Pre-Seed Incubator

Building the next generation of ConstructionTech and PropTech startups.  Now accepting applications for our Fall 2023 Cohort.

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Why Join?

Education

Hone in on product market fit and refine your business, strategy, and customer and investor pitch through our weekly workshops.

Exposure

Get introduced to our network of strategic partners (some of the largest AEC and CRE firms in the world).

Mentorship

Receive advice and guidance from executives at the largest and most influential firms in the industry.

Two people in a casual setting with a tablet.
PARTICIPANTS

Who Should Apply?

We are looking for the next generation of ConstructionTech and PropTech startups to join our Fall 2023 cohort.  You'd be a great fit if you are:

A product based startup (no services companies)
Solving a hard technical problem in AEC or CRE
Pre-Seed stage
Have a full team (technical co-founder)
Able to dedicate at least 20 hours/week over the 6 week program
Fall 2023

Cohort Schedule

FAQ

Still undecided? Common questions to help your decision

Do I have to attend in person or is the programming virtual?

We will hold a kick off in Atlanta, GA on September 15 and we strongly encourage you to attend in person, however, a virtual option will be provided. Additional weekly sessions will be virtual except for the demo day which is a mandatory in-person pitch to our audience at Shadow Summit in Atlanta, GA on October 25-26.

Is there an investment component to the program?

No.  Our incubator does not provide any investment or capital and we do not take warrants or equity for your participation.

Do I have to pay to participate?

No.  The program is entirely free to accepted startups.  

Will you reimburse our company for travel costs?

No.  The program is free and we do not take equity so we do expect you to pay for your own travel expenses to the in-person events (kickoff and demo day) and any travel you incur related to customer discovery or visiting customers.

What can I do to increase my chances of being admitted?

Acceptance is very competitive as we typically receive 100+ applications for a cohort and accept only 10 teams.  To increase your chances, please be sure to answer the application questions thoroughly and thoughtfully.  In addition, we tend to favor startups solving the hardest technical challenges in the industry (e.g. not marketplaces or tech-lite solutions) who have strong technical talent on the founding team.

What time commitment is involved?

We hold weekly programming (3-4 hours on Friday afternoons) throughout the 6-week program.  The rest of the time you are expected to "get out of the building" and spend roughly 15 (or more) hours per week talking to customers and refining your business, strategy, and messaging. Our team also holds office hours and you are expected to meet with your mentors 1-2 hours per week. Program participants must fully participate in the program and need not apply if the above requirements (at a minimum) cannot be met.

What will I learn?

Weekly classes will cover various topics relevant to building a pre-seed startup, including: customer discovery (how to do it properly), industry strategy, refining your value proposition, pricing, technology, customer pitching, and how to talk to investors. This will be a highly interactive program with customer discovery as the core focus: you must be willing to engage in 50-100 customer conversations over the life of the program.

I want to be a mentor, how can I help?

Mentorship is typically reserved for those companies which Shadow Partners has an existing relationship with, however, feel free to contact us to discuss your interest.

Our Strategic Partners

Schneider Electric logo
National Institute of Building Sciences logo
Shadow Ventures logo

Now Accepting Applications!

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