Advice from Alumni

Read a few snippets of advice from founders from our last batch!

• You get out of it what you put into it.

• Get organized in advance for expo and summit.

• Connect with the other startups/founders right away early in the program.

• Make the best out of the advisor and corporate partners to get their advice on roadmap / technical roadblocks. I would advise companies not to expect a contract immediately from the corporate partners (having been on the other side of this, it can be pretty challenging).

• Prioritise it. :-)

• Prepare for the opportunity to speak with your ideal customers and bring your "A game."

• Expect corporate interactions / deals to take double to triple the length of time you think they will take.

• Meet 1:1 with some of the other startups. It will really help you build long term relationships.

• Jump in with both feet and determine which resources are the most useful for your stage of development and stick with the program.

• Focus on the workshops; they allow you to sharpen your soft skills.

• I would advise future startups to try to tailor the trainings and sessions to the specific needs of their company as much as possible.

• Make sure you have the ability to dedicate enough time + travel for the program... (I think not doing sowas a mistake we made.)

• Make the most of the mentor connections, it will take time to identify connections you might want from PNP so be prepared for that.

• 1) Organize your needs/wants: Think about what you want to get out of the program from networking, mentors, investors; 2) Get clarity around the program by reaching out to the organizers to get a good feel then prioritize your needs vs. the schedule and how you can capture the most. 3) Be proactive: Ask questions from the team leaders to connect you to those available resources to meet your needs.

• Understand that corporate partners move very slowly. Ask for as much help and as many connections as you can.

• Get your 4-minute pitch recorded and uploaded to Youtube or another site so your intros to mentors can simply be sending them that video with a 1-sentence description.

• It goes by quickly so try to attend everything you can!

• Lean in if you can--and definitely utilize time with the mentors as your schedule allows. They are one of the many things that make this program exceptional.

• Spend the time to do the homework. It pays off. Attend as many pitch practices as you can!

• Be open-minded and try to attend as much as possible.

• Go to Topeka [for the Agtech / Animal Health Expo]!

• Take your time and make the most of this unique opportunity. There are many exciting experiences to gather.