelerator Weekly Check - In Sessions

Accelerator Advisors

Demo Day

Case Study 1: LEAPIN Digital Keys and the H-Farm Deutsche Bank IoT Accelerator Program (Italy)

Chapter 3 Is Your Startup Ready for An Accelerator

What it Takes to Get into an Accelerator

Accelerator Acceptance Criteria

Common Accelerator Turnoffs

When are you Ready for an Accelerator?

Can you be too Early or too Late for an Accelerator?

What if you are not Ready?

Case Study 2: BroZone Inc and the Founders Frontier Accelerator* [USA]

Chapter 4 How to Prepare the Accelerator Application

Accelerator Acceptance Criteria vs. The Accelerator Application

The Accelerator Application Process

The Accelerator Application Questionnaire

Company Overview Section

The Founders / Team Section

The Product / Idea Section

The Progress / Traction Section

The Equity Section

Other Common Accelerator Specific Criterion

How Accelerator Applications are Evaluated

Case Study 3: LEAPIN Digital Keys’ Journey Through 3 Different Accelerator Applications [Italy, USA and Germany]

Chapter 5 How to Handle the Accelerator Interview

What is an Accelerator Interview and Why is it Important?

The Interview Process and Interview Questions

Accelerator Interview Questions

What can go Wrong in the Accelerator Interview?

Common Tips and Traps

Case Study 4: Listen Notes’ Y Combinator Interview [USA]

Chapter 6 Should you Give up Equity to Get into an Accelerator

Equity as a prerequisite to Getting into an Accelerator

What else Founders Give up in Accelerator Term Sheets

Key Elements of Accelerator Term Sheets

Types of Securities (or Types of Shares)

Valuation

Anti-Dilution Provisions

Founder Vesting

Liquidation Preference

Voting Rights

Dividends

Board of Directors

Veto Rights or Protective Provisions

Negotiating Accelerator Term Sheets

Case Study 5: Impact of Signing Multiple Accelerator Agreements on a Startup’s capital raising rounds

Chapter 7 Choosing an Accelerator Program

Significance of the Decision to Participate in or Forego Accelerator Programs

Significance of the Accelerator Choice Decision

What makes choosing an Accelerator so Challenging?

What makes a good accelerator?

What makes an Accelerator Right for a Startup?

How to Choose the Right Accelerator

Case Study 6: An Unexpected Accelerator Experience

Chapter 8 How to Get the Most out of an Accelerator

Plan Ahead

Clarify Priorities and Plan your Time

Show that you are committed

Go Fast

Get Customer Discovery and Customer Validation Right

Get Strategy Right

Get Legal Right

Get Investment Ready or Raise Investment

Perfect your pitching, storytelling and business communication

Building your Network within the Network

Resolve any difficult issues

Maximize Learning

Case Study 7: One Co-founder’s Approach to Making the Most of the Techstars Accelerator Experience

Chapter 9 What to Expect After the Accelerator Ends

What Happens After the Accelerator Ends?

The need to maintain momentum

What to do After the Accelerator

Appendices: Founder Resource Directory

Founder Accelerator Experience Reflections

Founder Reflection #1 [Oceania]

Founder Reflection #2 [Europe]

Founder Reflection #3 [Asia, Europe]

Additional Founder Reflections [USA]

Accelerator Program Manager and Entrepreneurship Educator Reflections

Accelerator Program Manager Reflection #1

Accelerator Program Manager Reflection #2

Entrepreneurship Educator Reflection #1

Entrepreneurship Educator Reflection #2

Resources to Help Founders Choose the Right Accelerator

Resources to Help Founders Prepare Accelerator Applications and Plan for the Start of an Accelerator

Resources to Help Founders Navigate Key Stages of the Accelerator Experience

Examples of Leading Accelerators Globally by Region

Index

Authors

Richard Busulwa Naomi Birdthistle Steve Dunn