This means you must have three things:

• Proper strategic planning frameworks in place to make sound business decisions to drive revenue growth;
• A robust financial management system needed to evaluate if those decisions produce the expected financial results, how to best respond to market feedback as well as to manage costs and cash flow; and
• An effective fundraising strategy to meet any financing needs not covered by available liquidity.

In our program, we achieve all three objectives so that all businesses who participate can PowerUp to the next level in their evolution.

Below are the main challenges we address:

Strategic planning and Sales

• How to develop objectives, key results, and key performance metrics near and long-term;
• How to scale and grow your company with limited capital or overcome stagnant revenue growth;
• How to choose the right team without the ability to pay market rate for talent;
• How to efficiently allocate your time between fund raising, business development and managing people.

Finance

• How to select and set up financial systems and processes so that you have the right information to drive your business forward;
• How to determine the key drivers of your business;
• How to set the right financial goals and understand the implications on profitability and cash flow;
• How to select the revenue model; cost structure, and financing method that best fits to your needs;
• How to create a new financial plan given new economic realities, even without much financial history.

Fundraising

• How to avoid falling into the trap of changing your business plan to fit investors;
• How to plan future fundraising rounds;
• How to create and manage the Board of Directors and effectively communicate with existing investors;
• How to choose between equity, debt, SAFE, and convertible debt, and get a fair deal.

What makes our bootcamp unique:

Our bootcamp is oriented at companies that are generating revenues to help them scale.

27 hours evenly split between targeted practical training and one-on-one coaching.

We establish a direct link between planning and execution and show you how to use our frameworks to supercharge your company growth.

Focus on our mindset and how it affects how we make business decisions.

Unlike most accelerators which don’t focus enough on finance and strategy, these two subjects are the cornerstone of what we teach.

Practical modules cover the essentials of running a successful business and individually tailored one-on-one sessions empower founders to put advice immediately into practice.

Every company will get two subject matter experts: in strategy and sales. and in finance, to ensure that action plans are based on each company's needs.

We are highly experienced operators who have scaled companies, raised capital, managed teams and created successful exits. Our clients have raised over $75M+ from venture capital.

Our advice comes from experience. We are sought after professionals with active client rosters across a diversity of industries.

We have taught more than 1000 founders and they became successful.

Goals and outcomes:

Strategy and Sales:

• Understand how to ensure that the solutions or product features meet client needs and problems.
• Determine the type of clients who would benefit the most from the solutions and how to best reach them. Founders will no longer target large companies just because they represent the most potential revenue, but otherwise are a poor fit.
• Develop a Go-to-Market plan of action to generate revenue sooner, scale faster and, if relevant, be in a position to maximize valuation before raising equity capital.

Finance and Fundraising:

• Determine which steps to take to properly set up and run the finance function.
• Learn how to create “intelligent” financial plans which show how strategic decisions convert into financial results.
• Understand how to use financial analysis to make better strategic decisions.
• Find out how to effectively communicate to existing investors and create and manage the Board of Directors;
• Plan for future fundraising rounds.
• Know how to evaluate different funding options and negotiate the best possible deal.

Follow up: 2 Years

We will track the company’s performance through a custom-designed dashboard. We will conduct seven quarterly Board-like one-day assessments to review results and determine next steps.

PowerUp Success Factors

Strategy and Sales:

• Each company establishes a business development system to secure only targeted SMB and Mid-Tier client companies in Year One.
• Each company develops a sales process program to generate a 30% annual sales growth.
• Each company generates a job creation factor of 3X.
• PowerUp establishes an international network of resources between company founders, PowerUp ambassadors, VC firms and client companies.

Finance and Fundraising:

• Set up each company to be cash flow positive and break even by 18 months for tech startups or 24-30 months for product startups.
• Each company understands and correctly tracks sources and uses of cash.
• Each company implements a robust financial management cycle and conducts monthly reviews to analyze performance and respond to market feedback.
• Each company has an effective governance policy in place and communicates to its investors on a regular basis.
• Each company creates a fundraising plan to begin raising capital with at least 6 months left in their current runway.

Go to Market Strategy

Preparation Phase

• Establish Region by Region engagement with VC firms, corporate sponsors, government and philanthropic organizations for program funding.
• Establish Region by Region engagement with VC firms to nominate companies for the PowerUp program from their portfolio.
• Secure strategic relationships with US Chamber of Commerce branches and Country specific Economic Development Departments.
• Develop a network of connections with mutual clients, banking relations, cross border distribution opportunities and potential investors to expand the PowerUp Ambassadors Network.

Pilot Phase: Year 1

• Three cohorts of 10-12 companies nominated by VC funds.
• Adapt the PowerUp program to each region's unique needs.

Growth Phase: Years 2-5

• Model Year One processes within each region to expand PowerUp from one program per month in Year 2 to six programs per month in Year 5.
• Leverage established relationships with regional VC's to attract other companies and new VC firm participants.

Expansion Phase

• Execute the PowerUp model in other International & North American territories.

Company Eligibility Criteria

1. No industry focus.
2. At least one female as part of the executive team.
3. In business for at least one year.
4. Producing revenue from at least ten clients.
5. Has a staff of at least five people.
6. Founders raised an initial round of financing from family, friends & Angel investors.

Pilot

Our pilot is in Africa because this is where the gender funding gap is the biggest. Our partner is ShEquity, an investment firm focusing on providing smart and sustainable investment for African female entrepreneurs and innovators.

* Source: Africa: The Big Deal.

** Source: AfDB and WEF.

ShEquity is a catalyst for inclusive economic growth with the impact felt across the board. Because women tend to tackle challenges faced by societies, providing smart money to female entrepreneurs allows them to build impactful businesses benefiting many communities and inspire the next generations to become problem solvers.