Hyderabad-based accelerator Catalyzer calling for startups to apply for its 3rd cohort
Headquartered in Hyderabad, Catalyzer is a new accelerator which debuted early this year focused on addressing local issues in India with a global entrepreneurial outlook.
The accelerator has built its model on systems theory with emphasis on creating interdependency in the startup cohorts accelerated – thus enhancing the network effect of the community value at the hub.
So far, Catalyzer has accelerated startups like Angular Technologies, which is working on a platform that helps students in IIT-JEE, and FictionTree, a startup that aims to be a Google for fiction by organizing the world’s fiction in one place. They also have a stealth startup (ActiVu) that is working on Augmented Reality.
The Director of Catalyzer startup accelerator, Dr. Madhulika S. informed YourStory that two of their portfolio startups have raised funding and two others are on a hiring spree. (We will be doing extensive coverage on this once details emerge).
Dr. Madhulika said, “We at Catalyzer have successfully completed two cohorts with startups ranging from technology, education, environment, and entertainment. We’re excited to foster the next generation of innovators working in areas as diverse as agriculture, education, environment, healthcare, mobile & web apps, enterprise software and software-as-service. Catalyzer Startup 101 Accelerator Program will make it easier for these startups to validate and create applications and bring these solutions to market successfully.”
The accelerator targets entrepreneurs who have gone through the startup struggling phase.
Calling for the next cohort, December 2014
Catalyzer Startup Accelerator will host startup teams in technology and non-technology for 101 days intensive mentorship program in Hyderabad from December 6th, 2014. You can apply here.
Sunil Mayreddy, Co-founder of Catalyzer, said “We take the best teams with an interesting idea or proof of concept focused on creating innovation driven startups. Selected startup founders participate in an intensive mentorship driven program and have access to resources. Startups make significant progress towards identifying their market, building the right product and securing initial partners and customers so that they are ready to pitch to investors."
“In addition, each team has the opportunity to earn seed-capital, based on its progress against milestones. This fuels team development and gives them resources they need to accelerate their startups.”
Twice a year, Catalyzer selects up to 12 startup teams (or individuals) who are working on diverse sectors like SaaS, consumer web, enterprise, education, environment, media, finance, and healthcare – to be accelerated in its cohort. Startups accepted in the program will receive financial support in the form of pre-seed capital and work space.
It is rare to see accelerators take startups in social enterprises working for-profit or non-profit, but at Catalyzer, social startups are eligible to apply. Even YC started that very recently.
Startup 101 Program Features
* Startup 101 accelerator program offers individualized needs assessment of a startup followed by a customized program for 101 days.
* Every startup is supported with mentors who are experts in their area of specialization and often entrepreneurs themselves.
* Startups receive legal and financial advice, expertise in customer discovery, product development.
* Every startup is provided the knowhow in data based analysis and process development, organization development to help them grow quickly after investment.
* Networking and office space along with many other perks are additional features of Startup 101 program.
* All startups would have built a very robust business portfolio by the end of the 101-day program along with training in communication skills and pitching their product.
On a case by case basis, Catalyzer will invest in technology and non–technology portfolio startups anywhere between Rs 5 to 10 lacs for 7-12% equity stake. Catalyzer is not just an accelerator but also aspires to build startup commune to providing opportunities to startups from many fields to help each other grow.