Gulf Coast Startups is the first stop for aspiring entrepreneurs having an idea for starting a company

Gulf Coast Startups is a seminar or self study program enabling startups to define, quantify and justify their idea for launching successful and sustainable businesses. The program is being launch in February 2012 in Florida within the Sarasota-Manatee community.  The program is based upon a book - How To Launch A Startup in Tough Times.  

 

Seminar participants become an expert on their market opportunity through a customer centric process. It requires hours of research, interviews of prospective customers, suppliers, industry experts and competitors, and consultation with business and technology advisors.  The result is a product or service specification, a methodology for building a loyal customer based and the definition of a market that can support a sustainable business.  Participants then present the opportunity to experienced industry entrepreneurs.  They validate the findings and approve the development of a business and funding plan, recommend additional research or send the startup back to the drawing board.

 

Gulf Coast Startups'will recruit participants who are unemployed, discharge military, college graduates/students and anyone who has an idea addressing a customer need.

 

Gulf Coast Startups'is designed to complement later stage business development efforts provided by the EDCs, Score, Gulf Coast Venture Forum, SUNCOAST Workforce, Barcamp and other support organizations. 

Supporting Startups Generating New Income & Florida Exports

Gulf Coast Startups is focused on startups within industries that bring new income into Florida or generate Florida exports. They include...

Arts, Entertainment & Tourism        

Building & Household Products

Telecom      

Design

E-commerce  

Healthcare Services  

Process Control

Social Networking


 

Winning Process

Gulf Coast Startups is a customer centric business development process and seminar. It overcomes the reason why 90% of startups fail – lack of customers and market. 

                                      

  • Participants’ initial efforts are focused on defining their product idea, customer and market. They attend fourteen (14) sessions moderated by an instructor with additional support by business and technology/engineering advisors. 

 

  • Participants invest over 240 hours in class time, primary and secondary research and preparation of presentations and plans.

 

  • During seminar sessions nine (9) and ten (10), the participants present their product idea to successful entrepreneurs within their industry. The Collaborators judge the venture and provide a go-ahead to proceed with a business and fund raising plan, modifications or reject the idea.

Our Participants, Advisors, Collaborators…

  • Class Participants – Prospective Entrepreneurs
    • Individuals, who have registered for seminar, with ideas for start companies
    • They are currently
      • Un-employed
      • Discharged Military
      • New College Graduates
      • Currently Employed

 

  • Business and Technology/Engineering Advisors
  • Experience business persons and technologist/engineers
  • Volunteered four (4) hours a month to provide counseling, advice and mentoring to startups. 
  • Works, at their option, with one company or multiple companies.
  • Communications with startups throughout seminar first to the last session
  • Communications via email, the web-site forum, Skype, class or off-site meetings
  • Entrepreneur Collaborators
    • Entrepreneurs with successful track record
    • Volunteer two (2) hours a month to judge business idea of startup
    • Work only with startups within their industry
    • During Sessions 9 and 10, Entrepreneur Collaborators are give formal presentations by prospective entrepreneurs
    • Judge the merit of the startups ideas – customer, product and market. 
    • Determine if the startup should move ahead and prepare and business and funding plan or go back to the drawing board.

 

  • Instructors
  • They moderate the 14 sessions, provide and evaluate weekly assignments
  • Work with Advisors and Entrepreneur Collaborators to furnish the needed support to the Participants 

 

  • Investors & Community Advocates
  • Investors and communty advocates are invited to attend Sessions 9 and 10, when the Entrepreneur Collaborators are give formal presentations by prospective entrepreneurs presentation, with the prior approval of the Instructor
  • We encourage discussions with presenting entrepreneurs, Advisors and Entrepreneur Collaborators.
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