Okay, you’ve had your fun. But let’s be honest, we’re almost to Epiphany and twelve drummers drumming in a Portland drum circle or whatever. Time to get out of the laying-low mode and back into full production.
And with that in mind, I’ve got a few looming startup application deadline reminders.
January 7, Portland Seed Fund: PSF is getting ready to pick their fourth group of startups to go through the program this spring.
We select entrepreneurs with a great idea and the passion and grit to see it through. We invest in ‘classes’ of 6-8 entrepreneurs at a time, start them with an initial $25,000 investment, and see what they do in 90 days. We surround them with mentors, subject matter experts and a peer group of entrepreneurs that understand their challenges and share their successes. We reserve follow-on capital for top performers and introduce them to other funders, partners and acquirers.
January 9, OEN Angel Oregon: Angel Oregon offers both a “concept stage” and “launch stage” competition. Note, that this is completely sector agnostic, so tech startups are thrown in with apparel and food and whatnot. I mean, not literally thrown into food. But you get my drift.
Concept Stage companies are in the early stages of product development. They have formulated a business concept and have made progress on the business model and investment opportunity. It is understood that the plan and product may not be complete. The company has founders with a clear division of roles and responsibilities but key management personnel may not be identified or in place. Some progress has been made on understanding the target market and the competitive environment. Concept Stage applicants should be seeking small amounts of capital ($25,000 to $50,000) to reach a significant milestone that will attract interest from other investors in a subsequent funding round.
Launch Stage companies are in the early stages of growth of the business. They may have launched a product or added key management personnel. They should have a completed business plan that reflects strong potential for growth and profit. Launch Stage companies should offer investors a clear opportunity to realize a solid return on investment (e.g. a 5x to 10x return over five years). Companies should be seeking total capital in the range of $250,000 to $2,500,000.
February 3, Nike+ Accelerator powered by TechStars:
The Nike+ Accelerator, powered by TechStars, will host 10 companies for a three-month, immersive, mentor-driven startup accelerator. The focus is to allow companies to leverage the Nike+ platform, and NikeFuel, to build offerings that inspire and assist people to live more active, healthy lifestyles.
The Nike+ Accelerator is focused on bringing all of the resources and talent required to create new applications, games and services into one place to mix with the drive of entrepreneurs. Nike and TechStars will provide technical training and guidance on key components like the Nike+ APIs, the Nike+ mobile SDK, and the Nike+ FuelBand Dev Kit (Beta), but each company in the Nike+ Accelerator must be capable of building their own solution.
Sooner rather than later, Upstart Labs: While there’s no firm deadline on the Upstart Labs application, you’ve already gathered most—if not all—of the information you need by completing those other applications. So it makes sense to apply here, as well.
Upstart Labs is a startup accelerator. We invest in ideas and entrepreneurs. Our portfolio companies leverage our team’s experience in design, development, strategy, sales and marketing to bring new products to market. We help entrepreneurs turn vision into ventures.
We work with web and mobile startups for a fee, for equity, and for a combination of both. Tell us about your project, and we’ll help you take the next step.
Apply today. Or after you gather your info for the other applications.
Opportunities abound! Good luck with your application processes.
(Image courtesy Shutterstock. Used with permission.)
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Thanks Rick – we are eager to choose our new crop of Portland Seed Fund companies – now 26 strong. Join the family!
– Angela Jackson, Managing Director
Portland Seed Fund
I’d make sure to specify that in your application, Ed 😉
“Note, that this is completely sector agnostic, so tech startups are thrown in with apparel and food and whatnot. I mean, not literally thrown into food. But you get my drift.”
Wait – what if I *want* to get literally thrown into apparel and food?