What we are looking for?
Through the application, we want to understand the following aspects: 1) your personal background, 2) what you are building, and 3) what are the objectives that you are striving to achieve during the three months in the SF Bay Area.
The program revolves around the objectives of the participant for the program. Our program provides value for startup teams at two different stages: 1) idea validation and 2) go-to-market/expansion stage. The objectives for the program could be related to the following:
Idea Validation
- Validating your business idea
- Doing user testing
- Finding co-founders
- Gaining new perspectives and inspirations
Go-to-market
- Doing go-to-market strategy
- Expand to the US market
- Raising capital
- Recruiting
Qualities we are looking for
Driven
You are goal-oriented - as you set objectives for yourself, you put 100% focus on achieving them.
Curious
You are always ready to learn new things and interested in knowing how others perceive the world.
Entrepreneurial
You are an aspiring entrepreneur or an entrepreneur with a well communicated agenda to be realized in Silicon Valley.
Bold
You believe in your ideas and are not afraid of standing out.
The application criteria
You are eligible to apply to the program if the following points check out:
- You are 1-2 people team representing a startup or looking to found one (Note! If you’re applying with a two people team, each team member needs to submit an application for the program separately).
- You have well-outlined objectives and a plan for the program. Guidelines for drafting plan as well as an example plan can be found from here.
- You have Finnish business ID.
- Everyone applying to the program is over 18 years old.
- You are able to pay for your own flights, and pay for your living costs during the program which are estimated to be c. 800-1200€/month per participant (meaning food, public transportation, etc.).
- You are able to either 1) apply for an ESTA or 2) have an existing visa to the US (e.g., B-1/B-2 visitor visa) for the duration of the program.
Application and program schedule
Schedule for the S25 Program
Application Process
- Application period
28.10. - 29.11.2024 - Selection for interviews
30.11 - 5.12.2024 - Interviews
7.12 - 17.12.2024 - Final Selection
20.12.2024
Program
- Orientation
17.2 - 28.2.2025 - Program
3.3.-31.5.2025