Betaspring is a mentorship-driven startup accelerator program for technology and design entrepreneurs who are ready to launch a company and change the world. Apply by 6/12 for our fall session, which begins on 8/26.
05.09.13
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mwithers
Millions of people walk all over Martin Keen every day--and he's totally cool with it. As the founder of KEEN footwear, Martin built a killer business out of taking good care of people's feet. Fast forward three years and Martin, having sold KEEN to NIKE, is back on the scene with Focal Upright Furniture, rekindling his inventor roots and his passion for making life just a little better for people.
The Focal team made their company debut recently with an incredible line of ergonomic furniture that maps how we work with how our bodies were built. Between his experience building a global brand of world-class footwear and this newest venture...well, it's not hard to see why we are psyched to have Martin as a Betaspring mentor.
Melissa and MartinThis is Martin's first official season as a mentor and we hope you'll have a chance to meet him soon. This picture of me demoing...
05.07.13
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mwithers
Betaspring is now accepting applications for our Fall 2013 session, which begins on August 26. If you are ready to do more in 12 weeks than most companies do in a year, apply now.
Early applications are due by midnight PST on May 21. Companies that apply by May 21 are eligible to attend Betaspring Experience Day (BEX) on June 6, in Providence. In addition to getting a behind-the-scenes look at how Betaspring works, participants in BEX may be eligible for a face-to-face interview during their visit, a part of the selection process usually reserved for finalists.
Final application deadline is June 12 at midnight, PST. There is no fee to apply.
Why Accelerate?Twice a year, companies from around the country--and increasingly the world--come to Providence for Betaspring’s intensive 12-week accelerator. Our full-immersion program, which runs in Spring and Fall, enables teams with...
05.01.13
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mwithers
As we near the end of our Spring 2013 session, we salute the sponsors who have made this session one of the best yet. For our Founders, the little things--like craft beer on tap and coffee on demand--make a big difference.
SendGridIf you visit Betaspring HQ, you'll see the 5-tap kegerator in the main space (really, you need 5 taps when your co-founder also runs a craft brewery). You'll also see a big red sign above it that declares our love of SendGrid, who generously sponsor it.
Founded in 2009, SendGrid has developed a cloud based service that solves the challenge of email delivery by delivering emails on behalf of companies. SendGrid eliminates the complexity of sending email, saving time and money, while providing reliable delivery to the inbox. With over a decade of thought-leadership backed by a stellar record of delivering email, SendGrid is climbing to new heights....
05.01.13
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mwithers
Guests attending our Launch Day this week will enjoy a special treat: free valet parking!
Thanks to Kenneth & Bobby Zorabedian of United Parking, the first 200 lucky guests to arrive at Launch Day will get free valet parking. Kenneth says, “United Parking LLC is proud to be a sponsor of the 2013 Betaspring Launch Day. We believe in and are committed to the entrepreneurial spirit and its importance to this country’s economy. We would like to wish all the teams from around the globe good luck and congratulations."
How cool is that?
Remember, the event starts promptly at 5pm. Arrive a few minutes early to enjoy the free valet and grab a snack before the show starts.
04.08.13
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mwithers
Please join us on May 2 for Spring 2013 Launch Day!
Launch Day ain't for lightweights: come watch 4-minute pitches from the 15 companies exiting Betaspring and get a glimpse into the ground they've covered since joining us in February. See company progress, scout the field and revel in the awesomeness that is LAUNCH DAY.
Company pitches will be followed by a reception. You know...food, drinks, dancing. Really, the sky is the limit.
This is a "seated" event. We try to be as liberal as possible in letting late comers join, but on Launch Day we have a finite number of tickets. Once they go, they are gone. Register now.
Just the Facts:What: Spring 2013 Launch DayWhen: May 2, 5pm Where: 95 Chestnut Street, Third Floor
If you have questions, please email us at info@betaspring.com.
04.08.13
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mwithers
On Monday, April 29 at 10am, Betaspring is bringing its "Investor First Look Day" to the Cambridge Innovation Center. First Look is an investor-only demo day to showcase the companies exiting Betaspring's 2013 Spring accelerator session. This event offers investors a sneak peek at the companies in advance of our public Launch Day on May 2.
This is the first time Betaspring has hosted it's Investor First Look event in the Boston area. "Many of our investors work within the corridor between Boston and Providence. They've been great about traveling to Providence to meet with companies, but it's a good time to take the show a few miles north and save them the travel time," says Betaspring Managing Partner Owen Johnson. "For investors in Providence or New York who can't make the trip, we've reserved extra tickets at our May 2 Launch Day. With the two options, I'm hopeful we...
03.06.13
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mwithers
Join us on March 21 for Betaspring's Spring 2013 Open House at 5pm and meet the spring 2013 Betaspring companies.
What you'll find: Meet the 15 companies participating in our current session and catch up with our alums, Betaspring mentors, and the peeps and companies that drive our entrepreneurial community.
There will be snacks, delicious beer and wine on tap, and excitement and inspiration aplenty.
Why? These 15 companies have come from across the world to Providence to do in 12 weeks what might take others 12 months. Come welcome them to our community, hear their stories and enjoy a night out with the Betaspring posse. Trust us: No one parties like startups!
This event has sold out the last two sessions, so register soon to reserve your spot at this a memorable night!
02.28.13
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mwithers
Fifteen U.S. and international startups - including three from India - moved into Betaspring HQ on February 11 and hit the ground running as we launched into our Spring 2013 session.
The spring cohort was selected from a talented pool of global applicants representing 20+ countries. Every session is different but, this spring, Massachusetts takes the “where’d they come from?” lead with six of the 15 companies hailing from the Bay State. The group is rounded out with founders from New York, Rhode Island, Colorado, and Washington DC., England and India. This is the first session that Betaspring has welcomed companies from India. With international applications on the rise, both in quality and quantity, we selected three India-based startups to join us for Betaspring’s sixth session. Our only regret is that the lads arrived smack in the middle of Blizzard Nemo, greeted with...
12.12.12
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Owen
In a previous post, I discussed the importance of angel investors for the entrepreneurial ecosystem. Startups need angels. But do they need angel groups?
As it turns out, formal angel groups aren’t a good fit for many early-stage companies and in recent history have played a diminished role in the startup scene. So much so, that angel groups are not even on the radar for many younger founders. Unless your company has strong intellectual property, significantly developed market proof, or a team with obvious pedigree, angel groups are not a great source of funding--and often a waste of time--for fast-moving founders.
The irony is that if your startup has cleared these hurdles, you probably don’t need angel groups anymore - you will likely finish up your round with investment from individual angels or VCs. For groups, this dynamic has created a deal-flow death spiral, where angel...
12.10.12
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jtemplin
Soliciting and receiving in-person feedback is one of the most valuable skills an entrepreneur can develop. Compared to other types of feedback -- reviewing your analytics, participating in forums, receiving feedback via email, etc -- in-person feedback is, or should be, the most intimate and most valuable feedback you can get. In-person feedback is real-time, face-to-face, information-rich and highly personal.
As a Betaspring Partner, I’m regularly giving in-person feedback, and as the co-founder of my own early stage startup -- Lockify -- I’m constantly soliciting it. In the hopes that it might benefit other entrepreneurs, here are some things I’ve learned from working both sides of the in-person feedback loop:
--Remind yourself that your primary goal for the session is to learn. You’re not there to impress the other person or to get them to like you. While both of those things...