
Tools
Tools to help you with the different stages of the accelerator process

Startup Accelerator Programs: A Practice Guide
Accelerator Program Design
This practice guide explains how accelerator programmes work and supports you to think practically about setting up your own programme.

Deciding on a Name
Getting Ready for an Accelerator
What Should I Name My Startup?

Power of Storytelling
The Accelerator Interview
TEDxEast - Nancy Duarte uncovers common structure of greatest communicators 11/11/2010

Making A Great Verbal Elevator Pitch
The Accelerator Interview
Making a Great Verbal Elevator Pitch 60-90 Seconds Maximum

Stickiness Factor
Accelerator Acceptance Criteria
You can only be successful if people are willing and able to be your customers. They must know about you, and be compelled to act.

Investor Presentation Template
Accelerator Investor / Fundraising
Investor Pitch Template

Branding & Marketing
Getting Ready for an Accelerator
Branding and Marketing Worksheet

Porters Five Forces
Accelerator Acceptance Criteria
Five Forces Analysis assumes that there are five important forces that determine competitive power in a business situation.

Spartina Internet Business Model Worksheet
Accelerator Acceptance Criteria
Spartina Internet Business Model Worksheet

Example Successful Accelerator Application [DropBox]
Accelerator Application
See Dropbox's original Y Combinator accelerator application to get an idea about what is a winning application.

Example Investor Term Sheets Templates
Accelerator Investors
Examples of Investor term sheets provided by Y Combinator accelerator, and used by all teams that participate in Y Combinator.

What Makes a Good Business Idea
Getting Ready for an Accelerator
Business idea checklist: Rate this idea on each of the following criteria from 1-10. 1-3 is weak; 4-7 is fix-able; 8-10 is do-able. What could you do to make each area stronger?

Start Co. Reading List
Getting Ready for an Accelerator
Reading List for Start Co. Entrepreneurs

Things to Think About When Getting Started
Getting Ready for an Accelerator
Things to Think About

Making a Great Written Elevator Pitch
The Accelerator Interview
Making A Great Written Elevator Pitch for Introductions

Introduction to Investor Pitching
Accelerator Investor / Fundraising
Making A Great Written Elevator Pitch for Introductions

Business Development 101
Customer Validation
Efficient Business Development strategies for startups are essential considering most all are undercapitalized even after seed and angel funding.

Brand Strategy Canvas
Getting Ready for an Accelerator
The Brand Strategy Canvas

Competitive Advantage Checklist
Accelerator Acceptance Criteria
The Competitive Advantage is the distinct competency of the business that is matched to its future market opportunity.

Sample Financial Worksheet
The Accelerator Application
Sample Financial Worksheet

Example Successful Accelerator Application[PayStack]
Accelerator Application
Paystack's entire Y Combinator Application complete with commentary and backstory.

Example Successful Accelerator application [The Muses]
Accelerator Application
The Muse applied to Y Combinator in fall of 2011 and was accepted into the winter 2012 batch.

11 Tough Questions for Founders
Getting Ready for an Accelerator
11 Tough Questions for Co-Founders to Answer Before Starting

Types of Entrepreneurship
Getting Ready for an Accelerator
Entrepreneurial Ventures: What are the different types?

The 4 Hypothesis of Customer Discovery
Customer Discovery
Customer Discovery Process

Quick Tips for PR & Media
Getting Ready for an Accelerator
Entrepreneur’s Guide to PR and Media

Download a PDF of the Business Model Canvas
Getting Ready for an Accelerator
The Business Model Canvas

Mitigating Risk
Accelerator Acceptance Criteria
The Startup Entrepreneur's Guide To Risk Management

Guide to Creating a Competitive Analysis
Accelerator Acceptance Criteria
Guide to Creating a Competitive Analysis

Spartina Internet Business Model Instructions
The Accelerator Application
Spartina
Internet
Business
Model:
Manage
Cash,
Increase
Revenue ,
Grow
Profit

Example Sales Agreement Template
Accelerator Curriculum
The sales template here is specially tailored for software-as-a-service (SaaS) startups .

Accelerator Interview Practice questions
Accelerator Interview
A virtual interview accelerator complete with timers and advice