Global pre-accelerator Startup Boost launches with a mission to steer tech startups to success 🚀📈
Toronto Canada- August 25th, 2017- This October 2017 launching in Toronto, Austin, Detroit, Los Angeles, London and Dublin, Startup Boost is a global tech startup pre-accelerator program with the goal of getting early stage tech startups ready for accelerators, seed investment and revenue generation.
Startup Boost is a reimagining of the Startup Next program — a Techstars supported initiative that provided entrepreneurs with six weeks of intensive coaching and mentoring. Techstars has since retired the program, but given the 3.5 years of successful operation and +35M raised, past Startup Next leaders have banded together to reignite the program with a new global initiative and a fresh investment perspective.
A competitive selection process culminates in eight early stage companies selected for each of the seven global chapters. They will join a six week program, run by regional Chapter Directors, with hands-on mentorship and weekly talks from experienced subject matter experts. The curriculum will focus on areas such as customer development, venture funding, pitch preparation, market sizing and growth marketing.
Key local mentors will be paired with the startups for weekly one on one sessions and ongoing collaboration to clarify their value propositions and solve critical early stage challenges. The end goal for teams selected for Startup Boost is to increase the success ratio for the next steps in their company — whether to gain traction, join an accelerator program or raise seed funding — all while ensuring focus has been brought to their business model to generate revenue.
Uniquely with Startup Boost there is no equity taken from startups in this program, with funding and support from sponsorship, strategic partnerships and volunteers. Following the program startups have access to continued support from their local Chapter Directors, as well as the growing group of community leaders within the Startup Boost network to help them expand in new markets in Europe, Canada and the United States.
Globally, Startup Boost has created partnerships with strategic eco-system players, including the Global Accelerator Network (GAN) and F6S, one of the largest startup directories in the world.
Applications are now open at startupboost.org for Toronto, Austin, Detroit, Los Angeles, London and Dublin for the October cohort. Expressions of interest are now being accepted for chapters launching in 2018 in Amsterdam, New York, San Francisco and Seattle.
The first meeting of the Toronto chapter will include contributions from well-known local entrepreneurs including Marie Chevrier of Sampler — former alumni of the Startup Next pre-accelerator — and growth marketing expert Jeff Goldenberg of Abacus.
“The Startup Next program enabled Sampler to raise its first round of financing. Most importantly, the connections I made during the program are still heavily involved in our company 3 years later as investors, directors, partners and advisors. I attribute much of our success to the decision I took to apply and participate actively in this program. I would recommend it to any early stage company.” — Marie Chevrier, Founder of Sampler
In Toronto, the initiative will kick off at TWG’s head office on 10 October following an information evening on Aug 31.
Please contact toronto@startupboost.org for more information.
