How to Apply to StartupYard in 1 Hour or Less

It’s amazing how difficult filling out forms and following instructions can be for startup founders. But why not? After all, startups aren’t supposed to follow the rules.

Still, this is one thing we strongly recommend applicants to any accelerator take the time to do properly. It only takes an hour or less to write an application that will place you within our top picks for an interview with the selection committee.

This is our strategy for finishing your application as soon as possible. But our application platform F6S, allows applicants to revise their applications continuously until the due date: January 31st, 2018.

Ready to Apply to StartupYard?

We’re looking for startup founders in Crypto, AI, IoT, and AR/VR!

Get started applying to StartupYard Batch 9. Applications close January 31st, 2018.

Apply to StartupYard in < 60 Minutes

 

Phase One: Data Entry (5-10 Minutes)

Pro Tip : Don’t go in Order! Go through the whole application and fill in the data answers first. This should be easy, and it will help you better answer the other questions.

For example: When did you start your company? How much revenue have you made? What is the total amount of cash invested?

Also use this time to fill in your team information. You’re building a picture of the company basics here, you’re not telling the story just yet.

Also provide any links or documentation requested at this stage. Now the annoying part of the application is totally out of the way, and you can focus on the good stuff: the long form answers.

Phase Two: Positioning Work (20-30 Minutes)

Pro tip : Do this in a separate text file!

Go to our post on Positioning for Startups, and read it first. After reading it (not before), use the template provided to fill in your positioning statement:

Product Positioning Statement:

(Our Product) is for (target customers):

Who (have the following problem):

Our product is a (describe the product or solution):

That provides (cite the breakthrough capability):

Unlike (reference competition):

Our product/solution (describe the key point of competitive differentiation):

 

To be extra nice, I’m going to give you a concrete example you can compare your statement with in terms of length, specificity, and scope.

“MyFamilyApp is for parents of young children, who can’t afford to hire a babysitter and take a night off every few weeks. MyFamilyApp is a social platform that allows parents to share responsibilities with other parents, and get some time off for themselves. Unlike a paid babysitter, MyFamilyApp is free to use, and is restricted only to verified parents who pass a strict background check.”

(Note: This is just a fictional example. We would likely not be interested in this kind of product, though a good positioning statement would force us to at least consider it).

Another pro tip: The Positioning Statement is not a marketing document. It is a clear description of what your company does, how, and for whom.

Phase 3 : Answering The “Hard” Questions (10 Minutes)

Now that you’ve done the positioning statement, the remaining questions are relatively easy. What problem do you solve? Who is your target customer? These have become clear thanks to your prep work.

Also take a few minutes to come up with your answers to the Q&A at the bottom of the application. The more you tell us, and the more questions you ask, the better we will know what you’re looking for, and will be able to answer your concerns.

Phase 4 : Self-Review (10 Minutes)

Here is a checklist of questions to ask yourself before clicking “Submit.”

• Would a Non-Expert in my field understand basically what I am doing?
• Have I answered all the questions completely (not just part of the question)?
• Are my answers also about the company, and not just an advertisement for the product?
• Am I being really clear and honest about our current status, and not exaggerating or distorting the truth?
• Is my spelling and grammar reasonably good? Do I write in complete sentences and  thoughts?
• Do I sound like someone that would be good to work with?
• Have I clearly shown why my project is a good fit for the accelerator? Have my answers shown that I am aware of how acceleration works?

And there it is: you’ve just shot to the top of our list with a great looking application. We look forward to seeing you in the next selection round.

Ready to Apply to StartupYard?

We’re looking for startup founders in Crypto, AI, IoT, and AR/VR!

Get started applying to StartupYard Batch 9. Applications close January 31st, 2018.