Program Overview
The goal of the program is to provide emerging entrepreneurs and promising ventures with mentorship from successful entrepreneurs, seed funding, a 12-week accelerator program composed of educational and development opportunities, free office space, and a range of free and discounted services.
Each accelerator session culminates in a Pitch Day where the participants will demonstrate their product or service to a crowd of entrepreneurs, angel investors and venture capitalists.
VentureSpur also aims to develop the entrepreneurial and investor community in the central US region and to make the nation aware of the many promising startup ventures being founded and grown in our region.
VentureSpur is modeled after successful programs such as yCombinator in the Bay Area, TechStars in Boulder, and Tech Wildcatters in Dallas.
Program Components
- A seed investment of $15,000 plus $5,000 per founder, up to $30,000
- Additional investment through a convertible note vehicle from both the VentureSpur fund and through other investors
- 3 months of free office space in the VentureSpur facility - worth up to $3,000
- Assigned Mentors, industry champions and other advisors for each team
- Regularly scheduled mentoring sessions
- Regularly scheduled workshops on financing, business model development, intellectual property, and many other topics
- Practice Days – an opportunity to make your Pitch Day presentation to small groups of mentors and advisors
- Incorporation and legal operating documents to set up the company through a business partner
- Investor & syndication documents for Round A through a business partner workshop
- Free licenses to the iThemes web design resources, including themes, Builder, and many valuable plug-ins, through a business partner
- Set up of the company’s books through a business partner
- Discounted accounting services through a business partner
- Consultation with a commercial banker familiar with startup issues, through a business partner
- Free business checking account from a local bank business partner
- Web application hosting included during the program, through a variety of startup programs
- Discounted SEO package from a professional search management firm, through a business partner
- Pitch Day – access to venture capitalists, angel investors, industry leaders and others
- Road Show Support - Trips planned to VC firms in Dallas, Austin and Houston
2013 Program Calendar
- Deadline for Applications – 5PM Friday, May 17
- Announcement of Finalists – Friday, May 24
- Quick Pitch Day – Friday, May 31
- Announcement of Winners – Monday, June 24
- Start of OKC Program – Monday, July 22
- Start of Dallas Program – Monday, July 29
- End of OKC Program – Friday, October 11
- End of Dallas Program – Friday, October 18
- OKC and Dallas Pitch Days – Mid-October
More Information
Mentors – successful entrepreneurs ready to advise