1. Do I need to relocate for this program?

No, This program is flexible so that founders can attend the program while running their venture from anywhere in India or even outside India. However, We also schedule Demo days from time to time and introduce our founders to investors through a regular investor outreach program called smart connect. Our demo days are held virtually. Founders generally finish the program and pitch to investor within 3-5 weeks.

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2. How does the selection process work?

We have a fairly structured three-stage selection process.

a. Review application. Please provide as many details as possible for us to understand your background and idea.

b. Next, we have a short telephone call with the founding team.

c. We make the conditional offer to the startup, they need to complete the registration formalities and sign up for the program.

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3. Do I get opportunities to raise funding?

The Guild of Founder program is meant for founders to go from idea to first round within a matter of weeks.

Seed Track: Our past cohort has pitched successfully for funding up to INR 2.5 Cr (USD 500k).

Series Track: Founders pitch to investors to raise up to INR 50 CR (USD 7MN ). Each cohort works with a dedicated set of mentors, experts, and deal anchors. 

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4. Where do I find the schedule and details?

Once you're accepted into the program, your access to the Guild of Founders platform will be activated. It will have a detailed schedule, deals, insights, lessons, office hours details, Digital tools, an investor directory, and much more. The program will have a series of workshops that are working sessions. Each founder will attain 3 workshops and then break out to connect with investors

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5. How do I prepare?

Guild of Founders is a collaborative platform where we learn from each other. The cumulative wisdom of our participants and our coaches provides unparalleled insights. As a fellow participant, It will be worthwhile to make notes on your good and not so good experiences in from your startup journey that can help the fellow participants of your experiences general or otherwise, also do some research and gather background information that will give you a better understanding of the problem you're trying to solve.

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6. How much is the program fee?

There is no fee for the program. Founders selected for the program would be invited for investor introductions and demo days on successfully completing the 3 workshops and activities associated. There is a registration fee for attending workshops. Each founder will attend a total of 3 workshops to successfully complete the BootCamp. We understand that founders have multiple stakeholders and need flexibility. That's the reason we have structured these as self-paced workshops that can be scheduled by founders as and when they are ready.

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7. What will I have to do to complete the program?

Over the course of the 3 weeks, founders are expected to work with our entire advisors:

 

 

Workshop 1:

• Fundraising Playbook

• Learn the Basics of fundraising from experienced venture advisors

• Fundraising map for founder

• Check your funding readiness

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Workshop 2:

• How to speak to investors, what elements to talk about.

• Preparing Investor Documents- Pitch Deck Basics, P&L projections

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Workshop 3:

• Valuation, Equity, and Seed funding

• Where and how to find investors, how to reach them, and close investment

• Termsheet and Managing Investors

 

Outcome expected for founders:

• Fundraising path and estimated time to close

• Investor grade Pitch Deck

• Pitch Script

• Funding Usage and runway

• P&L Projections

• Expected valuation

• List of investors and investor funnel

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8. How much time do I need to dedicate to the Guild of Founders program?

The total time will be Weekly 3-4 hours in addition to work on your startup. 

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9. I have already raised my first round of funding. Should I apply?

Yes, there are two tracks. 

Seed Track: This is suitable for founders who want to go from idea to the first cheque.

Pre Series/ Series A: For founders who have already raised the first round and need help to move to subsequent stage and scale, 

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10. What happens post 3 weeks?

Many of the investors you present and may ask you for follow-up meetings or ask for more information about your venture before making an investment. As a Guild of Founder member, You can access the smart connect investor platform and leverage the network to prepare. Founders can continue to share and learn. One of the best things about Guild of Founders is collaboration, provided you are in it for the right reasons: to build communities and create startups. Connect with info@venturehandle.com to learn how to get involved.