Beta Silicon Valley:
#1 In-Person Pre-Acceleration Program
Immerse Yourself in the Heart of Innovation
Gain immediate access to the resources, networks, and mentorship that have built Silicon Valley into the world’s leading startup ecosystem.
About the Program
Beta Silicon Valley is an intensive 8-week pre-acceleration experience for founders who can be physically present in the Bay Area. This program offers direct exposure to Silicon Valley’s top minds, venture capitalists, and innovative founders. By immersing yourself in this vibrant ecosystem, you’ll gain the insights, connections, and confidence needed to propel your startup to new heights.
Applications for Cohort 9 are open until June 6, 2025, aiming to start on June 23, 2025. We will admit founders on a rolling basis. Prospective candidates are encouraged to submit their applications at the earliest opportunity.
Program Schedule
In 8 weeks, you will learn essential knowledge as a founder, including how to build and continuously iterate an MVP, design business models, find and validate markets, and enhance pitch skills, among other topics.
Every week, our advisors, including those who have participated in YC and other top-tier accelerator programs, will share their insights based on the weekly topics, providing comprehensive entrepreneurial analysis from the perspectives of investors and successful entrepreneurs.
Week 1
Validation
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Define the Problem
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Conduct Customer Research
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Draft Initial Solution
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Create Problem-Solution Fit Document
Week 5
Scale Up
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Refine Your Pitch
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Practice Pitching (Live Sessions)
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Build Your Narrative
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Start Pitch Deck Creation
Week 2
Market Fit
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Perform Market Analysis
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Build Customer Profiles
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Map Customer Journey
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Develop Product-Market Fit Hypothesis
Week 6
Pitch Deck
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Learn Legal Basics for Startups
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Map Out Growth & Development Roadmap
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Finalize Your Pitch Deck
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Plan Strategic Next Steps
Week 3
Business Models
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Test Revenue Model
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Build & Develop MVP
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Track Early Traction Metrics
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Conduct Early Revenue Testing
Week 7
Investor Relations
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Identify Ideal Investors
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Understand Investor Expectations
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Build a Data Room
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Plan Investor Outreach Strategy
Week 4
GTM (Go-to-Market)
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Outline GTM Strategy
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Identify Customer Acquisition Channels
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Build Network for Growth
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Launch & Test MVP
Week 8
Fundraising
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Set Fundraising Goals & Timeline
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Create a Fundraising Strategy
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Practice Investor Pitches
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Wrap-Up: Demo Day / Internal Pitch
Beta University Alumni Testimonials
Learn from the Best
Beta University is dedicated to providing comprehensive entrepreneurial guides and quality resources for early-stage entrepreneurs in North America. Beta's ecosystem contains over 80 experienced adviors from different sectors.
Timothy Chen
General Partner at Essence VC
Shyam Mani
Principal at AIX Venture
Nik Milanović
General Partner at The Fintech Fund
Brad Schnitzer
Investment Director, North America at Techstars
And more
...
Kenneth Stanley
Research Science Manager @OpenAI
Megan Ruan
Co-General Partner at Gold House Ventures
Brandon Farwell
General Partner at Xfund
Brooks Hosfield
Partner at SciFi VC
Alumni Stories
To date, Beta has successfully assisted over 50 teams in entering top-tier incubators such as Y Combinator, Techstars, 500 Global, etc. Some outstanding projects include:
Members.Land
Backed by Y Combinator
Nexad
Backed by A16Z, Point72 Ventures
AdsGency
Backed by HF0, Techstars
Brewit
Backed by Y Combinator
Suger.io
Backed by Y Combinator
Dream Voyage
Backed by A16Z
Awear
Backed by Techstars, Hustle Fund
Generation Lab
Backed by Sequoia Capital
Epal
Backed by A16Z
Kokolu
Backed by UpHonest Capital
Openmart
Backed by Y Combinator, Afore Capital
Final Round AI
Backed by Uncork Capital, Alumni Ventures
SCAM AI
Backed by Berkeley SkyDeck
Safebase
Backed by NEA, Y Combinator
Acquired by Drata for $250M
Tutti
Backed by Berkeley SkyDeck
MathGPT
Backed by Berkeley SkyDeck
Our Companies Raised From
We will organize events in collaboration with our partner investors to give founders valuable exposure and opportunities to start building their networks. We highly encourage you to take advantage of these events by registering early to secure your spot. It's a great way to connect with potential investors and expand your entrepreneurial journey.
Ecosystem Partner
We've teamed up with top service providers in the startup ecosystem, empowering founders with essential resources for success. This alliance streamlines operations, allowing entrepreneurs to channel their energies towards innovation and growth.
Q & A
Q1
Who can apply?
We encourage anyone interested in entrepreneurship and eager to explore the startup ecosystem to apply! Whether you’re at the idea stage, developing an MVP, or preparing for seed funding, this program is open to founders at every stage who want to turn their vision into reality.
Q3
Is Beta University in-person or remote?
The program is remote, all live sessions are on Zoom. However, there is an in-person kickoff at the start of each cohort in Palo Alto.
Q2
What is the application process? When will I hear from you?
You can apply by clicking the button below. Successful applicants will receive an email invitation to complete the registration.
If you are not accepted - please stay connected with us on social media and apply again for the next cohort!
Q4
Does Beta invest in companies participating in the program?
Yes, Beta invests in select companies from the program with a check size of $150,000.
Is Beta University in-person or remote?
The program is entirely remote, with all live sessions conducted via Zoom. However, we organize in-person events in the Bay Area that we encourage you to attend.
Q5
Do you invest in specific sectors?
No, we are sector-agnostic and welcome startups from all industries.