Workshops and teaching sessions offer education and resources post-Demo Day
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (Sept. 8, 2014) – Start Co. today announced its new post-acceleration program specifically designed for founders to build the additional skills needed to succeed after Demo Day through to product and business success. The program kicked off September 5th at the Start Co. Start Lab in downtown Memphis.
The program aims to help founders that recently graduated from one of Start Co.’s four accelerator programs to build out the next phase of their business plans and better align themselves for follow-on funding rounds. It consists of Friday office hours with key Memphis business partners and the Start Co. team, business development preparation sessions, workshops, lunch-and-learns and investment strategy sessions that include insight on investor and term sheet development.
“This program is a critical stepping stone for new founders to transition from startup stage to an operating business,” said Eric Mathews, Start Co. Founder and CEO. “We’ve recognized that ongoing education and support, access to capital and our pool of mentors and resources each play a critical role in determining post-acceleration success.”
Members of the Start Co. 2014 graduating cohort participating in the post-acceleration program have their own designated working spaces in the Start Lab and are each expected to deliver weekly stakeholder updates to the team. The program also helps teams pre-plan investor meetings, secure introductions and debrief after investor meetings.
Applications for 2015 Start Co. accelerator programming, which has been internationally recognized by the Global Accelerator Network, will open in October. All four accelerators will again run simultaneously through the summer in downtown Memphis, allowing participants to interact with the downtown business community, including many mentors and partners.
In addition to the post-acceleration program, Start Co. is offering other experiences to new founders entering the entrepreneurial ecosystem. On Sept. 26 and Oct. 29, special office hours will be held at the Memphis Public Library focusing on customer discovery and social innovation, respectively.
Start Co. is also hosting a special women’s edition of Startup Weekend Sept. 12 – 14, a weekend series focused on showcasing the talents of aspiring female entrepreneurs. Founders interested in next year’s accelerator programming may find Startup Weekend to be a beneficial tool in honing their pitches and determining their readiness for an accelerator program. Those interested can register for the event at www.up.co/communities/usa/memphis-tn-usa/startup-weekend/3737.
About Start Co.
Start Co. is a nationally recognized nonprofit 501(c)(3) Memphis-based venture development organization that relentlessly builds founders and companies, promoting entrepreneurship for everyone with a focus on digital startups. Start Co. is a member of theGlobal Accelerator Networkand is currently working withJumpStart, Inc.to advance Memphis’ economic growth through entrepreneurship. The organization is supported by partners includingarcher>malmo,Baker Donelson,The Marston Group, Orion Federal Credit Union,Mosaik Solutions and Softlayer (an IBM company). More information can be found at neverstop.co.