Bright Ventures’ Post

🚀 Accelerators: Rocket Fuel for Startups! 🔥 Ever wondered how some startups seem to zoom from idea to success? Enter the world of startup accelerators! 🌟 Why accelerators matter: • 💡 Mentorship from industry experts • 💰 Access to funding opportunities • 🤝 Valuable networking connections • 🏋️♀️ Intensive, focused growth periods • 🎓 Structured learning experiences Spotlight on Techstars: 🌠 One of the most prominent players in the accelerator space, helping founders turn ideas into world-changing companies! 👇 Let's chat: • Have you been through an accelerator program? • What's the most valuable thing you gained? • If you haven't, what's holding you back? Accelerators can be game-changers for startups. What's your take? 🤔 Intrigued by startup acceleration? Follow us for more insights, share your accelerator experiences in the comments, or repost to spread the knowledge! 🚀🌍 #StartupAccelerators #TechstarsImpact #FounderJourney #StartupGrowth

Building a startup is like setting sail into uncharted waters, and for first-time founders seeking pre-seed funding, the journey is often marked by encounters with the formidable 'No.' ⛴️ However, we believe that a rejection isn't a red light signalling retreat but rather a sign pointing towards a strategic detour. Picture each rejection as a roadmap, guiding you towards refinement, resilience, and your desired results. In this post, we discuss the art of turning the Nos into your strength! #PitchPerfect #Fundraising #Preseed #VentureCapital

October 7th is almost here!! The week with over 40 events statewide will start with a bang. Check www.akew.org/events to find out what happens that Monday (and the rest of the week) Tha being said, our 100% volunteer event would be nothing without a rallying support of sponsors—both monetary and in-kind—to back us up, and that’s exactly what @49SAF did this year. Just to give an example of one of many things they’ve done: with their access to the municipality’s printing station, they were able to donate over 200 posters for us —a feat we would’ve had to spend hundreds on without them. Melanie Lucas-Conwell and @Calvin Chang didn't just help from their chairs at the 49th SAF; they also poured countless hours of their personal time, too!! THANKS!! If you don’t know 49th State Angel Fund, they’re Alaska’s only Venture Capital Firm investing in startups of all sizes. They regularly hand out checks over $100,000 to businesses less than 5 years old to help them start, grow, and scale beyond their current means. If that’s not a perfect pair for Alaska Entrepreneurship Week, then we don’t know what is! #smallbusinessrocks #smallbusinessstartup #entrepreneurshipbusinessowner #entrepreneneurshipeducation #entrepreneurshipjourney #AlaskaEntrepreneurshipWeek #AKEW24 #entrepreneurshipweek

Fundraising or about to fundraise: Focus on Traction and Revenue! 📌 Having traction and revenue sets you apart and gives you negotiating power. 📌 With strong numbers, you can confidently walk away if the terms don't align. Negotiate from a place of strength! It is a new week, focus on what truly matters—your business's traction and revenue! #startup #founders #negotiation #fundraising

The next video is a little different. 🤔 I do several pitch deck and cold email reviews in my Online Course: Raising Your First Round of Startup Funding https://lnkd.in/gKU7krJ8 But I haven’t done one yet for my YouTube channel. This startup is interesting - it’s typical of the pitches that land in my inbox although not in tech and includes an extended cold email so there’s a lot of lessons from it! I break down exactly what investors are thinking when we get these kinds of emails and pitch decks. If you are a founder, make sure you’re not making the same mistakes with yours! https://lnkd.in/g4yq9eRf If this was helpful, please reshare and subscribe. 👍 https://lnkd.in/gvvqJS39 Happy fundraising! #startuppitch #venturecapital #womeninbusiness #fundraising #founders

One of the primary mistakes founders do after a fundraise - expand their ‘list of initiatives’. BIG BIG BIG mistake…. Here is what a CXO of a startup that raised it's Series B told me - “Earlier we had 3 core focus areas, and suddenly after the raise, it was expanded to 15!” Why? Cos the founder thinks, let's do it - “something will stick!” The dominant thought is that now we got the money so lets try more things. It will help us do more, move faster and identifying the right opportunity. Unfortunately, it rarely works out that way. As a founder you can afford this financially, but - Are these initiatives really well thought out? - Do you understand the goal of each one of them? Next steps? - MOST importantly, do YOU have the time & attention to track the progress there? The answer is NO…. the last point - of founder attention is the most critical. The founder still only has 24 hrs in a day. Very quickly, a lot is happening in the team. BUT nobody knows what exactly is happening, why is it being done. And what's the output and what to do next. And by the time you realise the problem, half the money is burnt. The business is doing worse than before. AND it's time for mass firing… it's a deep deep shit! Whether you have raised or not - you still need to have focus. Try not to forget that! #Founders #Fundraise #Focus

When it comes to fundraising, it is a first-time experience for most start-up founders  – so they make a lot of mistakes. Here are the top 5 most common mistakes start-ups make pitching us – and I made as well, when I was fundraising for the first time. No. 4 always surprises me the most. #VentureCapital #Fundraising #Startup

As founders, we need to decide whether our goal is a sustainable business or inflated valuations, then build systems and supports around that. You don’t want your idea to die because you were busy playing someone else’s game: https://lnkd.in/gqpBWgsS #startup

Are you a startup founder navigating the complex world of early-stage fundraising? Join our very own, Leslee Cohen, on August 14th at 10 AM PST for a clear and concise breakdown of the legal landscape. Huge thanks to The 10th House / Female Founders Collective for partnering with us for this event! Learn how to protect your startup, avoid unnecessary legal fees, and make informed decisions about fundraising rounds. Don't miss this opportunity to gain valuable insights! The event is live here: https://lnkd.in/gfrRzgxx . #startup #fundraising #legaladvice #earlystage #entrepreneurship

2023 was a busy year at Greentown! We welcomed 67 new startup members and expanded our networks of corporate partners, investors, and venture experts; plus made significant improvements to our prototyping, member resource, and programming offerings to better support our community. Here’s just a sneak-peek into some of our newly released 2023 Impact Report: 🎤141 startups featured, 1,900+ attendees, and 180 curated connections made at #ClimatetechSummit 🤝 300+ connections made between startups and our corporate partners, plus 13+ partnership outcomes from #GreentownGo accelerator programs 💡42 Community Advisors, two Experts-in-Residence, and 48+ startups receiving mentorship and coaching from these subject-matter experts 💰123 actively fundraising startups connected to 1,400+ investors via our Deal Flow Digest, with more than 550 curated introductions made Read more in our full 2023 Impact Report: