The Partner in Crime Climate Accelerator

This isn’t your “typical accelerator.”

I’m not here to give generic advice.

We aren’t taking cohorts of 10-50+ companies.

Average and ordinary doesn’t cut it here.

Welcome to a new type of venture acceleration – “The Partner in Crime Program” where we’re here as your hands-on, hardcore hustler/partner in crime, ready to share EVERYTHING we’ve learned when it comes to building & scaling startups, strategy & growth hacking, fundraising, networking and major intros to unlock pilots, customers, investment, grants and more…

Plus of course, we’ll feature you on The Startup Tank 🙂

Powering your Growth

Our main goal with this program is to help you make SERIOUS progress, not just perfecting your pretty pitch deck. And that means growth: it means getting traction, customers, revenue etc… so you can raise your round – or even grow to profitability without needing VC.

That’s why we focus first on business models & growth. Because if you have a business that’s WORKING, raising money is a cakewalk. And that’s my goal for you… That you leave this “program” with pilots, customers and revenue to push forward with the business.

Hence why we’ll be providing you with all the best resources, guides and proven growth hacking strategies and outreach templates (tailored to YOUR business) to help you land 2-5+ landmark clients and/or pilots, build your pipeline and power your growth.

Plus intros to dozens to hundreds of awesome prospective customers 🙂

Because adding 2-5+ big name corporate customers or pilots is the goal of our intense 10 week program.

Raising your REAL Round

We both know the reason you’re considering an accelerator isn’t only business development and sales (although we can/will help MASSIVELY with that and open up my personal network to you), it’s funding and runway. You need cash to keep your business going and growing and scale out your team & ops.

Hence why Part 2: of “The Program” is an immersive deep dive into fundraising, decks and pitching investors. But while “demo day” is the main event, what % of climate companies raise their round right after XYZ accelerator?

From what we’ve seen, the number’s pretty low – even from “bluechip” accelerators. That’s why we shake things up with dozens of warm intros to top investors in our network, features on The Startup Tank and templates and resources to power your investor outreach and raise your round faster.

BONUS: After your “demo day,” 4WARD.VC’s climate syndicate members will have the opportunity to invest into the company as well at whatever terms your lead investor sets.

Additional Grant Funding Firepower

While governments offer BILLIONS in grant funding, knowing about & accessing said grant programs is a nightmare – think hundreds of hours wading through government sites and incentive programs. That’s why we’re here to help, with an entire personalized module and consultation to help you unlock non-dilutive funding to build & scale your climate solution.

Because you shouldn’t have to waste tens of millions in R&D to build your world saving climate tech.

The 10 Week Program

It’s busy. It’s FULL of homework, action items and resources for you. It’s brutal one-on-one strategy/update calls every other week.

Are you sure you’re up to it?

We only take 1-2 new startups per month – only WINNERS, only ones we truly believe we can help. And we give 150% because we’re obsessed with helping great climate companies change the world.

Week 1:

• Program onboarding
• Growth strategy & product focus
• Climate Tech networking

Week 2:

• Systematic biz dev outreach (Email + Linkedin with provided templates)
• Strategic corporate intros
• Personal legal consultation with our legal counsel on DD and IP issues

Week 3:

• Continued outreach/biz dev
• All Things VC Funding: Pitching & Pitch Decks
• Personalized grant strategy session

Week 4:

• Building your fundraising strategy
• Identifying target VCs
• Preparing investor outreach (with provided templates & tricks)

Week 5:

• Continued business development push
• Closing 1st new pilots / customers?
• Building your Financial Growth Models with our Fractional CFO

Week 6:

• Perfecting your Deck
• Practicing your Pitch

Week 7:

• Systematic investor outreach
• Strategic intros to at least 20-50+ Climate VCs
• Pitch Deck Power Up with our in-house designers

Week 8:

• Your feature on The Startup Tank Climate Investor Pitch Show
• Help with your HR and hiring strategy

Week 9:

• Continued fundraising
• Post-fundraise strategy and KPIs to hit
• More introductions to partners, investors & clients
• Pitching 4WARD.VC‘s Syndicate for additional funding

Week 10:

• Hopefully getting several terms sheets and/or in Due Diligence with investors

The Terms

For Seed companies (have a product and raised > $500k): $100k SAFE for 5%

For Pre-Seed companies (raised < $500k): $50k SAFE for 5% 

Plus, ​​4WARD.VC’s syndicate will have the chance to add $100-200k to your round if they choose to participate and you want us in the round 🙂

Why 4WARD.VC?

Because NO ONE works harder or smarter for their companies, no one’s better connected in the climate space and NO ONE wants it more.

We spent the last year building 4WARD.VC up to 190+ LPs and one of the leaders in the climate tech space, launching The Startup Tank into the top climate startup pitch show, connecting with 1000+ climate funds, incubators, accelerators, corporates & CVCs, networking with 3-5k other investors & players in the space – all while being paid ESSENTIALLY nothing other than advisor shares etc…

And we/I did it with one goal in mind: to become the most connected and helpful player in the climate tech space and make everyone else win. Hence why we shared 100s of top companies with fellow investors, built climate VC and climate founder slack communities total 1600+ members and shared our Climate VC database (the result of brute force outreach & networking).

Add to that Matt’s background as a serial entrepreneur with multiple modest ecommerce & media exits and the 100s (probably 1000s depending on how you count) of startups and businesses he’s coached on strategy, growth hacking, product and fundraising, and you can see why EVERYTHING  done has culminated in this “program.”

So, are you ready to become Partners in Crime? Apply now if you’re ready for some intense rocket fuel and aren’t afraid to give 110%.

If you’re a good fit, I’ll let you know and let’s get to work.