Ten years ago, startup accelerators didn’t even exist. The task of entrepreneurship was as challenging as ever, but those starting out didn’t have the option to turn to a set number of mentors or peers, let alone even get access to some of the greatest minds in the industry. That all changed when Y Combinator launched out of Silicon Valley in 2005, which was succeeded in 2006 by Boulder-based TechStars. Since then, accelerators have exploded in popularity, with programs all over the world selecting from thousands of international entrepreneurs that apply with each cycle.
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Image via Waag Society.
With that level of opportunity, though, comes a high price — that of competition, and the risk of not being accepted to a top accelerator. Similar to applying to a university, entrepreneurs are as concerned with getting accepted into an accelerator’s program as they are with graduating. Since the increase in competition, Google has partnered with Startup Weekend to provide young companies guidance as they apply to accelerators. The Boulder edition of the program, called NEXT by Startup Weekend, kicks off on October 15.
We’ve got the scoop on everything you need to know about it.
The five-week NEXT program is part-time, offering weekly three-hour Tuesday evening workshops intended to give startup founders the tools to prepare for their next step, whether it’s an accelerator, investor pitch or even a product launch. The curriculum is available online, as is the list of mentors which includes Foundry Group’s Brad Feld, TechStars’ Nicole Glaros, Colorado Law School’s Brad Bernthal, entrepreneur Robert Reich, SendGrid’s Denise Hulce, and more.
We chatted with NEXT Boulder coordinator Ken Hoff, who is a recent graduate of CU Boulder’s Computer Science program. Here’s what he had to say:
Why would an entrepreneur want to join a "pre-accelerator" program?
KH: You'll learn how to do customer development, conduct empathy interviews, and build a real [minimum viable product] (not just an alpha version). You'll learn hands-on, functional, pragmatic skills for building a startup; not high-level theory or “how to write a business plan.” You'll get off the ground and out of the building right away.
Why is this an important event and opportunity for Boulder entrepreneurs?
KH: Most startups fail because they lack customers and a profitable business model; if you are building a startup, NEXT can save you thousands of dollars and months of your life. NEXT Boulder's goal is to bring together passionate entrepreneurs and teams to validate their business model assumptions, understand the wants/needs of their customers, and search for a repeatable and scalable business model.
How can entrepreneurs prepare themselves for NEXT?
KH: Come with 3 things:
Come prepared to be a little uncomfortable; getting out of the building by talking to your potential customers gets you closer every day to building a successful startup.
Come with your startup idea, but don't be attached; it's not a question of "if" it's going to change, but "how much!"
Come ready to get some feedback; we have some of the best mentors in Boulder.
If you’re interested in joining NEXT Boulder, act fast. Early bird and regular tickets are sold out, but you can get your hands on late tickets through October 15 by clicking here.