Startup Accelerators

Preface

Accelerator programs have emerged as one of the most powerful vehicles for helping entrepreneurs to learn rapidly, create powerful networks, raise money, build their startups, and do this at speed and at scale. Since Y Combinator brought accelerators into the public consciousness in 2005, the number of accelerator programs have exploded around the world; spawning successes such as Airbnb, DropBox, Reddit, Stripe, Zenefits, Pillpack and Uber—many with billion-dollar valuations. But the number of accelerators, the global catchment area of accelerators, and differences in the benefits and costs of different startup ecosystems around the world make choosing the right accelerator a challenge. Choosing the wrong accelerator can be costly, as can failing to get into the right one. With the stakes so high, entrepreneurs need to consider their options carefully. Getting into the right accelerator is also no easy feat, since many of the best accelerators have very low acceptance rates. Once in an accelerator, founders need to take care to make the most of what the accelerator has to offer; and to ensure they don't neglect their business operations while in the accelerator. Written by entrepreneurs for entrepreneurs, this book provides entrepreneurs with an insider look into the inner workings of different accelerator programs around the world. It outlines how accelerators help startups, what the different startup accelerators around the world offer, what it takes to get into ...