2 DEVELOP

April 19, 2012 in slideshow

Once you submitted your application meet with the ACCELERATE team first and from there we’ll  help you refine your idea, connect you with alumni or expert faculty.  You have a couple of weeks/ months to prepare your business pitch in front of judges! Learn as much about entrepreneurship, finance, business models, marketing… as you can.

 

MEET ALUMNI or EXPERT FACULTY

The submission of your idea will trigger a meeting with the ACCELERATE team. As you are progressing you will be connected with someone, who has experience in the industry or field of your idea. This could be a faculty member or an alumni. The intend is to give you laser feedback – is your idea too broad? Can you accomplish a prototype/proof of concept within only a short timeframe? Does the market need your idea? etc.

 

CREATE A BUSINESS PLAN

We are not going to ask for an extensive business plan, but we want you to think through your venture by answering guiding questions important for positioning your business/idea. The questions are intended to prepare you as best as possible for your pitch in front of judges.

Questions will circle around the four areas:

  1. Solution
  2. Impact [Innovation, Market, Value to Society]
  3. Business Model [Milestones, Potential for commercialization, Feasability, Financials]
  4. Team constellation
In addition to guiding questions you will also have the opportunity to attend conversations with young entrepreneurs, who have been where you are not too long ago. We are also organizing office hours with Alumni and other experts from industry and will share workshops around the city with you. This is a unique chance to immerse yourself into the business community, network and build relationships with industry, and learn, learn, learn … as much as you can about taking an idea to realization, launching a business, taking risks, and being an entrepreneur!

 

PITCH YOUR VENTURE
Judges will be drawn from our alumni pool and external industry professionals who live and breath innovation + entrepreneurship. Before the big day, we’ll be offering Pitch Prep Sessions, so you can refine and practice your pitch and cover all the holes in your business planning process. You’ll be judged on the four criteria in the business planning process. It’s worth diving deep into the content and be prepared!

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