Silicon Valley comes to India. Four big reasons to apply for BC-GSV Accelerator 2016

This article is sponsored by BC-GSV.

Have you ever dreamt of being mentored by one of the world's preeminent authorities on growth investing? How awesome would it be to have as mentor a man who predicted the rise of Google and Facebook, and has been hailed as one of the best stock pickers.

Well, that dream could become a reality if you get accepted into the newly launched BC-GSV Accelerator 2016, a joint initiative by Brand Capital – Bennett & Coleman and Co Ltd.’s (BCCL) strategic investment arm, and GSVlabs – one the Silicon Valley’s most renowned accelerator programmes – led by none other than Michael Moe.

Underlying this partnership is their shared passion for finding, investing in, and partnering with the most dynamic growth companies in the world, and bringing the ethos of Silicon Valley to India in an institutionalised manner.

The accelerator aims to meaningfully impact ideation, development, and go-to-market readiness of the next generation of consumer-oriented ventures from India. The intensive, 15-week programme has a special focus on HealthTech, EdTech, FinTech, and Consumer Services. Applications are now open and the last date to apply is June 5, 2016.

The programme starts on June 21 in Bangalore and June 23 in Gurgaon. Apply now.

Four fantastic advantages that the BC-GSV Accelerator offers, like no other!

#1 A chance to benefit from the Global Silicon Valley approach with hands-on mentoring from experts who have been there, done that!

To accelerate budding startups and entrepreneurs, BC-GSV Accelerator is bringing together luminaries, rainmakers, and architects from the global innovation economy and leveraging their experiences and learning. The hands-on mentoring and the GSV approach are what sets this programme apart. Mentors from both Silicon Valley and India will provide context and examples from their own experiences and enrich the mentoring experience.

#2 An opportunity to be mentored by the man behind many successful companies, co-founder and CEO and Chief Investment Officer of GSV Asset Management and head of GSVlabs – Michael Moe

Yes, Moe is an integral part of the BC-GSV platform and the participating startups will benefit both directly and indirectly. In addition to leading a session in the programme, he is also actively overseeing the adaptation of the GSVlabs accelerator curriculum to the Indian context, and bringing key advisors and partners from Silicon Valley on board the platform. So you can be assured of gaining insights and information that no one told you before.

Startups will have the opportunity to interact with him directly during the two-week Silicon Valley leg of the programme and at the GSV Pioneer Summit.

#3 Big brands, experienced minds, from the East and the West come together to amplify growth in the country’s startup ecosystem

GSVlabs has incubated over 160 startups in its 72,000 sq.ft Silicon Valley campus, focusing on five core verticals: Edtech, Big Data, Sustainability, Mobile, and Entertainment.

BC complements this with some of the most experienced minds in India who have built powerful and enduring brands. Having ideated, articulated, and executed a series of growth solutions for companies through its 'brand prism,' Brand Capital is positioned to amplify growth in unprecedented fashion.

Combing Silicon Valley’s know-how with BC’s growth expertise, the BC-GSV Accelerator aims to create one of the most potent entrepreneurial ecosystems in the world. The BC-GSV partnership aims to export the ethos of Silicon Valley and tap into global innovation wherever it resides. Together, they will nurture an ecosystem of entrepreneurs/startups, corporations, investors, and service providers that is aimed at fostering and speeding up innovation.

#4 A comprehensive on-site accelerator programme that takes you through all the key stages of building and scaling a sustainable business

The 15-week accelerator programme is designed to guide the startups on taking an idea through the key stages of building and scaling a business. Each week of the programme focuses on a theme critical to building a successful business.

While each participating venture will make its own journey, the programme aims to accelerate a startup’s progress from an idea/prototype stage to a working construct of a sustainable growth business. Over the 15-week programme, startups will cover aspects such as revalidating their product/positioning and target customer segments to sharpen their proposition, learning the foundations of building a consumer brand, and much more. They will be equipped to prepare the startup for scaling their businesses, growth hacks for customer acquisition, and building a team to support rapid growth. The startups will be introduced to concepts in startup finance and gain insight into how an investor thinks, hone their pitching skills, and prepare the startups for fund-raising discussions.

Startups can also access entrepreneurial and professional development hacks through the highly curated curriculum and network of experts. The programme content draws from the life experiences of the pool of mentors, advisors, and partners, and has been carefully curated to complement the core curriculum developed by GSVlabs. The insights from the customised workshops and events will help to accelerate organisational innovation.

You can apply:

If you are a startup, with

• a focus on consumer market, particularly related to HealthTech, FinTech, EdTech or other Consumer Services
• a defined product offering, a minimum viable product or a prototype (should be more than on-paper ideas)
• a committed team with at least 2-3 full-time members
• the willingness to relocate you core teams to either Bangalore or Gurgaon. Since the Accelerator programme is based out of Bangalore and Gurgaon, if you are a startup based out of any other Indian city, you need to be ready to relocate for the duration of the programme.

BC-GSV Accelerator uses a ‘4P’ framework to analyse the key characteristics of transformative startups. The 4Ps are People, Product, Potential, and Predictability. The programme application process is aligned with this framework.

Get started on your application right away. The last date to apply is June 5, 2016.