Pre-Catapult Program

Candidate startups can be pre-seed, seed or Series A stage companies, ranging from:

• Pre-revenue, pre-MVP founders with extraordinarily relevant industry experience
• Live MVP, early revenue stage founders with encouraging validation metrics
• Later stage founders with established businesses they believe can hit venture scale growth, but need help pivoting their business model, augmenting management, etc., to get there

To qualify, your startup must be venture-scale capable. Before applying, we recommend reviewing our article on How to Know if Your Startup Concept is Venture-Scale, or better yet, taking our monthly workshop on Is My Startup Venture Fundable? 

During this Pre-Catapult Program you will:

• Complete a structured planning framework covering key investor criteria (market size, model, traction, team, and defensibility)
• Join a Mini-Conclave. Upon approval, we will schedule you for a 2-hour strategy session with a select panel of 4-6 mentors and members of the Venture Mechanics leadership team. This session is designed to simulate investor scrutiny with thoughtful questions, candid feedback, and tactical guidance
• Receive a Clear Outcome and Actionable Feedback. Following your Mini-Conclave, you’ll arrive at one of three outcomes, each accompanied by specific, personalized feedback to help you move forward:‍
  
  • Accepted into Catapult: If your model, team, and traction demonstrate venture-readiness, you’ll be invited to join the Catapult Accelerator and begin working with your full mentor group.‍
  • Conditional Acceptance: You’ll receive a clear list of action items, such as expanding your customer discovery process, deepening your understanding of the competition, resolving regulatory questions, refining or pivoting your revenue model, or leaving your day job, that must be completed before you can be accepted into Catapult.‍
  • Not Accepted at This Time: If your startup isn’t currently a fit for venture funding or the Catapult program, you’ll receive detailed guidance on why, and what steps to consider next, whether that’s pivoting your model, getting more experienced co-founders on board, or applying again in the future.

Click below to apply, complete the form, and upload your investor deck.  Our team will review your materials to assess venture-scale potential.

• If you’re not yet ready, we may recommend educational programs or resources to help refine your model.
• If you are a fit, you’ll be invited to move forward into the Pre-Catapult Program.
• In select cases, startups with strong traction, super-experienced founders, and clear fundability may be invited directly into the Catapult Accelerator.

Participation in the Pre-Catapult Program requires a $500 fee, payable only if approved to proceed. If you move forward into the Catapult Program, this $500 will be credited towards that program fee.