An insiders guide to getting into the best accelerator programs.

1. Accelerat(ed)
Insider’s Guide to Getting
into the Best Accelerators

2. Presented By
Presented | unbank.ventures

3. ● Startup Weekend Facilitator
● Techstars NEXT Organizer & Mentor
● Launch Festival & Hackathon Growth &
Partnership Manager
● Draper University Director of
Partnerships
● Draper FinTech Incubator Director
Experience | About Me

4. Experience | Incubators

5. Experience | Partnerships

6. Approach: Shotgun VS Laser
Shotgun
Apply to every accelerator
Spend lots of time
Submit poor application
Low -no success rate
Laser
Identify top 5 choices
Develop relationship with
decision maker
Top quality application
Give by weekly updates
High success rate
Approach | Shotgun VS Laser

7. To Accelerate or Not
Pros
Network
Expertise
Mentors
Capital
Cons
Expensive
Distraction
Wrong Timing
Speed
Accelerator | Pros VS Cons

8. Program Selection
Brand Name
Vertical Focused
Size of Cohort
Location
Investment & Terms
Program | Selection

9. Brand Name
VS
Program | Brand

10. Vertical Focus VS Agnostic
VS
FinTech Barclays
Program | Focus

11. Batch Size
VS
~10 ~12 60+
Program | Batch

12. Location
Program | Location

13. Investment & Terms
Program | Investment
Negotiate

14. The Formula
500 Startups
Founding Team
Big Market
Product
Techstars
Great Founder
Product/Market Fit
Big Market
Product - Stage
“No rules. We just pick the best companies.” Jenny Fielding
Formula | Art VS Science

15. Program Focus
Relationship
Product
Traction
Speed
Volume
Program | Focus

16. Application - Best Practices
Application | Best Practices
● Relationships
● Application Cadence
● Value Proposition
● Strong Language
● Technology Communication
● Online Identity
● Executive Summary
● Pitch Deck
● Video

17. Relationships: Decision Maker
Sheel Mohnot
Partner - 500
FinTech
Jenny Fielding
Director - Techstars
Barclays
Aaron Harris
Partner - YC FinTech
Relationships | Decision Makers

18. Apply Early - Update Often
Asad Ramzanali
Manager, Financial
Solutions Lab at CFSI
“24% of our applications were
second time applicants.”
Apply | Update

19. Application - Value Proposition
Application | Value Proposition
My company, (Company
Name), is developing (or has
developed), a (Defined
Offering) to help (a Target
Audience) (Solve a Problem)
(with a Secret Sauce).

20. Application - Strong Language
Application | Strong Language

21. Application - Technology
Application | Technology

22. Application - Online Identity
Application | Online Identity

23. Application - Executive Summary
Application | Executive Summary
● Company Overview
● General Info
○ Location
○ Funding
○ Market Size
○ Team
● Technology
● Business Model
● Current Traction
● Competition

24. Application - Pitch Deck
Application | Pitch Deck
1. Title
2. Problem/Opportunity
3. Value Proposition
4. Underlying Magic
5. Business Model
6. Go-to-Market Plan
7. Competitive Analysis
8. Management Team
9. Financial/Key Metrics
10.Milestones/Use of Funds

25. Application - Video
Application | Video

26. unbank.ventures Case Study
Applications on Gust, F6S & Angellist
Reached out to existing relationships
Team review
Spend 1-5 minutes per application
Setup interview
Case Study | Class 1

27. Assignment
Identify top 5 programs
Find email of director/partner of each program
Send an intro email to program director and ask for the opportunity to speak
with them to learn more about their program
Fill out a rough draft of your application in a Google Doc.
Have your adviser give feedback.
Submit application to program(s)
Follow up bi-weekly
*Resource: YC Application
Assignment | Laser Focus

28. Questions