BIG Pre-Accelerator 2021 Pilot

Catalyzing the genius of Latina and Black women founders

WHO SHOULD APPLY TO THIS PROGRAM

digitalundivided’s BIG pre-accelerator program is designed for Black and Latinx women founders who have already begun to build their startup, but are still pre-revenue and fine-tuning their startup’s team, business model, marketing, and other elements. In other words, your business must be past the idea stage and you are ideally preparing to go to market.

Also, your startup must be technology-enabled, which means that your company needs to include a significant technology component to access customers or deliver your product or service (i.e. a mobile or web-based platform).

WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THIS PROGRAM (Your Path to Growth for Yourself and Your Startup):

Startup Fundamentals
- Learn and apply the Lean Startup methods to discover the business model that will prepare you to grow your startup exponentially
- Discover how to build a team and develop an operational structure so that your company can keep up with your exponential growth
- Find who your target customer is and solve barriers in reaching them at scale, driving your revenue growth
- Set your business up for success by learning tools to track your operational costs and revenues through balance sheets, income statements, and cash flow statements – and learn when to use each one
- Learn about investors and investment terms, and know how to find funding for your business when the time is right

Community
- Find the community of peers and mentors who look like you, who have done what you’re doing, and who understand who you are as a founder
- Talk about real issues facing founders who are like you – and work with your cohort to find ways through them
- Receive mentorship from other women of color founders who have overcome the challenges you face yourself
- Learn how to prepare to apply to the nation’s top accelerator programs

Executive Coaching
- Work with an executive coach to help you find the leader you always knew was within you

Our network of mentors and facilitators were carefully curated to include both BIPOC experts, and allies, who represent a myriad of identities and all of whom are aligned with digitalundivided's core values and cultural competencies. Some Facilitators and Mentors may not identify as Black or Latinx women, but they have all been carefully vetted and trained by digitalundivided staff to ensure they provide the highest level of support to our founders.

PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS AND FEE

The program is open to Black and Latinx women founders based in the United States or its territories, and for the BIG 2021 Pilot cohort, all programming and networking will be delivered through a virtual format. The program fee for BIG 2021 is normally $1600, but the BIG 2021 Pilot program fee for the initial cohort is $800 (50% off). Limited scholarships are available by application only based on demonstrated financial need and are contingent upon successful admission into the BIG program.

This program is 100% virtual and ability to access Zoom will be required.

The BIG pilot program will take place during the following weekends:

March 26-28
April 23-25
May 21-23

Friday sessions will take place from 6:00pm ET to 7:30pm ET; and both Saturday and Sunday sessions will take place from 9:00am ET to 3:00pm ET.

*Times and dates are subject to change.

In addition, all founders will attend twice-a-week hourly sessions from May 24-June 20 as well as the final pitches (Demo Day) during the week of June 21 (final date and time are TBA).

APPLICATION INFORMATION

The deadline to apply is February 28, 2021, by 11:59pm Eastern Time. All applicants will be notified by March 14, 2021. For any questions, please email programs@digitalundivided.com.

This program is a pre-accelerator program, and we do not offer funding, nor do we take equity. However, what we will do is prepare you to take on funding, to apply to the nation’s top accelerator programs, and most importantly, to find a community of like-minded entrepreneurs, who will support you the entire way there.