Startups Prepare for Investor Engagement with Aspire

Aspire is a five-week in-depth, hybrid program that prepares startups for investor engagement. Investor-mentors work one-on-one with startups to simulate due diligence conversations and integrate feedback into deal room materials in real time. This program aims to prepare startups to raise equity investment.

We offer two Aspire cohorts each year. Aspire Climatetech is offered in the spring and Aspire Medtech is offered in the fall.

Applications for Aspire Climatetech are currently closed. Sign up to receive updates.

Applications for Aspire Medtech are currently closed. Sign up to receive updates.

Why Apply?

Spend one-on-one time with investor-mentors
You will work with high-caliber investor-mentors throughout the program who have experience investing or partnering with startups like yours.

Vet your fundraising strategy
Startups will leave with a clear articulation of their investment needs, including the investment ask and planned milestones for the round. Take part in a mock board meeting to prepare yourself for fundraising and investor conversations.

Due Diligence Deal Room
Spend time creating and refining deal room materials to use during the fundraising process. Invest your time and energy into a work product for a deal room discussion, not a demo day pitch.

Stress-test your startup
Work through real-world disaster scenarios with your team to discover how to best prepare for the unexpected.

Collaborate and network
Connect with fellow founders and leverage the VentureWell investor network after the program ends.

Is Your Startup a Good Match?

For each cohort, VentureWell selects 10-15 dedicated science- and engineering-based startups from across the nation that are launching high-impact inventions. The Aspire program receives a significant number of quality applications, and unfortunately we cannot accept them all. Ideal candidates tend to share the following traits:

• Committed to the program: The CEO of the company must be able to commit to full participation for the entirety of the five-week Aspire program.
• Actively fundraising: Company is preparing for a round of equity investment within 12 months.
• Team identified and startup formed: First-time founders with management team and key roles identified. At least one member is full-time. Incorporated as a C-corp or LLC.
• High-impact invention: Innovation has a clear positive impact, solves a real problem felt by customers, and has a compelling value proposition.
• Early market validation: Validated customer segments and initial evidence of product-market fit. Articulation of economic value proposition and evidence of customer buy-in.
• Intellectual property: Provisional patent(s) filed and assigned to the company, or evidence of a clear pathway to the license.
• Beyond proof of concept: Initial prototype developed and pilot studies/field trials underway. Team has received grants to develop the technology or initial prototype.

Questions on whether your company is a fit? Contact Patrick Beattie.

Questions? Email Patrick Beattie.