The Sourdough Pre-Accelerator Program for purposeful business.
An 8 week immersive program giving you the tools and skills to turn your business idea into reality. Next intake commences on 27 April 2021 and applications are now open: Apply now.
Do you have an early stage idea or business that’s aiming to be a force for good in the world? The Sourdough Pre-Accelerator is designed to take emerging business ideas from conception (ideation) through to a Minimum Viable Product (MVP). You will learn the tools to develop your ideas to embed purpose, sustainability and circular economy principles in a supportive environment with like minded entrepreneurs and expert facilitators and mentors.
View the program sessions here and apply now.
Overview
Born from our collaboration with Flinders University’s New Venture Institute, StartUp Northern Rivers is a supportive Pre-Accelerator Program for early-stage founders wanting to build purposeful businesses. It’s based on lean startup methodologies – principles and tools designed to foster nimble innovation and “experimentation over elaborate planning”* used by startups and companies globally.
Hear what our Founders from our Nov-20 graduating cohort had to say
What will you achieve?
The program is designed to help you take your purposeful emerging business idea from concept through to a MVP – essentially the first version of your product that you take to market. You’ll have been testing your ideas with potential customers and experts throughout the program, and develop your pitch for funding too.
You’ll also have the opportunity to share your business with the world on Demo Night, and we’ll then help you connect with resources that will support you further on your way to building a purposeful, scalable and sustainable business.
Who is it for?
Aspiring founders or existing founders with an early stage idea or business that’s aiming to be a force for good in the world. You’ll learn the tools to develop your ideas in a supportive environment with other like-minded local entrepreneurs, and have the opportunity to learn from, help and inspire each other.
And as for doing purposeful business, whether you’re there already or want to learn how business can have a positive impact on our society and planet, this program can help you discover and embed purpose-driven, impactful and circular economy principles in all that you do.
The program can also support those in the early stages of their business to learn tools to help them develop their emerging business further.
Program Facilitators and Mentors
The program will be facilitated by Sourdough’s Expert in Residence, Ashleigh Camm, as well as expert guests. The facilitators will be there to guide, mentor and support you throughout the program. You will also have time throughout the program with a range of highly experienced industry and investor mentors who will share invaluable feedback to help you develop your idea or business further.
Time investment
It’s important to note that this is not a training program. It’s a hands-on, immersive boot camp, reliant on the founder doing the homework and taking the steps each week to develop their idea and build their business alongside the sessions.
The program runs for 8 weeks, with sessions on Tuesday evenings, 5:30 – 8:30pm, and culminates in the Demo Evening Pitch Showcase on 29 June 2021.
Demo Evening Pitch Showcase
The program culminates in our Demo Evening where you’ll have the opportunity to showcase your MVP/business and pitch in front of friends, family, industry professionals and investors, and gain further feedback and guidance from an expert panel. This event can help you to gain experience in pitching and sharing your idea and provides you with an opportunity to foster helpful connections.
Post-program support
We’ll provide you with post-program Mentoring Support for an additional 3 months, as well as connect you with pathways that can support you further and accelerate your business’ growth.
Sourdough has established links with local co-working hubs, chambers, professional development resources, investment groups, and Accelerator and Incubator Programs focused on profit-for-purpose, impact, and the circular economy. We will work with you post-program to help you connect with the resources that are right for your aspirations.
For the full program outline click here
Investment
Early Bird – $850 (ends 6 April 2021)
Full Fee – $990 or $1250 for groups of 3 or less