What we are looking for?

Through the application, we want to understand the following aspects: 1) your personal background, 2) what you are building, and 3) what are the objectives that you are striving to achieve during the three months in the SF Bay Area.

The program revolves around the objectives of the participant for the program. Our program provides value for startup teams at two different stages: 1) idea validation and 2) go-to-market/expansion stage. The objectives for the program could be related to the following:

Idea Validation

  • Validating your business idea
  • Doing user testing
  • Finding co-founders
  • Gaining new perspectives and inspirations

Go-to-market

  • Doing go-to-market strategy
  • Expand to the US market
  • Raising capital
  • Recruiting

Qualities we are looking for

  • Driven

    You are goal-oriented - as you set objectives for yourself, you put 100% focus on achieving them.

  • Curious

    You are always ready to learn new things and interested in knowing how others perceive the world.

  • Entrepreneurial

    You are an aspiring entrepreneur or an entrepreneur with a well communicated agenda to be realized in Silicon Valley.

  • Bold

    You believe in your ideas and are not afraid of standing out.

The application criteria

You are eligible to apply to the program if the following points check out:

  • You are 1-2 people team representing a startup or looking to found one (Note! If you’re applying with a two people team, each team member needs to submit an application for the program separately)
  • You have well-outlined objectives and a plan for the program. Guidelines for drafting plan as well as an example plan can be found from here
  • At least one of your team members are either 1) Finnish or 2) live in Finland
  • Everyone in your team is over 18 years old
  • You are able to pay for your own flights, and pay for your living costs during the program which are estimated to be c. 800-1200€/month per participant (meaning food, public transportation, etc.)
  • You are able to either 1) apply for an ESTA or 2) have an existing visa to the US (e.g., B-1/B-2 visitor visa) for the duration of the program

Application and program schedule

Schedule for the F24 Program

Application Process

  • Application period
    13.5.-16.6.2024
  • Selection for interviews
    17.6 - 24.6.2024
  • Interviews
    25.6-28.6.2024
  • Final Selection
    30.6.2024

Program

  • Orientation
    19.8 - 5.9.2024
  • Program
    6.9.-6.12.2024