Fall 2023 Accelerator
Join our community of entrepreneurs building cooperatively-owned businesses with ambitions of scale.
Applications Open: May 3-June 21, 2023
During the Start.coop Accelerator, we work together to not only validate both your business model and ownership model but also develop a clear roadmap for growth. Our lean co-op framework allows you to create better products or services and have bigger financial benefits for your member-owners.
The Elements
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Established leaders in co-operative business and social entrepreneurship provide custom, individualized coaching sessions to help you set and achieve your business growth goals.
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We provide a robust learning experience for entrepreneurs focused on building real world business skills so you can succeed and scale. We draw on a community of world-class experts who deliver learning modules that range from customer research and market validation to finance and governance.
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We bring together the brightest minds in the co-op and startup communities to provide you with individualized strategic guidance and support.
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We work closely with you to secure financing from individual and institutional investors, co-op loan programs, and philanthropy. Additionally, U.S. based graduates are eligible to apply for funding from the Equitable Economy Fund.
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We curate and secure discounted access to top business management tools and services (e.g. legal, accounting, CRM, and marketing tools) saving you time and money during the critical start-up phase.
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You are connected with a cohort of values-aligned entrepreneurs.
Important Dates
Applications Open: May 3, 2023
Applications Close: June 21, 2023
Final Stage Interviews: July 11-27, 2023
Offers Made: August 2, 2023
In person Kick off Week (Washington, DC): September 5-8, 2023
Virtual Program: September 12-November 30, 2023
Graduation Showcase: November 30, 2023
Program Eligibility
Selection Criteria
Join Us for an Information Session
Our three baseline criteria for start-ups to be eligible for our general accelerator are:
Share ownership with their community (workers, users, etc.) or plan to in the next 12 months
Have a vision for scale with the potential for 250 members and/or $1m in revenue by the end of Year 3 post-accelerator
Based in the U.S. or Canada.
As Start.coop works to lift up each year’s most promising entrepreneurs, our team uses the following criteria to evaluate applicants:
Social impact: What is the social impact of the business? Does the business have the potential to create a substantial impact for communities of color?
Financial viability: Does the business model make sense? Is it viable long-term?
Scalability: Can the business scale? How large and how quickly?
Industry Experience: Does the founding team have relevant industry experience?
Ability to execute: Can the founding team execute on their vision?
Entrepreneur Passion: Are the founders passionate and dedicated? What skills do they bring?
Note that Start.coop is an extremely selective program, so we also recommend that you check out our additional resources section and the list of cooperative developers who form the Cooperation Works network. To make things easier for you, we designed the application to cover everything that should be in an early-stage business plan. And if you are at the beginning stages of forming your business, you can consider using our application questions to help you build out your business plan.
