TBF Entrepreneurial Bootcamp

In collaboration between the Boston Foundation and MassChallenge Boston, the Boston Foundation Bootcamp will bring together 8-16 top entrepreneurs with early-stage startup businesses in the Boston region for a condensed version of the MassChallenge Startup Accelerator. For 4 consecutive Friday afternoons, participating entrepreneurs will be welcomed into the MassChallenge space and gain access to valuable resources, including: world-class mentorship, invaluable network connections, free access to R&D space and curriculum sessions delivered by industry experts to help shape and grow their businesses.

New Program Features

To ensure that startups across a wide range of industries receive the resources and guidance necessary to help launch them into success, MassChallenge and TBF will be rolling out several new features for the 2018 TBF Bootcamp program, including:

• Increased Access to Mentorship: 2018 TBF Bootcamp startups will be paired with one of MassChallenge’s many world-class mentors. For 1-2 hours each week, startups will meet with their mentors who will help guide their businesses and provide invaluable industry expertise.
  
  
• Challenge-Based Problem Solving: Startups will come prepared to each Bootcamp Session with identifiable challenges that they are facing in the areas of Product Development, Sales & Marketing, Fundraising and Pitching. Each challenge will be addressed by peer entrepreneurs and experts to help startups improve and grow in each challenge area.
  
  
• Curriculum Sessions with Tangible Results: Participating TBF Bootcamp Startups won’t just be sitting in a room with speakers and listening, they’ll be doing. Each TBF Bootcamp day in 2018 will begin with brief curriculum content that will be complimented by a full day of creating tangible results.

Participating Startups Will Receive

MENTORSHIP

After determining the specific needs and goals each TBF Bootcamp startup provides, MassChallenge will make curated connections to mentors that have invaluable expertise to offer early stage companies.  MassChallenge’s pool of mentors are world class and highly experienced, each one devoted to helping his or her mentee companies grow and succeed.

SKILL BUILDING & BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

The four TBF Bootcamp days will each be dedicated to providing guidance surrounding startup-specific focus areas: Product Development, Sales & Marketing, Fundraising and Pitching. At the start of each Bootcamp day, startups will receive insight and guidance on each of these subject matters, followed by several hours devoted to creating tangible takeaways in each of the focus areas.

OFFICE SPACE

MassChallenge has 35,000 square feet of innovative Office Space which all participating TBF Bootcamp startups are granted access to. In addition to plenty of desk space, Startups will also be able to utilize our state of the art MADE@MassChallenge Hardware research and development Lab.

PITCH PRACTICE: TBF PITCH COMPETITION

After 3 intensive days of curriculum, workshops and mentor sessions, startups will participate in a pitch competition. Over the course of one day, each participating startup will have the option to pitch in front of a panel of 3-4 Judges. The startups that are determined to be the most high-impact after giving their pitch will ultimately win the pitch competition and be a recipient of a 2018 MassChallenge Fast Track spot. 

FAST TRACK: MASSCHALLENGE ROUND 2 JUDGING

Winners of the TBF Bootcamp Pitch Competition will have an opportunity to bypass the first round of judging for the MassChallenge accelerator. Automatically eligible for in-person pitching during round two, the winner will be one step closer to potentially joining the 2018 MassChallenge Boston cohort. If selected, they will have unrivaled access to top corporates, expert mentorship, free office space, and a global network of resources and support -- all at zero cost and for zero equity. At the culmination of the four-month program, which runs from June through October, top startups compete for shares of up to  1.5M in cash prizes.

Download the Boston Foundation Bootcamp brochure.

Applications must be submitted before Monday, February 26, 2018 at 12:00 noon.