Showing posts with label financing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label financing. Show all posts

Thursday, September 6, 2018

Shark Tank, Y Combinator, And Other Business Accelerators: What Are Your Chances of Getting in?


New startups need to consider working with a business accelerator since they provides a means for a business to grow quickly.  According to Entreprenuer.com (https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/271000), there are more than 170 accelerator programs in the U.S. which offer early-stage startups assistance, mentorship, and/or investment in exchange for equity and/or fees. 

However, getting into a business accelerator is not always easy.  Forbes Magazine has assessed, “Prestigious startup accelerators like Techstars and Y Combinator (YC) have a lower acceptance rate (only 1-2%) than Harvard (5%). (https://www.forbes.com/sites/paulinaguditch/2017/05/30/get-into-a-top-startup-accelerator/#147f68e1725f).” 

In the article entitled, “The Top Seven Startup Accelerators and What Makes Each Unique,” Entrepreneur.com takes on this trending issue.  According to Entreprenuer.com, “Y Combinator remains the largest and best accelerator in the nation, and they have an unparalleled global reputation in the tech world. The traits that set them apart are their incredible mentorship and capital network (https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/300026).”

There is also 500 Startups.  "500 Startups is a seed and early stage venture capital fund, consisting of 4 major funds and 13 micro funds which have invested in startups in at least 60 countries. Funded startups include Udemy and Credit Karma. Exits have included sales to Google and Rakuten (https://www.forbes.com/sites/alejandrocremades/2018/08/07/top-10-startup-accelerators-based-on-successful-exits/#393f78734b3b).” It is a well-established accelerator that has well proven the many benefits of connecting with a startup accelerator.  Several of the companies that have successfully exited their program are now known “worldwide.” 

Then there is Shark Tank, the reality show in which entrepreneurs present their business idea on national television.  According to ABC news.com, the show has reinvigorated entrepreneurship in America.  Contestants pitch their ideas to “sharks in a tank” who are industry moguls that have already established their own empires.  Contestants pitch their business ideas in order to get the sharks to invest in their company.  When more than one of the sharks decides to invest, it can result in a bidding war, thereby increasing the investment.  The show represents a televised accelerator experience for business startups (https://www.cnbc.com/shark-tank/).

What are your chances of getting on Shark Tank?  45,000 people apply to get on the show every year. But less than one percent of applicants get to pitch their idea to the sharks — and of that group, only a handful actually make it on TV. https://www.cnbc.com/2017/03/17/5-tips-for-getting-on-shark-tank-from-people-who-have-done-it.html

Is it worth it?  According to Business Insider, Techstars has achieved a 90 percent overall success rate.  While “Y Combinator” also produces roughly about an 88 percent success rate.  This means at least this percentage of the companies they have worked with are still up and running or have been acquired by other businesses (https://www.businessinsider.com/why-hardly-any-techstars-companies-fail-2013-3).  In fact, just a few of the successful accelerator exits include Airbnb, Twilio and Classpass. 

This is one of the reasons I founded Omega Accelerator.  For more information on how to apply to our accelerator programs, visit http://omegaaccelerator.com/contact/ or email me at Ren@OmegaAccelerator.com

You can also contact me if you would like to advise or invest in our startups.

Friday, August 17, 2018

Pitch, Elevating Music Experience to a New Level

Pitch – AI, Voice User Interface, Media, Music, Wellness, http://www.pitch.studio – Pitch develops Artificial Intelligence (AI), Natural Language Processing, and Voice User Interface technologies to help music fans sing along with their favorite songs. Pitch figures out how each user learns and harnesses this capability to help the fan memorize the lyrics and follow the melody through fun, one-on-one coaching. Pitch will deploy this platform to other verticals like fitness, public speaking, and more.

For the music industry, Pitch opens a new channel for musicians to interact with their fan base. Pitch plugs into a paradigm shift in the music industry as do-it-yourself producing and music streaming drive up profitability. Goldman Sachs predicted that a double-digit growth tide over the next decade will lift all ships in the space.

The team includes:

Yanay Lehavi – MS in computer science from NYU and 25 years of tech leadership at Goldman Sachs, Bloomberg LP, and PIMCO

Lena Belogolova – BS in neuroscience from MIT, MBA from UCLA, 10 years of consumer behavior experience at Facebook

Vickie Nauman – MBA from London School of Economics, 20 years of experience connecting the music industry with technology companies and startups

David Mann – BS from UCSD in music technology, MS from USC in music composition, 25 years of programming and composition experience


Read what people are saying...

"The team at Pitch is a collection of accomplished go-getters who have proven themselves over the years and are working to bring something new and amazing into a high growth industry, and positively impact hundreds of millions of people all around the world.”

"We have never seen anything like this. My musicians now have a tool to connect with our fan base like never before. My musicians are no longer just an act on the stage, they are now your personal friends and coaches who make your life better, and that’s who they always wanted to be.”


Check out a Pitch demo video below:




For more information about Pitch, contact me at Ren@OmegaAccelerator.com