Application Phase

The key to success in any venture is not the idea, the market, the technology or the pitch… it’s the team.  Yes, their idea should be good and the opportunity large but you have to look beyond the superficial elements of a pitch to understand whether or not there is really any hope that this team will actually succeed as a business.

Here are some of the key characteristics we are looking for in the teams that apply to the CEVC:

1)   At least some of the team should have some domain experience with the core technology or service they are pursuing.

2)   The team should be committed to their idea – so much so that it really doesn’t matter to them whether or not they are selected.  They are going to make this work no matter what.

3)   The team has some history of working together and didn’t just form last night.

4)   The team members should be capable of moving their idea forward; that is, they should not be lacking in some major skill set.

5)   They should have a deep passion for their idea.  Does their enthusiasm bubble over when they talk about what they are trying to do or is it talked about with the same enthusiasm as tomorrow’s homework assignment?

6)   The team must be interested in feedback from others.  You want teams that will seek input, react, pivot and keep moving forward.

7)   Ultimately, the idea the team is pursuing should make the world a better place in some way.  Having a deeper meaning to the work will help keep the team motivated and attract talent to their efforts more easily.

Obviously, not every team will meet all of these criteria.  But these are the features we will be looking for when selecting teams to go on the the Skill Building Phase.