Startup Accelerators - A Field Guide

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.

Sommario

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

Info autore

RICHARD BUSULWA (PHD, MBA, M.Innov) is a researcher in the Business School at Swinburne University of Technology, home to the Australian Graduate School of Entrepreneurship. His research focuses on startup evolution, entrepreneurial learning, entrepreneurial well-being, and strategy for startups. He is co-author of Strategy Execution and Complexity: Thriving in the Era of Disruption. Richard is a startup co-founder and seed investor in cloud, IoT, AI, blockchain, property, and niche professional service firms. NAOMI BIRDTHISTLE (PHD, MBS, BA Hons) is Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship and Business Innovation at Griffith University and is a visiting academic to Aalto University-Mikkeli campus. Naomi has published research on entrepreneurship education, entrepreneurial ecosystems, and family business management issues. Her research has received numerous awards including Emerald Literati awards, a best Doctoral Dissertation Award from the Family Firm Institute, and the Institute of Small Business and Entrepreneurship (ISBE) best paper in a conference track. Naomi has run her own consulting business and has worked in her family business in Ireland. STEVE DUNN (MBA, BA) is CEO and cofounder of LEAPIN Digital Keys, a startup that delivers NB IoT smart access control solutions. Since its founding, Steve has led the startup through a number of different accelerators within Asia Pacific, USA, and Europe. He has also led the startup through several iterations and pivots with a variety of IoT technologies, to finally find product?market fit. Steve is a mentor and coach in university-based accelerators and incubators.

Riassunto

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.

Dettagli sul prodotto

• Autori: Naom Birdthistle, Naomi Birdthistle, Richar Busulwa, Richard Busulwa, Richard Birdthistle Busulwa, Steve Dunn, Dunn Steve
• Editore: Wiley, John and Sons Ltd
• Lingue: Inglese
• Formato: Copertina rigida
• Pubblicazione: 31.01.2020
• EAN: 9781119638599
• ISBN: 978-1-119-63859-9
• Pagine: 368
• Categorie: Guide e manuali > Diritto, professione, finanze; Scienze sociali, diritto, economia > Economia > Management; Startup, Start up, Business & management, Wirtschaft u. Management, Small Business & Entrepreneurship, Klein- u. mittelständische Unternehmen u. Existenzgründung