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Home / Start-ups / Boot Camp / Boot Camp FAQs
Boot Camp FAQsWho should attend Entrepreneur Boot Camp?Early stage technology driven company teams who are working thru positioning, market segmentation focus, financing strategy and/or building out the management team. Companies should be past the pure research stage and have at least one full-time person in the company and a team of two people to attend camp. What stage of Business Plan preparation is required? Typically, a team has completed a first draft of a business plan and is in the process of validating a market opportunity and refining their plan based on market feedback. What other resources are available to assist me in preparing for Boot Camp? The Cantillon eCourse is a comprehensive training resource for technology entrepreneurs at any stage of business development. Cantillon is a learning experience that will lay an invaluable foundation for your business and enable you to respond quickly and wisely to the ever-changing marketplace. The Ann Arbor SPARK Entrepreneur Library lends recommended books on the Boot Camp Reading List and has sample materials from prior Boot Camps that are available for teams wishing to get a head start on Boot Camp. Any teams that have applied for Boot Camp are eligible for this service. We recommend that teams apply early. Are there any pre Boot Camp training classes to prepare me for Boot Camp? Ann Arbor SPARK hosts a series of Entrepreneur Education training sessions. View the event calendar for more information and to register. What deliverables will I develop as the result of attending Boot Camp? The three deliverables developed as part of the education and mentoring from Boot Camp are Elevator Pitch, Executive Summary, and Executive Overview Presentation. Our experience demonstrates that the process to create a compelling version of these deliverables improves the team’s understanding of their market, customer benefits and competitive challenges to creating a successful company. What is the Application process for Boot Camp? Submit an Executive Summary of your business opportunity and/or the one page application form. Early application is encouraged as there is typically far more applicants than slots and we are accepting only the top 12 teams. What is the time commitment for Boot Camp? Entrepreneur Boot Camp is an intensive two day education and mentoring experience. Day 1 begins at 8 a.m. and is scheduled to 10 p.m. Day 2 begins at 8 a.m. and is scheduled to 5 p.m. What is the Cost for Boot Camp? Entrepreneur Boot Camp is priced at $1,000 for a team of two. This price includes books, materials, and meals. Will Boot Camp help me find funding sources? The deliverables created and refined as the result of Boot Camp are the key introductions to any funding source. By communicating your story in a compelling way, you earn the right to present your opportunity to these sources. In addition to improving our pitch, our network of mentors and coaches can provide introductions to potential funding sources after the plan is refined and initial milestones are accomplished to demonstrate the market opportunity. How will Boot Camp help me find investors? Boot camp doesn’t guarantee investors to Boot Camp graduates but we do prepare the team for a conversation with potential investors and improve your presentation materials such that you tell your story in a compelling way. Will Boot Camp help me if I am not looking for investors? Many opportunities do not require investor capital either because they are self funded by customers or they have Grant funding that is appropriate for their current stage of development. For these companies, the Boot Camp process provides the team the opportunity to focus on their thinking about their market niche, their competitors and how to position their product or service to attract customers, partners, and employees. Where is Boot Camp? Pre-camp and post camp events are held at SPARK Central 330 E Liberty in Ann Arbor. Boot Camp is held at MITC-1000 Oakbrook Drive, off State Street in Ann Arbor. Do I have to live in Ann Arbor to attend Boot Camp? Entrepreneur Boot Camp is hosted by Ann Arbor SPARK and the Ann Arbor SmartZone Business Accelerator. While Ann Arbor region companies will get preferred access to Boot Camp, applicants are accepted from teams in other communities. Have previous Campers received funding and how many are successful today? Past campers have raised capital from a variety of sources including Michigan Technology Tri-Corridor, angel investors and venture investors. Over 80 companies have attended Boot Camp. The total amount of funds raised is over $5M. Additionally, many companies have either won or were the top finishers in business plan and elevator pitch competitions such as GLEQ/ACE. What companies have attended Boot Camp, and have I heard of them? Among prior attendees of Boot Camp are PolyTorx, Menlo Innovations, Airfoil, SensiGen, Biopolymer Innovations, Invia Solutions, ElectroJet, Virtual Reciprocity Ring, Compendia Bioscience, Comstar, Mindworks, and Onsite ERT. Call 734.761.9317 to apply or click here.  The Entrepreneur Boot Camp is sponsored by Ann Arbor SPARK and funded by the LDFA.
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