Last year at SaaStock18 in Dublin, we launched the first-ever Startup Program for B2B SaaS startups. We brought together over 85 companies from across the globe. We showed that in just 3 days, we could deliver the right support for them to learn, network, fundraise, exhibit, and get more leads. But how did we do it?
Our Program dedicates the right resources from the conference to create valuable sessions, matchmaking with investors, exhibition booths, office hours with experts, and stage presence. We top that with many exclusive perks from our Startup Program partners. ‘It’s both an opportunity to show new products to the right audience but also an education from a network of top industry players.
We have been bringing the Startup Programme all around the world, and in September we will do that in San Francisco for SaaStock West Coast. It’s a special occasion to take it to the heart of tech, startups, and events. With so many other events happening and a variety of SaaS communities, what makes our Startup Program Day different and worth attending? Here are a few reasons:
1. Startup Day
We start the Program on September 10, hosting a Startup Day in partnership with Zendesk. They will be opening their doors to welcome the 20 startups to facilitate practical sessions from our key speakers. ‘It’s a day of high-quality content, networking with other startups, and engaging with our partners. We close the day with a happy hour before heading to the Welcome party.
2. Jacco vanderKooij
If you haven’t met Jacco from Winning by Design yet, ‘you’re missing out. He has built one of the ‘world’s foremost consultancies helping founders to grow their revenue engine through utilizing ‘WBD’s valuable blueprints and frameworks. On the day, Jacco will spend the full morning showing the founders how to go from $0-$10M ARR, offering a vibrant and world-class session architected to skyrocket teams into lean, mean sales machines.
3. Dan Martell
One of the most influential coaches in the world of Startups, Dan Martell will be joining us to help founders build top-notch webinars (that actually generate sales). Dan is an award-winning Angel Investor and coach to high performing SaaS founders. In his previous work, ‘he’s been 5x founder with three exits. Dan is one of our rockstar speakers with an inspiring story and a hands-on approach to running his workshops.
4. Masterminds with top speakers
To close the Startup Day, we will run a mastermind session moderated by our friends from Zendesk and covering topics submitted by participating startups. Gathering a panel of top speakers, we will seek to address some of the toughest challenges in the room. This is an opportunity to pick the wisdom in the room and direct it into solving very concrete problems.
5. Pitch Competition – Fast track to Dublin stage
As part of the Program, we always look for ways to give our startups more visibility and access to investors. This is why this year we’ve been running competitions in LatAm, Asia and the US as part of our Global Pitch Competition. All participating startups will pitch to a panel of judges at the Startup Day, getting feedback from experts and investors. We will then select the top 4 startups to pitch on stage to the broader conference audience where we’ll choose a winner. The winner will then be invited to join us in Dublin for our flagship pitch competition, fast-tracking them to the live pitch semi-finals on stage.
6. A new approach: Exclusive Pitch Coaching with Donna Grifit
Over the past year, we have been sharing top-class content from Donna Grifit, CEO and founder of Invisu.me. Donna has precious techniques and tips to share to help founders get their pitch right. We are now excited to announce a collaboration that will get our startups the extra support they need. On September 4, one week before the conference, we will run a webinar session with Donna, who will coach participants and get them to practice their pitch. The webinar will be open to any B2B SaaS startups across the globe looking to learn these techniques. It will also be an opportunity to meet some of our West Coast startups.
7. Main Conference
After getting the most from our workshops and content, startups will head to the main conference day, where they will have the opportunity to showcase their product as startup partners. The purpose of the exhibition is to maximize not only lead generation opportunities but also receive product validation from top industry leaders. On the day, founders will have a chance to listen to some of the most practical keynotes and panels from our main stage. The line-up this year includes
- Sarika Garg Chief Strategy Officer Tradeshift
- Leela Srinivasan CMO SurveyMonkey
- Santi Subotovsky General Partner Emergence Capital
- Dan Adika CEO & Co-Founder WalkMe
- Tae Hea Nahm Co-Founder & Managing Director Storm Ventures
- Bob Tinker Co-Founder & Board Member MobileIron
- Chris Cabrera Founder & CEO Xactly
- Sonja Gittens Ottley Head, Diversity & Inclusion Asana
- Emma Eschweiler VP Silicon Valley Bank
8. Matchmaking with Investors
Last but not least, we are working with our partners from Acceleprise to deliver straight-to-the-point valuable sessions with investors attending the conference. This is an opportunity for the founders to discuss their funding needs with our network of investors. The meetings will be held throughout the day, encouraging new conversations that could eventually lead to investment.
What are you waiting for?
All of these elements are part of one package that will be delivered with the support of our partners. The first West Coast program is going to be the perfect way to show Silicon Valley how SaaStock helps founders to get traction, scale, and grow.
Places for the Startup Program are limited, and the deadline is fast approaching. To be part of it and enjoy all the benefits, startups must apply by August 23.
Let’s get coffee!
As the global community lead, I will be in San Francisco over the next three weeks. I want to meet SaaS founders and community builders. Drop me a line [email protected] so we can put something in the diary.
