GRUNNSTEIN
ITSA is a 3 month intensive business development program built to
get startups accelerated, tested in the market, and launched
forward with investment.
Batch #5 was running from Nov. 15th 2018 to Feb. 15th 2019
NEXT PROGRAM TBA.
WE FOCUS ON THREE VERTICALS:
ENERGY
HEALTH
SMART TECHNOLOGY
Early-stage Companies
We focus on providing vital resoursses for early-stage startups. We believe in MVP, testing, pivoting, meeting your customer early-on and building the foundation of a solid business case.
People
We focus on teams and people and we know by experience that the human factor is vital for building a new business. Whether you are still in the idea phase ore testing a product, we can help define, pivot and grow your startup into the foundations of a future business.
Our Definition of Technology
Technology is all around us and a vital part of almost any product we make or use in our daily life .
Hands-On Lectures and Workshops
We believe in teaching, guiding and in sharing of experience and best practise. We bring in partners, serial entrepreneurs, and speakers to give you the foundational concepts of building a business. This gives you the basic understanding of what to focus on and what to take action on in the early stages of a business.
The program has three steps:
1. Startup Fundamentals
Milestone 1: Establish your WHY and get your digital and Social presence up and running.
What’s your story? Who are you? What do you do? Why do you do it? And how do you create value? We help you understand your startup so you have a solid foundation for further development.
2. MVP Development and Testing
Milestone 2: MVP, Understand your customer, make a business model.
Create your MVP. Reach out to customers and partners. Pivot your MVP. Try again. Test your product. Understand and analyze your market. Build your business model.
3. Present your case & meet Investor partners
Milestone 3: The 5 minute company presentation
We will spend the final phase getting your message aligned with the essence of your business and into a compact investor presentation.
Companies meet, present and get feedback from investors, partners, and technology service-companies to help atune businnes development in the right direction.
Our Tool: Intense work and clear focus on the key issues necessary to build a Startup. Here presented in the ITSA Chart:
How it works:
The ITSA Chart represents the key issues a startup needs to understand and develop to make a solid foundation for growth.
The workshops, lectures, homework and partner meetings is build around the different issues in the chart.
During the program we challenge and expect the companies to take a deep dive into each topic, test business hypothesis in the marked, and get a solid answer to each part of the chart.
Each week companies pitch the status of last weeks work in plenum for feedback.
At the end of the program companies are ready to give a early-phase investor presentation based on 12 weeks of hard work.
FOR APPLICANTS
1. Team
The startup teams should have a minimum of two members and a outspoken will and passion to succeed and work hard.
2. Registered Companies
Teams must have a registered company or plan to register one during the program. ITSA is a early stage program and your company should be in the early stage prosess of development.
3. What businesses are we looking for?
Energy, Renewables and Health related ideas, products and services. We also have a burning heart for businesses driven on Passion.
4. Age of company
Companies should not be older than three years old.
5. Duration of program
In the program we meet up for 1 to 2 full days a week for company presentations, mentoring, lectures, workshops and networking. The program lasts for 12 weeks and is executed in daytime. ITSA Days start at 08.30 in the morning.
6. Marked potential
Startups should developing solutions and services with global marked potential.
7. UN sustainability Goals
Startups should have solutions and servises that cover at least three of the UN Sustainability Goals
ITSA was proudly selected as finalist to Nordic Startup Awards in 2017 and 2018 in the category "Best Accelerator".
8. Participant fee
ITSA has a fee of 20 000 NOK pr. company. Students and R&D based companies can apply to the Plogen program to get the fee funded.
9. 10 – 12 companies enter the program
We invite a selection of the applying companies to present for the ITSA/Validé team with guests. Validé selects between 10 and 12 companies based on the presentation, that will be invited to enter the full program.
10. What do we expect?
As a ITSA company we expect teams to prepare well and meet for every ITSA day and collaborate in building a happy environment for sharing & learning & doing.
11. Demo Day & Investment offer from Validé
Validé offers up to a total of 500 000 NOK in investments for 1 - 3 companies pr. program. At the finalpresentation on Demo Day, a jury will select the companies that gets an offer of investment from Validé.
12. Partners
ITSA is connected to a selection of program partners, public partners, investor- and community partners. Partners bring vital resources to the program and they will be present on allocated ITSA days.
13. Location
Validé and ITSA is located at Innovation Park Stavanger, Norway, the regions largest startup community.
WHAT PEOPLE SAY
Kristoffer Kingsrød, CEO VOED
Fantastic. Great team, great partners and great offices.
Flavie Gohin, CEO Fishency
Great program, great people, great partners. You will learn how to pitch, you will refine your business model, you will share with other teams and you will increase your network. you will enjoy it!
Terje Hauan
If you have a good idea, this might be one of the better ways to get it forward!