Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on Seattle 2.0, and imported to GeekWire as part of our acquisition of Seattle 2.0 and its archival content. For more background, see this post.

By Andy Sack

This week we narrowed the TechStar applicant pool from 400 to about 30. By July 7, we’ll have selected the final 10 and the program starts Aug 16 in Seattle. Having just notified people about “not being selected” and being selected, I thought I’d write some thoughts for people who might apply to TechStars in the future — whether that be Boulder, Boston, or Seattle in 2011. For those of you who were not selected, I really want to encourage you to continue to build your business!  
My suggestions for a successful applicant are:
  • Build a great team.  Teams of 2 and 3 have a much higher chance of getting in. 
  • International applicants face an even tougher challenge. Your team really needs to kick ass. And you need to deal with the visa issues so that they’re a non-issue in the application process. There were a couple of international finalists this year (in the group of 30) but it’s only because they’re being proactive about the visa issues AND their application was great. 
  • Submit your application early — the earlier the better.  Submitting your application early gives us the time to review the application and gives you the opportunity to get feedback. When you get feedback, adapt when necessary and appropriate. Teams that take feedback and adapt really set themselves apart. This is a great way for you to build credibility and relationship the people running TechStars. 
  • Find out who is on the selection committee and get to know as many of them as possible.  Decisions about TechStars finalists are made by committee. There’s no one decision maker. You should try to make yourself known to as many as reasonably possible. 
  • Get people close to the program to become your advocate. Mentors and people in the business community who take an interest in a company can really influence the selection committee.
  • Build a relationship with the TechStars organizer. Those companies that engage early and become more than just a written application have a better chance of getting in than those that simply submit a written application 
  • Definitely submit a short video — they help personalize your application a lot.
  • Selection for TechStars depends on team, market and product. Have all three nailed. 
  • Working product is really beneficial to applications — real customers are great…and revenue is the best!

This is not meant to be comprehensive. But it’s a good start. I wish I had known this stuff before and published it 3 months ago….but I needed to go through the process myself.  

Like what you're reading? Subscribe to GeekWire's free newsletters to catch every headline

Job Listings on GeekWork

Find more jobs on GeekWork. Employers, post a job here.