Catalyzer- Putting Your Startup Idea on the Fast Track!

Getting excited about an idea is easy, getting started in the right direction, however, is not. Before the product even begins to take shape, rigorous research, planning, team-building and mentoring is required to assess the viability of the idea and to ascertain whether investors would even be interested.

But do not let these roadblocks deter you from dreaming about your startup- says Catalyzer, a Hyderabad-based startup accelerator and community. Committed to taking exciting ideas forward, Catalyzer provides young entrepreneurs with everything they need and then some. If you have a promising vision, you could get in touch with Catalyzer and apply to their “Startup 101” program. Just as the name suggests, it’s a mentorship-driven, customised program spanning 101 days. Every year, a maximum of twelve teams are selected which are then required to move to Hyderabad for the duration of the program. Activities kick off with an assessment of the requirements for each idea, following which, a mentor suitable to the vision and proper amenities are provided to the teams.

Keeping diversity and a holistic contribution to society in view, startup ideas are chosen from a variety of fields such as Enterprise Software, Mobile Applications, Software as Services, Web Applications, Education, Environment, Media, Finance, Healthcare and so on. Making sure that leadership talent is available across these diverse fields, Catalyzer boasts of a large network of mentors specialising in a wide range of activities. Apart from mentorship, every team is offered legal and financial advise to help them identify related loopholes in their vision. Keeping the importance of data driven analysis in mind, Catalyzer makes entrepreneurs aware of analytics and how to gather them.

In case an idea receives investment, the company needs to quickly identify its market, get acquainted with the processes of reaching out to customers and evolve its product development cycle. As an organisation, it’s also imperative that a proper process is set up and roadmaps planned as to how the startup could evolve to the next level. Catalyzer stands by their teams in each of these areas and trains them on appropriate methods and practices. Among the amenities, teams get their own working area (provision of private offices is also available if necessary), conference rooms, internet facilities, access to cloud storage, Amazon web facilities and licenses to a host of software products per requirement.

At the end of 101 days, teams are expected to have come up with a strong pitch featuring portfolios, prototypes and roadmaps. Catalyzer then arranges for investors to visit and have the teams demo their ideas. They also organise roadshows for startups in major metros to showcase their work and attract investment. Even after the program, startups continue to be a part of Catalyzer startup committee and receive guidance and support from mentors and executives.

The program is conducted in two phases (termed as “cohorts” by Catalyzer) of 101 days every year. Depending upon how well-defined and comprehensive the idea is, teams are advised on which cohort to join. So in case your idea is still a work in progress and you think you need additional time before getting started, there’s always the option of joining a later cohort. Also, for those in need of more information and guidance in developing ideas, there’s Catalyzer’s 15 day startup program termed “Startup 15” which aims to provide a better understanding about new business proposals to the aspirants.

If you feel you are ready to take your idea to the next level and start working with experts to get going, Catalyzer might just be the option you are searching for. Submit your idea to them and prepare to step into those entrepreneurial shoes.

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