Our Go Global Silicon Valley cohort program includes the following elements:
- Company Selection – review, evaluation and selection of potential program participants;
- Think Big Boot Camp – intensive 3-day training and mentoring in the country of origin; and
- Start Smart – Mentoring & access to customers, partners and investors in Silicon Valley
Phase 1: Company Selection
USMAC will work with relevant regional partners during the review and selection of potential program participants. This is typically an online review following in-person interviews to select program participants.
Overall, applicants are ranked based on:
- Value proposition;
- Product market fit;
- Mindset of the founder;
- English proficiency; and
- Likelihood of success in the global market
- The top-ranked applicants will be selected to participate in the Boot Camp
Phase 2: Think Big Bootcamp
- 3-day training/mentoring session held in ‘home country’, with up to 24 startups
- Boot camp is led by three instructors/industry experts from Silicon Valley
- Agenda consists of morning workshops and one-to-one mentoring in the afternoons.
- Final day includes a pitch competition, where highest-ranking startups move on to the ‘Start Smart’ phase.
Phase 3: Start Smart Silicon Valley
Graduates from the Think Big Boot Camp participate in the 6-week Start Smart program.
The 6-week program focuses on founders receiving ‘market validation’ in Silicon Valley, and is conducted partly in the home country and the remaining two weeks take place in Silicon Valley.
Founders are assigned 1-2 mentors who provide refinement of product-market fit, business model, pitch, prospect strategy and arrangement of 8-10 meetings with prospects.
Founders learn from customers about what needs to change in their product strategy and business model in order to succeed in the U.S.
Investor Pitch Event
The Start Smart phase also includes a dedicated pitch event, which allows the < REGIONAL > startups to present their pitches to a moderated panel of Silicon Valley investors
Feedback from the panel provides founders with valuable insight on their value propositions, and it also serves as launch point for building new investor relationships
This evening event will typically draw 50-80 people, and includes a 4-member panel and one moderator