4 ms·

Springboard application deadline (UK seed accelerator)

37 points by amirmc 16y ago

squirrel 16y ago
I am helping these guys out as a mentor. Seems like a good idea.
ibroom 16y ago
This is an important program for the UK as it is one of the few mentor programs available. If you're a startup check it out.
coldclimate 16y ago
If it's anything like some of the other tech accelerators that some of the mentors have been involved with, Springboard is looking freakin awesome.
raduticiu 16y ago
They are totally open to collaborate with diverse incubation programs allover Europe. It was great to have Jon Bradford in Timisoara (Romania) Software Business Incubator, one week ago, facilitating his meetings with regional startups and potential investors.
- radu_floricica 16y ago
  At least this comment is legit guys, Jon Bradford _has_ been in Timisoara, and Radu Ticiu was a host. Startup incubators are picking up pace in Europe, so don't be surprised if you get people coming to HN because of them. Make sure they're welcome!
jdbradford 16y ago
I really look forward to working some great teams over the next few months.
jkent 16y ago
There are a lot of suspiciously low-karma and recently created accounts commenting on this.
- amirmc 16y ago
  I guess some of the mentors on the program didn't have HN accounts before. Is low-karma by itself suspicious? When I checked, some of commenters' accounts are 1000+ days old.
  - pmjordan 16y ago
    It's only suspicious because the comments are essentially non-specific praise and add no actual value to the reader. They look like cheap shills; if they are in fact shills, that's not exactly inspiring to potential applicants. There's nothing wrong with promoting the programme here, of course, the weird comments just seem... weird.
    - radu_floricica 16y ago
      They're the real deal, but the HN culture of content-only comments isn't exactly widespread. They are probably just expressing enthusiasm.
      - pmjordan 16y ago
        It's not a massive deal, it just seems a bit odd. The HN crowd is the main market for something like this, so you'd think somebody there would have a clue about this site before promoting on it. Plus, this would be an opportunity to e.g. link to blog posts by previous participants describing their experience. I think that would probably be the most useful for potential applicants.
        amirmc 16y ago
        I understand your point. I posted it here and been around long enough to (mostly) understand how HN works. That may not be true of all the others involved in the programme. I've linked to a couple reviews by previous participants. In this thread at: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2221229 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2221229
leithy 16y ago
Its a great initiative for Europe, it is what is needed to advance the ecosystem further here in Europe.
naithemilkman 16y ago
Great news for the UK tech scene!
ladon86 16y ago
Are there any previous participants in this programme willing to say a few words about the experience?
- Spoutingshite 16y ago
  The team behind SpringBoard ran the Difference Engine for a few sessions (http://thedifferenceengine.eu http://thedifferenceengine.eu) which due to the lack of public sector funding is closing this year. Unlike The Difference Engine, SpringBoard has private sector funding. My understanding is that this is the first intake for SpringBoard.
  - jdbradford 16y ago
    For an example of the impact which the programme can have check out ScreenReach who took part in the Difference Engine a programme I have historically run. http://eu.techcrunch.com/2011/01/27/screenreach-raises-500000-for-its-screach-app-and-platform-for-smartphones/ http://eu.techcrunch.com/2011/01/27/screenreach-raises-50000...
pmjordan 16y ago
The timing of the deadline strikes me as very odd. Is there a good reason to make it 5-6 weeks before YC's? What if a startup applies to both? Why should you choose Springboard over YC or any other accelerator? With so many mentors, who has what stake in the startup? I don't see any of these questions answered, and they're just what comes to mind immediately. Surely these are very important pieces of information for applicants.
- jdbradford 16y ago
  Phil I am humbled to think that we can compete with Paul and his investors (including their $150k). Seriously, we announced the deadline in mid November when we launched. PS if you know any YC applicants who would like to apply - send them my way.
pclark 16y ago
A lot of the comments here and the actual website is devoid of any advice you'd actually find valuable if you were interested in applying to these kinds of programmes. Here are my two cents on what to look for (I don't know the answers) * Who are the partners behind the fund, what have they done in the past (pre-investor) and what is their core skill (tech, product, marketing, sales, operations) * Who have you previously invested in, and where are they now? * Who are the limited partners of the fund - did any VCs/rockstars/partners invest? * Why are you superior to Y Combinator? Startup accelerators are very popular now. They generally have the same mentors, the same deal terms, the same investors come demo day, the same "industry connections", whats your USP? (some good answers here might be specific domain knowledge of partners, a strong alumni, and so on) I am always bullish when sites list such an array of mentors because being a mentor is generally high upside (fame/feel good/networking/karma) and very little downside - no skin in the game, as it were. A buddy of mine once told me that equity was "quick to give away, impossible to reclaim" - you're giving these guys a significant % of your company, be sure they're good - and there is nothing wrong in applying for dumb money. Just don't tell them that.
- jdbradford 16y ago
  Hi Peter Good to speak again. Many points well made. 1. Springboard is funded by 9 angel investors and NESTA, all of whom have invested equal sums. All are very active investors and are seeking to find more deals to invest in. We believe through the mentors involved we cover all the key areas that a startup would need to consider. Where gaps exist we will active seek to plug these gaps. 2. Red Gate ran Springboard historically in a different format. Correct me if I am wrong - since you worked alongside the teams - but of the four teams involved - one received funding and two have gone on to YC. Under Difference Engine, 5 of the 9 teams have been funded, including a team who received angel funding and has gone to SV and one who has received £750k in funding. 3. All of the investors can be found within the mentor group, but they have for personal reasons not disclose their identity. Cumulatively, the investors have had exits in excess of several billion dollars. 4. I would not be so bold as to suggest we are superior to YC - the grand-daddy of accelerator programmes. The major issue in Europe is the lack of these resources. We are seeking to address a deficiency in the market and we have a proven track record. 5. Interestingly most of my mentors are massively busy and for them to take at least a full day out of their diary is a significant commitment for them. None of my mentors get paid and give freely of their time. 6. I personally don't think that 6% is a significant %. Do we believe that we can add at least 6% value to your business by taking part. Absolutely, many times over. It would be good for you to clarify what you mean by dumb money - working alongside the programme mentors for the 13 weeks is quite the opposite - their insight, guidance, contacts and introductions is invaluable. Happy to discuss this further offline, if you need further information. As you know - you can get me on jon at springboard dot com.
amirmc 16y ago
Springboard review by profquail (and agmiklas) http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2123670 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2123670 Some previous discussion about Springboard http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1921166 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1921166
- pclark 16y ago
  TidePowerd didn't give up any equity for Springboard money (it was the previous fund)
  - amirmc 16y ago
    True, the model is different now (equity investment) and Red Gate has less direct involvement (but still involved). Red Gate did invest in TidePowerd after the first cycle.
  - jdbradford 16y ago
    Peter To make the programme sustainable in the longer term, unfortunately it has been necessary to adopt a similar model to YC and TechStars. I am sure you agree that the provision of similar programmes should be encouraged.
screenreach 16y ago
Guys, My name is Paul. I am CEO and Founder of a company called Screenreach (screenreach.com) which was on a programme called The Difference Engine which was basically the trial run for Springboard. So I can speak from first hand experience of being on the programme and what I actually got from it. When we entered the programme we started with a technology. We used the programme to help accelerate the business and to really help put meat behind the areas where we were lacking. Over the 13 weeks we effectively went from a technology to a business that was investor ready. At the end of the process, we started to put a team behind Screenreach (one of my mentors joined us fulltime), 2 days after the process finished we raised £250,000 from an angel who also joined us as our chairman and we really have gone from strength to strength. We are now expanding, just raised another round and have a really strong management team behind us. The programme really helped us achieve this and as it says on the tin, accelerated us through the process. Happy to discuss further with anyone who wants to know more, just drop me a line. Paul

37 points by amirmc 16y ago

I am helping these guys out as a mentor. Seems like a good idea.

This is an important program for the UK as it is one of the few mentor programs available. If you're a startup check it out.

coldclimate 16y ago

If it's anything like some of the other tech accelerators that some of the mentors have been involved with, Springboard is looking freakin awesome.

raduticiu 16y ago

They are totally open to collaborate with diverse incubation programs allover Europe. It was great to have Jon Bradford in Timisoara (Romania) Software Business Incubator, one week ago, facilitating his meetings with regional startups and potential investors.

radu_floricica 16y ago
At least this comment is legit guys, Jon Bradford _has_ been in Timisoara, and Radu Ticiu was a host. Startup incubators are picking up pace in Europe, so don't be surprised if you get people coming to HN because of them. Make sure they're welcome!

jdbradford 16y ago

I really look forward to working some great teams over the next few months.

jkent 16y ago

There are a lot of suspiciously low-karma and recently created accounts commenting on this.

amirmc 16y ago
I guess some of the mentors on the program didn't have HN accounts before. Is low-karma by itself suspicious? When I checked, some of commenters' accounts are 1000+ days old.
- pmjordan 16y ago
  It's only suspicious because the comments are essentially non-specific praise and add no actual value to the reader. They look like cheap shills; if they are in fact shills, that's not exactly inspiring to potential applicants. There's nothing wrong with promoting the programme here, of course, the weird comments just seem... weird.
  - radu_floricica 16y ago
    They're the real deal, but the HN culture of content-only comments isn't exactly widespread. They are probably just expressing enthusiasm.
    - pmjordan 16y ago
      It's not a massive deal, it just seems a bit odd. The HN crowd is the main market for something like this, so you'd think somebody there would have a clue about this site before promoting on it. Plus, this would be an opportunity to e.g. link to blog posts by previous participants describing their experience. I think that would probably be the most useful for potential applicants.
      - amirmc 16y ago
        I understand your point. I posted it here and been around long enough to (mostly) understand how HN works. That may not be true of all the others involved in the programme. I've linked to a couple reviews by previous participants. In this thread at: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2221229 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2221229

leithy 16y ago

Its a great initiative for Europe, it is what is needed to advance the ecosystem further here in Europe.

naithemilkman 16y ago

Great news for the UK tech scene!

ladon86 16y ago

Are there any previous participants in this programme willing to say a few words about the experience?

Spoutingshite 16y ago
The team behind SpringBoard ran the Difference Engine for a few sessions (http://thedifferenceengine.eu http://thedifferenceengine.eu) which due to the lack of public sector funding is closing this year. Unlike The Difference Engine, SpringBoard has private sector funding. My understanding is that this is the first intake for SpringBoard.
- jdbradford 16y ago
  For an example of the impact which the programme can have check out ScreenReach who took part in the Difference Engine a programme I have historically run. http://eu.techcrunch.com/2011/01/27/screenreach-raises-500000-for-its-screach-app-and-platform-for-smartphones/ http://eu.techcrunch.com/2011/01/27/screenreach-raises-50000...

pmjordan 16y ago

The timing of the deadline strikes me as very odd. Is there a good reason to make it 5-6 weeks before YC's? What if a startup applies to both? Why should you choose Springboard over YC or any other accelerator? With so many mentors, who has what stake in the startup? I don't see any of these questions answered, and they're just what comes to mind immediately. Surely these are very important pieces of information for applicants.

jdbradford 16y ago
Phil I am humbled to think that we can compete with Paul and his investors (including their $150k). Seriously, we announced the deadline in mid November when we launched. PS if you know any YC applicants who would like to apply - send them my way.

pclark 16y ago

A lot of the comments here and the actual website is devoid of any advice you'd actually find valuable if you were interested in applying to these kinds of programmes. Here are my two cents on what to look for (I don't know the answers) * Who are the partners behind the fund, what have they done in the past (pre-investor) and what is their core skill (tech, product, marketing, sales, operations) * Who have you previously invested in, and where are they now? * Who are the limited partners of the fund - did any VCs/rockstars/partners invest? * Why are you superior to Y Combinator? Startup accelerators are very popular now. They generally have the same mentors, the same deal terms, the same investors come demo day, the same "industry connections", whats your USP? (some good answers here might be specific domain knowledge of partners, a strong alumni, and so on) I am always bullish when sites list such an array of mentors because being a mentor is generally high upside (fame/feel good/networking/karma) and very little downside - no skin in the game, as it were. A buddy of mine once told me that equity was "quick to give away, impossible to reclaim" - you're giving these guys a significant % of your company, be sure they're good - and there is nothing wrong in applying for dumb money. Just don't tell them that.

jdbradford 16y ago
Hi Peter Good to speak again. Many points well made. 1. Springboard is funded by 9 angel investors and NESTA, all of whom have invested equal sums. All are very active investors and are seeking to find more deals to invest in. We believe through the mentors involved we cover all the key areas that a startup would need to consider. Where gaps exist we will active seek to plug these gaps. 2. Red Gate ran Springboard historically in a different format. Correct me if I am wrong - since you worked alongside the teams - but of the four teams involved - one received funding and two have gone on to YC. Under Difference Engine, 5 of the 9 teams have been funded, including a team who received angel funding and has gone to SV and one who has received £750k in funding. 3. All of the investors can be found within the mentor group, but they have for personal reasons not disclose their identity. Cumulatively, the investors have had exits in excess of several billion dollars. 4. I would not be so bold as to suggest we are superior to YC - the grand-daddy of accelerator programmes. The major issue in Europe is the lack of these resources. We are seeking to address a deficiency in the market and we have a proven track record. 5. Interestingly most of my mentors are massively busy and for them to take at least a full day out of their diary is a significant commitment for them. None of my mentors get paid and give freely of their time. 6. I personally don't think that 6% is a significant %. Do we believe that we can add at least 6% value to your business by taking part. Absolutely, many times over. It would be good for you to clarify what you mean by dumb money - working alongside the programme mentors for the 13 weeks is quite the opposite - their insight, guidance, contacts and introductions is invaluable. Happy to discuss this further offline, if you need further information. As you know - you can get me on jon at springboard dot com.

amirmc 16y ago

Springboard review by profquail (and agmiklas) http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2123670 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2123670 Some previous discussion about Springboard http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1921166 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1921166

pclark 16y ago
TidePowerd didn't give up any equity for Springboard money (it was the previous fund)
- amirmc 16y ago
  True, the model is different now (equity investment) and Red Gate has less direct involvement (but still involved). Red Gate did invest in TidePowerd after the first cycle.
- jdbradford 16y ago
  Peter To make the programme sustainable in the longer term, unfortunately it has been necessary to adopt a similar model to YC and TechStars. I am sure you agree that the provision of similar programmes should be encouraged.

screenreach 16y ago

Guys, My name is Paul. I am CEO and Founder of a company called Screenreach (screenreach.com) which was on a programme called The Difference Engine which was basically the trial run for Springboard. So I can speak from first hand experience of being on the programme and what I actually got from it. When we entered the programme we started with a technology. We used the programme to help accelerate the business and to really help put meat behind the areas where we were lacking. Over the 13 weeks we effectively went from a technology to a business that was investor ready. At the end of the process, we started to put a team behind Screenreach (one of my mentors joined us fulltime), 2 days after the process finished we raised £250,000 from an angel who also joined us as our chairman and we really have gone from strength to strength. We are now expanding, just raised another round and have a really strong management team behind us. The programme really helped us achieve this and as it says on the tin, accelerated us through the process. Happy to discuss further with anyone who wants to know more, just drop me a line. Paul