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 🙂
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.
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.
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.
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:
Week 2:
Week 3:
Week 4:
Week 5:
Week 6:
Week 7:
Week 8:
Week 9:
Week 10:
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 🙂
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.
Ventures: Lufthansa Innovation Hub
Travel, Aerospace, Transportation
ex-Managing Director: Carbon13
Alternative Proteins, Renewable Energy, Deeptech
Program Director: New Energy Nexus, SE Asia Lead: Third Derivative
Energy & Cleantech, SE Asia Markets
General Partner: Nomea VC
Batteries, Material Science, Climate Adaptation
Head of Partnerships: Honda Research Institute Europe
Mobility, Automotive, Energy, Transit
Partner: IndieBio, SOSV
Biotech, Foodtech, Agtech
Partner: Kompas VC
Proptech, Construction Tech, Built World
Climate Lead, Venture Manager: CDL – Oxford
Ecosystem, Policy, University & Corporate Connections
Program Manager: Big Idea Ventures
Foodtech, Alt Proteins, Fermentation
Partner: Climate Capital
Deeptech, Cleantech
Sustainable Food Lead: MassChallenge Switzerland
Food & Ag, Biotech, CPG
Exec Director: Caravel Holdings
General Partner: Aera VC
Martime, Shipping & Logistics, Clean Energy
Lead: Human Genome Project
Prof: Harvard & MIT
Synthetic Biology, Biotech, University Commercialization
Fintech Investor: NewAlpha
Fintech, Insurtech, Climate Finance
Partner: Diaspora Ventures
ex Partner & Lead: 500 Starups
Fintech, Mobile, SaaS, IoT
Portfolio Director: Unreasonable Group
Impact Reporting, LP Management, Diversity & Inclusion
Founding Partner: SOSV & Orbit Startups
Mobile, Developing Markets
Green Real Estate Developer
ex-U.S. Green Building Council
Real Estate, Construction, Green Infrastructure, Govt Relations
Partner: Labs/02, OurCrowd
Business Development, Israeli Innovation Ecosystem
Founder & CEO: Enduring Planet
Finance, Banking, Energy
Partner: At One Ventures
Climate Deeptech
Senior Managing Director: gener8tor
Sustainability, Growth, Corporate Relations
Head of Eagle Labs: Barclays
Finance, Banking, Fintech, Climate Risk
Senior Zero Carbon Engineer: Philip Morris International
Energy, Decarbonization, Hydrogen, Circularity
Head of Accelerator: Tech2Impact
Climate Ecosystem, Community, Broad Climate Tech
Investor: Shell Ventures
Oil & Gas, Energy, Infrastructure
General Partner: Climentum Capital
Materials, Energy, Transit
Investor: Porsche Ventures
Automotive, Energy, E-Fuels, Mobility
Innovation Lead: Unilever Foundry
Food and Ag, Personal Care, CPG, Supply Chains
Investor: JetBlue Ventures
Aerospace, Transportation, Space
Investor: Döhler Ventures
Food & Beverage, Foodtech, Biotech
Investment Director: TDK Ventures
Advanced Materials & Biomaterials
Sustainability Program Manager: DSG
Building & Construction Materials, Waste Mgmt
Partner: Kickstart Innovation
Acceleration, Corporates, Partnerships
Innovation Portfolio Director at Johnson Matthey
Energy, Chemicals, E-Fuels, Fuel Cells, Transportation
Global VP of Environmental Div: Hitachi
Renewables, Mobility, Manufacturing
Investor: Stihl Digital
Forestry, Construction, Agtech
Investment Director: Yara Growth
Foodtech, Agtech, Biotech
GM: Constructive Venture Fund: Verve Ventures
Construction, Proptech, Materials, Built World
Innovation: Fidelity Strategic Ventures
Fintech, Insurtech, Finance, Banking
Of course not!
Startups should NEVER pay to be part of accelerators or incubators
We give you cash, not the other way around 🙂
If you read the details above and know Matt and 4WARD.VC, you already know the answer. You won’t be part of some nameless, faceless cohort – we’ll be down & dirty partners in crime, leveraging my network, systems and hustle to help you power your business forward.
It’ll be intense, but it will be worth it!
No,
If I/we don’t bring 10-100x the value of a measly 5% of your company, we’re doing something wrong. Between clients, investors, grant funding and scaleable growth, we plan to 2-4x your valuation within 10 weeks – no scammy Google/FB ads to “fake” your J-curve growth necessary!
For seed stage companies, we invest $100k for 5%.
For pre-seed, we do $50k for 5%.
And after the program, we open the round to our syndicate as well which can add anywhere from $50-500k, depending on LP interest.
Of course!
You will get your chance once you’ve finished the program and are ready for primetime.
Next to helping you get 2-3 new clients and/or pilots during the program, helping you with fundraising is the point 🙂
Our goal’s to help you raise your round within 2-3 months of completing the program and we introduce you to 20-40 targeted investors (and CVCs) in our network to get you in the door and get great co-investors onboard.
Yes, we will definitely try. That’s part of the program as well, equipping you with the help, resources and programs you need to non-dilutively fund your company and drive your business.
Currently, we aren’t a fund…
But that may or may not be very likely to change… in which case, it only makes sense for an accelerator to invest in the round and do follow-on checks as well. Not that we are officially a fund or that we’re promising anything, but hopefully you catch my drift 🙂
Currently, we aren’t a fund… But that may or may not be very likely to change.
If you are interested in learning more about our Partner in Crime Accelerator, please send me an email