StepFWDyourStartup Archives

Unlocking the Next Level: Dive into the “Growth & Funding” Phase of StepFWD Together Accelerator

In the world of startups, acceleration is not just about speed but direction. At StepFWD, we’ve always believed in guiding startups not just to grow fast, but to grow right. With the launch of our StepFWD Together accelerator, we’ve taken this commitment a notch higher. After the whirlwind of the “Learn and Connect” phase, we’re excited to introduce the next chapter: the “Grow” phase. This phase is designed to provide

Why having a diverse team can contribute to a startup’s success

Did you know that companies that are diverse, are 35% more likely to gain higher financial returns according to research made by (McKinsey, 2015)? That’s mainly because having a startup that prioritizes diversity and inclusion leads to increased creativity, improved decision-making, and faster problem-solving. When we’re surrounded by people like us, there’s a tendency for everyone to agree on the same things, or have similar weaknesses and blindspots. A more

Why should you pre-accelerate with StepFWD?

Before diving into what you will actually get by spending your time with us during a couple of intense pre-acceleration weeks, I believe it would be helpful for any founder to have some insights into why are we (still) doing StepFWD! Being honest and straight to the point are 2 things that we value and proactively practice, as they are the fundamental things in working towards achieving our mission. So

How to write an fwd and follow-up email

Connection is vital in the start-up community. As a founder, getting intros is a basic thing, and not to say that maybe it’s a daily activity. More startup teams apply to programs to gain specific contacts and open up discussions with mentors, partners, or clients. Through the Startup Basics, we aim to share what founders learn while going through the StepFWD pre-accelerator. We teach StepFWD teams about the 2 most

StepFWD your Sales

This article is one of the 8-part series of evergreen topics that all startup founders face. It is based on what the mentors actually teach startups during the StepFWD pre-accelerator. Our thanks go to Gv Freeman, Founder Coach & Growth Strategist, for helping founders efficiently sell their products. Sales primer If we assume that we are living in the fantasy world of the “10 easy steps to completely achieve X”,

StepFWD your Fundraising

This article is one of the 8-part series of evergreen topics that all startup founders face. It is based on what the mentors actually teach startups during the StepFWD pre-accelerator. Our thanks go to Ciprian Borodescu, Head of Algolia (AI R&D) Romania, for helping founders efficiently raise their next investment round. Fundraising primer Before starting to think about getting an investment, you need to first decide why you want to

StepFWD your Product Development

This article is one of the 8-part series of evergreen topics that all startup founders face. It is based on what the mentors actually teach startups during the StepFWD pre-accelerator. Our thanks go to Monica Obogeanu, Startup Programs Manager at Orange, and, Alexandra Anghel, Director of AI Engineering at Algolia, for helping founders efficiently develop their product. Product development primer Product development, in general, is closely linked to customer development,

StepFWD your Product Marketing

This article is one of the 8-part series of evergreen topics that all startup founders face. It is based on what the mentors actually teach startups during the StepFWD pre-accelerator. Our thanks go to Andra Zaharia, Content marketer for cybersecurity companies, and Irina Scarlat, Builder on leave, Uber & Revolut Alumna, for helping founders efficiently market their startup. Product marketing primer Before we start talking about why product marketing is

StepFWD your Business Model

This article is part of the 8-part series of evergreen topics that all startup founders are confronted with. It is based on what the mentors actually teach startups during the StepFWD pre-accelerator. Our thanks go to Mircea Vadan, Managing Partner at Activize and board member at Cluj Startups, Spherik, T.A.N., and FreshBlood, for helping founders choose their pricing and monetization strategy! Let’s begin The business model depends on the focus

StepFWD your Customer Development

This article is part of the 8-part series of evergreen topics that all startup founders are confronted with. It is based on what the mentors actually teach startups during the StepFWD pre-accelerator. Our thanks go to Letitia Stefan CEO at Nifty Learning & Raluca Apostol CPO at Nestor, for helping founders be prepared to talk to their customers! Let’s begin The best founders maintain a direct relationship with their customers,

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