The Founders Space accelerator + incubator was an awesome experience that is definitely a must-do for any startup ready to dive into the world of Silicon Valley funding. Unlike many longer accelerators, the short and intense Founders Space program is perfect for entrepreneurs from outside the Valley who are looking to get the most value for their time and money.

The speakers and mentors were great and not only spent one-on-one time with companies but were enthusiastic about helping and would go out of their way to meet with us even outside of office hours. Our team learned a lot during our two weeks at Founder Space, and the program helped us refine our vision so that we went home with a much better strategy for success.

Aside from the advisers and mentors, one of the best parts of the program was the quality of the other startups in the program. This program attracts great talent and the contacts we made have helped us regularly since finishing the program. Read More...

Founders Space was a great experience that I would definitely recommend.

The teachers were awesome, and they all provided unique perspectives that were really valuable. We learned how to really clarify our pitch, think about the psychological aspects of marketing, get product feedback, and a lot more.

The two weeks were jam packed. The other peer companies were first rate and all great to work with. In addition, Founders ​S​pace is committed to our company’s success and they are continuing to invite us to relevant events and to use their office space in China moving forward. Read More...

Two weeks of focus. Most startup founder​s​ live in a world full of distractions, ​and ​this is the most productive break from those distractions that I could envision.

This is a great experience for both new founders and those that have been through the grind before. ​Founders Space cover​s​ everything from go-to-market strategy and cap tables to using cognitive science to tune your marketing content.

The mentors Steve Hoffman (Captain Hoff), Naomi Kokubo, Steve Austin and Nathan Schor are simply great. Each providing a perspective different from the others, that will help you refine your story into a clear and concise pitch. Read More...

Founders Space was an impactful and efficient way to get our pitch refined and get in front of investors — particularly with China ties — all within 2 weeks.

We’ve had multiple opportunities that came out of the relationships we formed during the program. For us, Founders Space was attractive because they are reaching deep into China, and that aligns with the distribution strategy of Paragon One.

Matt Wikerson
​Founder & CEO of Paragon One

Most amazing and inspirational experience I’ve had since I’ve decided to build my own company. My co-founder and myself both participated in the program. We come from slightly different technical and business backgrounds: me being the first time startup founder, and for him this is the 3-rd company he founded. We found that Founders Space program provides great learning experience and resources for the first time as well for seasoned entrepreneurs.

Two weeks flew by in a blink of an eye; however, I feel like the things we learned from mentors such as Steve Austin, Nathan Schor and Steve Hoffman will guide our product and business decision for years to come. The value we received from their experience, out of the box thinking and original ideas was greatly supplemented by the entire hands-on and personalized approach. The best part is that the experience does not end on the demo day and we are looking forward to working with them for the next few months to keep our business and product goals on the right track.

Alexander Volkov
Co-founder of Zero Email App
http://zeroapp.email

From the basics of brain storming to perfecting your pitch, Founders Space provides many weapons necessary to any businessmen. Even if you have had the experience of running a company, the mentors and advisers will tear you down and rebuild you on a stronger basis.

After delivering my first pitch in front of investors, I have gained so much confidence that I feel like I can more comfortably pitch again to other audiences.

One of the most essential lessons were learning how to listen to other entrepreneurs. In addition, I was simply amazed by how we could be taught to control ourselves in front of a big crowd. Read More...

On behalf of the entire Exeq team, I would like to thank Steve Hoffman, Steve Austin, and the entire Founders Space for some of the most incredible two weeks in our company’s history.

Beyond the intense and high-quality academic process that provided insight on business development, fundraising, and go-to-market strategy, Founders Space truly provided Exeq’s founders “founder space.” For two weeks, my partners and I escaped the everyday distractions of life and business to incubate, bond on deep levels, brainstorm new and open-minded ideas, and focus on growing the company.

Founders Space’s eclectic population also introduced us to valuable alternative experiences, while creating a profoundly collaborative environment. The startups, which ranged of a multitude of different sectors, offered informative access to a variety of ideas in finance, media, technology, and philanthropy. For us, Founders Space served as a critical stepping-stone that accelerated Exeq from a disruptive product, to a super lean and targeted business viable for scale and profitability. Read More...

I can’t start talking about Founders Space without mentioning their team, Steve Hoffman (Captain Hoff), Naomi Kokubo, Steve Austin and Nathan Schor. They are the core of the accelerator and each one brings real world expertise that is directly applicable to any startup.

Captain Hoff and Naomi were great to look at VendOp and really dig in to our business model. Nathan brought insight into how to make our marketing messaging way more effective. Steve Austin spends the most time with the startups, really sharing his experience and expertise in sales, pitching, building a business, taking to investors and much more. To supplement their experience and knowledge, many other mentors were brought in and spent an enormous amount of time with us.

Just as impressive as the mentors were the other startups in the program. We had companies from all over the world that are disrupting many different industries. Common between all of the companies was a passion for what they are doing coupled with incredible industry expertise. Read More...