Apply to StartX or SIR

StartX & StartX Companies By Numbers

• 3× higher chance of reaching $100M+ valuation than the best accelerators
• 5× more $1B+ companies than any accelerator at the same age
• +60% more successful at reaching Series A than industry average
• $11M+ average venture funding raised by StartX companies
• 84% StartX companies still growing + acquired over 10 years
• 5× proportion of venture funding raised by female-led StartX companies compared to industry average

• Designed under the creative direction of Stanford d.school architect, Frank Graziano
• Fully furnished by Steelcase, the leader in planning and creating innovative work environments
• Over 12,500 sqft of collaboration and work space
• Includes meeting rooms, event space, and quiet spaces specifically for programming, writing, and designing
• Wet lab and electronics prototyping lab now onsite (paid access)
• Located at Hanover and Page Mill in Palo Alto

What We Look For

A high-potential StartX Founder…

...is extremely committed to driving their vision towards success. They have proven their commitment and passion through the time that they have spent working on their idea, the sacrifices they have made for their company, and the progress they have made so far. They have already taken steps with their product such as gathering user feedback and prototyping.

...has a strong team. They work well together with their team, and everyone has clearly delineated responsibilities. The CEO has strong leadership skills, and the CTO/CPO has high technical proficiency in the area of their product. Their skills complement each other, and they will be able to stick together through the ups and downs of a startup.

...has shown great potential to build a successful company. Together with their team, they have the technical and business skills and experience needed to make their company ambitions come true. They have past experience in their industry or can quickly learn the landscape, and their team is technically proficient in that industry.

...has thoroughly thought through the idea of their company. They understand the market and their competitors. They have shown some validation that there is a problem or need to be addressed by their company. Their idea is viable and their team understands potential roadblocks, as well as possible solutions to them.

...will be an engaged member of the StartX community. They will share their skills and knowledge with the founders around them and help where they can. At the same time, they will fully utilize StartX’s resources in an effort to constantly learn and improve. Our founders get stuff done and help each other.

How to Prepare for Your Application to StartX

1. Prepare yourself and your team, not a presentation.
2. Have a clear idea of your vision for your company.
3. Know everything about your product and how users will interact with it.
4. Talk to potential users to gather feedback on your product.
5. Understand who your competitors are and how you are different from them.
6. Be open and honest about problems you are facing and questions you don’t yet know the answer to.