CapitalFactory: Your startup gets $20k cash + 20 mentors for a summer

Help me spread the word about this program!

I’m a mentor and investor in CapitalFactory, a seed-stage startup mentorship program in Austin, TX. Each year we pick 5 companies to participate in a 10-week summer program which includes:

• 20 real mentors
  Twenty entrepreneurs who have actually been in your shoes — creating companies from scratch, growing to millions in revenue, and often selling them. No posers, no one who was “there for the ride.” Here’s the list; see for yourself. You’ll get both one-on-one time and weekly group meetings.
• $20,000 in cash
  You can spend it however you want — quit your day job, buy some ads, license technology, whatever you need. Where does the money come from? From the mentors themselves, personally.
• $20,000 in free stuff
  Free legal services to set up agreements, contracts, and EULAs, free graphic design work to make a nice logo and website, free PR services for product announcements, free office space, free website hosting, free software, and more.
• Present at Demo Day
  At the end of the program is “Demo Day,” where you get to pitch in front of 150 investors — both angels and VCs, both individuals and firms. Last year one of the five companies was funded by Demo Day — it can be that quick. Even if you’re not looking to raise money, it’s a great experience and personal networking event. Last year the keynote speaker was Mike Maples.

For more details, including the application process and a great 3-minute video which includes interviews from the 2009 companies, see the CapitalFactory home page.

We like to say we’re the #3 most popular seed-stage group after Y-Combinator and TechStars. Help me spread the word and keep us at #3!

Questions? Leave a comment.