What does the selection panel look for in a company?
The HarvardAE Accelerator selection panel is looking for companies with the highest potential for success and impact. They will be looking for companies with a compelling value proposition, with a strong team that has a proven track record and good initial traction, in a sector or geography where the company has a unique advantage.
Does the Accelerator take equity or provide funding?
No. The HarvardAE Accelerator is a zero-equity accelerator and does not offer any investment or funding. Participation in the Accelerator, however, should give you access to a global network of valuable connections, including exposure to the venture investor community.
Does the Accelerator accept companies that are competitive with each other?
The HarvardAE Accelerator is an industry agnostic program, supporting companies across all industries. Our selection panel selects companies with the highest-potential – regardless of whether companies are in direct or indirect competition with each other. If there is any concern about competitor overlap, we will discuss that with the relevant participants prior to the final selection.
Do I have to be a member of Harvard Alumni Entrepreneurs to apply?
Yes. Founders must be members of Harvard Alumni Entrepreneurs. Go to harvardae.org/join to become a member.
How much does the HarvardAE Accelerator cost?
There is no fee to participate in the Accelerator, nor equity stake taken. The HarvardAE Accelerator is a zero-equity accelerator.
Is the accelerators virtual?
The HarvardAE Accelerator is a completely virtual experience.
What do I need to complete the application?
A completed application. Submitting a pitch deck is not required but will help us get a better understanding of your startup and how we can provide you with the proper support.
What are the other criteria for selection and participation?
Expectations for engagement and eligibility criteria are as follows:
At least one founder with a Harvard degree and who is working full-time at the company.
Companies must have a CEO and at least one other founder fluent in English.
Companies must commit to having the CEO participate in all workshops, plus at least one other senior team member, who can vary based on the module and workshop session.
Attendance at the virtual onboarding session
What kind of schedule can I expect?
Our program is built on 4 key themes to help founders drive their companies to the next level: goal setting, module learning, access to curated mentors, and support from a peer network.
Each module’s workshops will be scheduled on pre-identified days using Eastern Daylight Time (Tuesdays 10am - 1pm ET and Thursdays from 11am - 2pm ET). In addition, sessions will be recorded and available on-demand. Teams will work with their mentors and working groups according to the group’s schedule and availability.
What is your policy on intellectual property protection?
Protection of intellectual property rights (ex. patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, etc.) of your concept is your responsibility. If you have an idea or product that you might want to patent, we strongly recommend speaking to a lawyer before submitting information about this idea to the HarvardAE Accelerator.
The information included in your application will be shared with the set of expert judges reviewing your application. Please note that these judges do NOT sign Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs). Therefore, you should not include any information in your application that you feel could be harmful to your company should that information be disclosed.
Note that applying to the HarvardAE Accelerator is very similar to presenting your idea to potential investors. Very few investors (VCs or "angel investors") will agree to sign an NDA before even hearing your initial pitch. It is up to you to determine the right balance between sharing enough information to get people interested and to give you credibility - and sharing information that could potentially be damaging to your company if it were to be disclosed.
